Softball | 5/2/2026 8:50:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Wichita State associate head coach Elizabeth Economon works with new hitters on a proven timeline. Get them to campus and get them in the weight room. Figure out a swing that works and add in strategies and plans at the plate as fall practices progress.
 
That timeline did not start soon enough for some of the new Shockers, who could not resist the lure of Wichita State's indoor practice facility.
 
"Before we could start having organized practices, they were like 'Hey, how do we get in the indoor? Does our card get us in?'" Economon said. "I could feel it in August – 'They want to work and they want to learn.'"
 
On Friday, Wichita State provided further evidence that working and learning on that timeline can take 14 newcomers, withstand the loss of six of its top eight hitters, and blend together the American Conference's top offense. The Shockers defeated Memphis 15-2 in five innings with five extra-base hits and 11 walks.
 
The win keeps the Shockers tied with USF in first place in the American. The Shockers (34-16, 20-6 American) play Memphis (18-37, 6-20) at noon today (Saturday) at Wilkins Stadium. A win gives them at least a share for the conference title, depending on the outcome of USF's game with North Texas.
 
Ausha Moore hit her 21^st home run, tied for fourth with Madison Perrigan (2021) in a season at WSU. First baseman Trinity Allen went 3 for 3 with a double and a triple to drive in four runs. Right fielder Johnna Schroeder drove in two runs with a double and a single. Catcher Aeryn Shuman walked and doubled. Third baseman Kinzey Woody walked three times.
 
That well-rounded offense didn't start immediately for the Shockers this spring. After two shutout losses at ECU in early March, Wichita State was 11-10 with a .285 batting average, a .391 on-base percentage and 27 home runs. Three people – Moore, Allen and catcher Gabby Scott – hit above than .300.
 
"We played afraid to lose, instead of playing to win," coach Kristi Bredbenner said. "Nothing was going right. Really tight and tense. Not enjoying the process."
 
 

B3 | MEM 1, WSU 9

A 3-hit night for @trinitygallen 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rAM0T9ewyi

— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) May 2, 2026

Since that weekend, the Shockers are a different team. The rally started with an 8-3 win at then No. 15 Oklahoma State on March 10, a game obscured by the fact the Shockers didn't get credit for that performance until April 23 because of weather delays and scheduling issues. With that game largely out of mind, the Shockers often point to a sweep of UAB as the turning point.
 
"After you play that first conference series, you settle in a little bit and you chill out and calm down," Schroeder said. "We were really trying to figure ourselves out. We finally clicked and did it."
 
The win over Oklahoma State started an eight-game win streak.
 
"I think we took that (ECU) series loss personally," Allen said. "We weren't playing our best softball. Since then, we really honed in on our prep and our scouting and having good at-bats and stringing them together."
 
The new-look roster strung together good at-bats and then good games and good weeks. A 12-game win streak propelled Wichita State into the tie for first place and the top 50 of the NCAA's power ranking.
 
"All of our hitters in our lineup are starting to get hot," Allen said. "Ausha and Woody have been hot. Johnna is starting to heat up. We're playing great softball."
 
The Shockers are 23-6 since that ECU series. They lead the conference in batting average (.314), home runs (81), runs (313), slugging percentage (.554) and on-base percentage (.416). It is the first time WSU will lead the conference in all those categories since 2023 and the program's most homers since hitting 121 in 2022.
 
The pitching rotation also clicked in conference play with Riley Nihart going 12-4 with a 2.50 earned run average. Ava Sliger is 5-1 with five complete games in American games. Jade Sanders, often used in relief, has a 2.73 ERA.  The Shocker defense is fielding .974, on pace to be the team's best since .984 in 2023. Their 27 double plays rank third in the conference.
 
"This feels like 2021, 2022, 2023 when it was fun, there was momentum," Economon said. "There was genuine excitement for other people's success. That can turn into a steamroll. Everybody feeds off everybody."
 
That stats tell the story of improvement over the past 29 games. The rise of the freshmen – Woody, second baseman Kammie Smith and left fielder Mackenzie Rooney – are the factors that lifted an average offense into something more than that.
 
Woody raised her batting average from .226 with one home run to its current .475 with 12 homers. Smith hit .296 in her first 21 games and is now at .371. Rooney, hitting .226 in late March, is hitting .272 with five home runs.
 
The more experienced Shockers also got hot.
 
Schroeder raised her batting average from .238 to .333. Center fielder Jodie Epperson is up to .360 from .297. Shuman is hitting .471 with four home runs in 12 games since taking over the starting job.
 
"I think that (UAB) series gave us the momentum that we needed to loosen up and trust that what we do with the team can get it done," Bredbenner said.
 
While the results in the batting cages gave Bredbenner a hint about the team's potential in the fall, she emphasizes the locker room vibe. In August, she said the team bonded and supported each other. That chemistry reminded her of WSU's recent best teams.
 
"They're worker bees," she said. "They also enjoy each other's company. The best combination is when you've got kids that want to put the work in, but they enjoy being around each other and they're there for each other. They wanted to bring back the expectation at Wichita State – to be at the top of the conference and compete for a spot in a regional."
 
The Shockers pushed the timeline in August with their desire to use the batting cages next to Wilkins Stadium. While it took time, the steps are the same. Get in the weight room. Learn how to learn with the coaches. Then coaches can understand how to work on their swing, as the work in the weight room improves their strength and helps them understand how their body works.
 
 

B2 | MEM 1, WSU 8

4 + 78 = 2

RBI doubles from @johnnaschroe and @shuman2024 extend our lead to 7. pic.twitter.com/KVFXCb8wBr

— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) May 1, 2026

"That builds the swing all fall," Economon said. "When you're confident in your mechanics and your swing, you don't have to worry about 'I have to do this, this and this – and then hit the curveball.'"
 
The final step, late in the fall, is introducing plans and approaches for specific situations, pitchers and types of pitches. With this Shocker team, work on the strike zone pays off with walks and extra-base hits.
 
Nine months later, that timeline puts the Shockers exactly where Bredbenner wants them – atop the American Conference and aiming for NCAA play.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
 
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.