After a rain delay of over three and a half hours, Wichita State dropped both games of a doubleheader at soggy Wilkins Stadium on Saturday against the No. 22 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Shockers hung tough in the first match but lost 3-1. The game turned on a play that saw sophomore Layne Greenlee injure her lower leg chasing a ball deep into left center field. 

In the second game the Cornhuskers were held quiet in the first two innings before scoring 2 runs in the third, 2 in the fourth and 5 in the fifth for a 9-0 victory in a mercy rule shortened game.

Due to the delays in Saturday’s game and inclement weather forecast, Sunday’s game was canceled. The next game for the Shockers is 5 p.m. Wednesday when they host University of Missouri-KC in a double header.

Steady rain threatened the game but cleared by 4:45 p.m. By game time there were blue patches of sky and the temperature was a pleasant 59 degrees with a 15-20 mph wind blowing toward the left field foul pole.

That wind helped Shocker pitcher Katie Armagost give up a two-out homer to Nebraska catcher Taylor Edwards in the first inning.

The one run would stand until the seventh as the Huskers were denied a chance to increase their lead in the fourth inning by Greenlee when she chased down a ball hit hard to deep center right. Her catch left two Huskers on base.

The fifth inning saw the Shocker defense rise to the occasion again stranding another runner. Unfortunately, in the Shockers’ half of the fifth a lead off single by Laura Vickers led to nothing but bad luck. Megan McCracken hit a sharp line drive right at first baseman Mattie Fowler that resulted in an unassisted double play.

Armagost’s change up kept Nebraska off stride all game and she pitched to the minimum in the sixth inning assisted by her defense. Catcher Melanie Jaegers was charged with an error when she missed a pop fly three feet in front of the plate but quickly recovered with a pinpoint throw to second for an out as the runner tried to advance. Greenlee then made another running catch to end the inning.

Then it was the Shockers’ turn to get on the board. Jaegers’ two-out line drive over the third baseman’s head was turned into a RBI to tie the game when Ali Vandever followed with a double to deep right. A strike out, one of 11 by Husker pitcher Emily Lockman, ended the inning.

With two outs in the Huskers’ half of the seventh, Kiki Stokes hit the ball hard over the shortstop that went nearly to the wall. As Greenlee splashed though the outfield to make a play on the ball her footing gave way and she injured her leg. This allowed the likely triple to become an inside-the-park home run. Greenlee was carried off the field by the training staff.  Her condition is unknown.  

Nebraska’s Gabby Banda then lined a shot up the middle. Stole second base and moved to third on a throwing error. Taylor Edwards then hit a little flare into left field, which resulted in the final run of the game as the Shockers went quietly in the bottom of the seventh.

The second game started well but a lead off home run in the third inning was the only run that the Huskers would need. Unfortunately, they found eight more.

Husker pitcher Tatum Edwards counted seven strikeouts and only gave up one hit as the Shockers’ offense was shut down.

The highlight of the second game for the Shockers was a perfectly placed throw to second base by Jaegers that caught Banda trying to steal second.