What could go wrong in a game of softball did go wrong for Wichita State Wednesday night.
The Shockers gave up 12 hits, including three home runs, to in-state rival Kansas. They bobbled a handful of ground balls and made three errors on defense, while only managing three hits themselves in 19 at-bats.
Wichita State eventually lost 9-1 in its home opener via the run-rule after the fifth inning.
The game was flipped on its head in the fifth with the Shockers (10-8) trailing by three runs, 4-1. That’s when the Jayhawks’ (15-7) Ella Boyer rifled her second home run of the game, and seventh of the season, to put the away team up 6-1.
But the damage didn’t stop there.
Two at-bats later, Kansas’ Kadence Stafford tripled down the left field line, much to the dismay of almost everyone supporting the black and yellow. What looked like a foul ball was eventually ruled fair, as the umpires determined sophomore infielder Ausha Moore clipped it with her glove before it dropped in foul territory.
Fans screamed expletives — and deservedly so. The controversy over that ruling was amplified by a similar one that went against Wichita State just the inning before.
Junior outfielder Jodie Epperson had a bases-clearing triple wiped off the board in the fourth because the umps determined her hit — in almost the exact same place on the field — did drop into foul territory. Epperson eventually grounded out to third base to retire the side after the original call was reversed.
What was a one-run ball game eventually turned into an eight-run loss after that moment.
Despite the sluggish outing, Moore provided the lone bright spot for the Shockers. She launched her fifth home run of the season in the third inning to bring Wichita State within three runs, 4-1.
The Shockers never scored again and only managed one more hit after that.
Moore extended her home run streak to four games and hit streak to six, further proving to be an invaluable piece of the offense. Through 18 games, she’s hitting .444 with 14 RBI, which both lead the team.
Wichita State will have to put the loss in its home opener behind it as the team jumps straight into American Conference play later this week.
The Shockers face East Carolina on the road in a three-game series starting at 4 p.m. Friday. Their next home game won’t be until Friday, March 13, against Alabama-Birmingham.
