It was a slow start for Wichita State softball Friday night, but crucial plays by Jodie Epperson contributed to a 6-5 victory against UAB.
“The first half of the game we just weren’t ready,” Shocker coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “We weren’t energized. To me, we were flat.
“It took us a little while to get going.”
Struggling in the box, Wichita State couldn’t put the ball in play in the early innings. UAB earned three runs in the top of the third by finding the gaps in the infield, but the Shockers stuck with it to improve to 12-10 and 2-2 in the American Conference.
“We were letting a couple extra base runners get on,” Bredbenner said. “And then (UAB’s) seven-hole hitter, (Antonia) Henderson had two nice doubles in the right field gap.”
The breakthrough didn’t come until the bottom of the seventh and final inning, Wichita State trailing 5-4.
Sophomore Gabby Scott pulled a ball into left field for a solo homer to tie the game.
Junior Trinity Allen singled to right field, and freshman Kinzey Woody followed with a double to left field. Junior Mickayla Tosch reached second on a fielder’s choice, as Allen was tagged out at home plate.
Epperson later stepped up to the batter’s box and hit the game-winning single to steal a win from UAB and drop the Blazers to 12-14 and winless against conference opponents at 0-4.
It went down as Epperson’s only hit of the ball game in three at bats but came in the biggest moment. Woody went 3-3 on the night, and Allen hit 3-4.
Wichita State tightened up its fielding with UAB making 11 hits throughout the game, but the Blazers left nine runners on base.
Sophomore Ryley Nihart pitched a complete game and notched her fifth win of the season. And although UAB was able to make contact and put pitches in play, Bredbenner credited Nihart’s approach.
“I didn’t think Ryley had her best stuff today,” Bredbenner said. “But she had enough stuff to be competitive.”
Nihart finished the game with three strikeouts and as many walks, including a home run in the fifth inning that gave the Blazers their one-run lead, striking out three and walking three batters, giving up 11 hits, including a home run.
The Shockers will finish their series with a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Saturday.
