Wichita State softball  snagged its 30th and 31st wins of the season Friday by beating Indiana State in Terre Haute, Indiana, by a score of 3-2 in game one and 7-2 in game two. The third and final game of the series was scheduled for Saturday, but weather caused a cancellation. 

Like she has done many times this season, junior Paige Luellen put the Shockers on the scoreboard first. Luellen’s 11th home run of the season gave the Shockers a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. 

A single to right field hit by senior Cacy Williams scored sophomore Mackenzie Wright in the top of the fourth inning, extending the Shockers’ lead 2-0. Indiana State tied up the game, scoring on a passed ball in the bottom of the fourth and a bases loaded single in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

Freshman Laurie Ann Derrico drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning. Derrico’s single to center field allowed sophomore Kennedy Long to score and put the Shockers in front 3-2.

Forcing three outs in Indiana State’s final four at-bats, junior Katie Malone was able to throw a complete game and earn her 12th win of the season in the Shockers’ game one victory. Malone retired 17 batters in 25 at-bats. 

Junior Macklin Hitz put WSU in front in game two, giving the Shockers a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning by scoring off an overthrown ball. An Indiana State triple a half inning later tied the game, but the Shockers were able to tag the leading run at home. 

WSU regained the lead in the top of the third inning, scoring two runs off of a home run to center field by Hitz. An Indiana State single in the bottom of the fourth inning cut the Shockers lead 3-2 heading into the fifth inning. 

At bat with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning, senior Liz Broyles hit a single that put the Shockers up 4-1. Junior Ashley Johnson hit a sacrifice groundout to bring in another run for Wichita State, and a double by Derrico to right field brought in the final two runs of game two. 

Sophomore Kelsey Sterneker pitched the first three innings, allowing one earned Indiana State run. Malone came in at relief to pitch the final four innings for the Shockers, forcing the Sycamores to hit .214 percent. The Shockers’ pitching helped obtain the sweep over Indiana State with a 7-2 game two victory, with Malone getting her 13th win of the season. 

Wichita State (31-18, 16-5) holds a three-game lead in the Missouri Valley Conference, needing just one more win to claim at least a share of their second MVC regular-season championship in three years. The Shockers will host Missouri State on Tuesday at Wilkins Stadium. They will close out their season with a three-game home finale against Southern Illinois at noon Saturday.