Shockers finish 2-3 in Demarini Desert Classic

Wichita State fell short of their five-win expectations, but left Las Vegas with multiples wins.

WSU started out with a 13-2 win over San Jose State in six innings. Liz Broyles and Cassidy Kelsheimer hit home runs while Mackenzie Wright and Kelli Spring got three hits in four at-bats each Friday.

Kelsey Sterneker earned her first win, pitching four innings and only giving up one earned run.

San Jose State got it close, tied 1-1 in the third inning, until Wichita State went on a 8-0 scoring run through the top of the fifth inning. The Shockers scored six of its 13 runs during the top of the fifth inning. Their 14 hits led WSU to the third win of the season.

Later that night, the Shockers faced the University of Hawaii and struggled to hit the ball, having a hitting percentage of .174. Hawaii’s starting pitcher, Kanani Aina Cabrales, made things tough. Aina Cabrales struck out five Shocker batters, gave up two earned runs, and recorded her third win of the season after pitching a complete game of seven innings.

Broyles and Spring managed to have their second-straight game batting in runs, each getting one in the Shockers’ defeat.

Wichita State came back Saturday morning and gave up eight straight runs to Cal State Northridge, and fell short to the Matadors 3-9.

Cal State Northride’s Katie Hooper hit a home run and tallied four at-bats.

Paige Luellen and Cacy Williams hit home runs, with Luellen’s coming in the fourth inning and William’s in the fifth.

Katie Malone struggled on the mound through six innings Saturday morning. Malone gave up five earned runs and struck out one batter.

The Shockers would come right back around two hours later to try and get a victory over Oregon State.

OSU’s Natalie Hampton made the game difficult for Wichita State early, hitting two home runs that would put the Beavers out in front 3-0 after the third inning. Macklin Hitz would answer back in the fifth inning with a two-run home-run in the top of the fifth inning to cut the deficit 2-3.

Lovie Lopez scored for Oregon State in the bottom of the fifth off a sacrifice fly to extend the Beavers’ lead 4-2 after five innings played. Broyles would hit her second home run of the showcase in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead 3-4, but the Shockers would fall short and lose its third straight game.

Beavers pitcher Meehra Nelson pitched a complete game and won her fifth straight game. She managed to strike out nine Shocker batters in the process.

Sunday morning seemed as if the Shockers were going to go home on a four-game losing streak, with Boise State going up 3-0 at the end of the first inning. Wichita State would rally back due to a five-run fourth inning led by Luellen and Derrico Eachhit, who had two RBI’s each in that inning. Even with Boise State scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, WSU held on for a 7-5 win to finish the tournament with a 2-3 record.

The Shockers travel to Mobile, Alabama, next for the South Alabama Invitational. They will compete against Dartmouth, South Alabama, and Bowling Green twice.