Shocker softball sweeps UNI

Senior+Sloan+Anderson+winds+up+for+the+pitch+Saturday+afternoon+at+Wilkins+Stadium+against+Northern+Iowa.+Anderson+pitched+a+complete+game%2C+allowing+just+three+hits.+The+Shockers+won+both+games%2C+beating+Northern+Iowa+9-4+and+8-0.

Senior Sloan Anderson winds up for the pitch Saturday afternoon at Wilkins Stadium against Northern Iowa. Anderson pitched a complete game, allowing just three hits. The Shockers won both games, beating Northern Iowa 9-4 and 8-0.

Wichita State softball returned home this weekend after facing top 20 ranked Oklahoma earlier in the week in a double-header.

The Sooner softball team prepared Wichita State to come out strong against University of Northern Iowa in Wilkins Stadium.

WSU swept the series with UNI with a 9-4 win in the first game, an 8-0 win in six innings in the second game, and a 6-0 win in five innings in the final game.

In the first game of the series, WSU and UNI were tied until the bottom of the third inning when a slew of singles from Kelli Spring, Cacy Williams, Brittany Fortner, Paige Luellen, and Paige Mason gave the Shockers five runs.

That gave them a lead they would not relinquish.

UNI was able to get on the board in the top of the fifth inning, when they attempted a double steal by having Samantha Olson steal second and Jordyn Brunssen take third. A throwing error by Liz Broyles resulted in Brunssen scoring.

WSU starting pitcher, Kaitlyn Malone, gave up her first earned run when UNI’s Caitlin Wnek homered to left field, cutting the WSU lead to 5-2.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, WSU loaded the bases when Spring walked, Williams reached on a fielder’s choice and Melanie Jaegers singled by way of bunt.

Fortner came to the plate and saw just one pitch from UNI pitcher, Jamie Fisher, before she crushed a grand slam over the center field wall to seal the game for WSU.

UNI added two more runs in the seventh for an end score 9-4.

In the second game of the series, WSU came out with the same intensity and was able to score immediately.

Williams doubled to start the Shockers off. Williams was moved to third on a single from Jaegers. Jaegers stole second base and while UNI attempted to throw her out Williams took the opportunity and stole home putting WSU up 1-0 at the end of one inning.

Wichita State scored two runs in the third after UNI errors. In the fourth inning, Williams lined one over the right center wall to score two more for the Shockers to extend the lead to 5-0.

Another two run home runs from Broyles effectively extinguished any hope UNI held onto heading into the sixth inning.

WSU scored one more run on a Jaegers’ single to end the game by run rule, 8-0.

In the final game of the three-game series, Wichita State picked up right where they left off on Saturday scoring six runs in the very first inning.

A double from Williams, singles from Broyles, Luellen, and Mason, and a bases clearing double from Spring gave WSU their 6-0 lead.

The game lasted four and a half innings until it was cancelled by the weather, completing the WSU sweep over UNI.

Wichita State will play Missouri State at home at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 16 at Wilkins Stadium before heading to play Drake in a three game series over the weekend.