Softball
Wichita State’s softball team swept its three-game game series against the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in a doubleheader, 10-2 and 8-0, on Friday and a 12-0 win in five innings in Saturday’s game.
The Shockers improved to 16-10 overall and 7-2 in conference play. UTSA dropped to 9-25 this season.
Game 1
In the first game of the series, softball slaughtered UTSA 10-2 in the first five innings before mercy-ruling the Roadrunners.
In the second inning, senior Jessica Garcia and junior Krystin Nelson hit back to back two-out singles that landed them on the first and second base. Graduate student CC Wong hit a single back up the middle of the field that allowed Garcia to run home from second, scoring the first run.
In the bottom of the third, Wichita State had an eight-run frame. Redshirt senior Lainee Brown started the run with an RBI single. Junior Caroline Tallent had an RBI double and an RBI from Garcia made it 4-0. Wong hit a three-run homer and the Shockers scored two more runs before the inning ended.
Wichita State made its final run in the bottom of the fourth inning on Nelson’s single through the right side that allowed redshirt senior Bailey Urban to run it home.
The only runs for the Roadrunners came at the top of the fifth due to a fielding error.
Game 2
By the second game of the doubleheader, the Shockers shut out UTSA 8-0 in just five innings.
Freshman pitcher Chloe Barber threw a complete game shutout, striking out seven batters and without allowing a walk. UTSA only managed two hits off Barber.
The Shockers aided Barber when they opened up play in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs from senior Addison Barnard, sophomore Taylor Sedlacek and Brown.
Wong gave Wichita State another run on an RBI groundout in the second inning.
The Roadrunners shut out the Shockers in the third inning, but four runs in a fourth-inning rally allowed the mercy rule to go into effect after the fifth.
Game 3
Looking for a sweep on Saturday, Wichita State cruised to a 12-0 victory against UTSA.
Wong led Wichita State during her best match this season. She tied a school record with three home runs in the game, driving in six runs and ending the day with a grand slam in the fourth.
Urban also stood out during the game as she recorded her first career multi-home run appearance, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBIs.
Up next, softball will travel to Charlotte, North Caroline to face off against Charlotte University in a three game series from March 28 to March 30. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Men’s Tennis
Wichita State men’s tennis traveled to the 65th Annual Ralph O’Connor Rice Invitational in Houston, Texas, falling to Rice University, 4-0 on Friday and to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) on Saturday, 4-3.
With the losses, the Shockers drop to 3-16 overall, riding an eight-game losing streak.
Rice University
On Friday, the Owls started off hot, winning doubles court three, 6-2 and court one, 6-3.
Freshman Ziwen Ju fell in singles as he retired due to injury during his first set, letting Rice get the point, 2-0.
The Shockers could not get anything going during the rest of the match, as sophomores Alejandro Jacome and Luke Bracks lost their matches.
UAB
Men’s tennis came close to turning it around against UAB on Saturday afternoon but came up short in the match.
The doubles point came close, with two courts being decided in a tiebreak. The Blazers grabbed the early lead in court three against Bracks and Jacome. Graduate student Misha Kvantaliani and sophomore Richey King responded with a win on court one, but freshman Vanja Hodzic and graduate student Marcelo Sepulveda fell in the deciding tiebreak set, 8-6.
In singles, Jacome won in court two, leveling the match score, 1-1. UAB responded with wins on courts four and six to move one point away from victory.
Bracks was the lone Shocker left to decide the match but would fall in the third set 6-3, ending the match in favor of UAB.
Up next, men’s tennis will continue in Texas, facing off against The University of Texas at Arlington on Thursday, March 28. The first serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
