Track and Field
The track team traveled 4.8 miles away over the weekend to compete in the Friends Invitational at Friends University. Freshman Josh Parrish recorded the fifth-farthest mark in the NCAA in the long jump and qualified for the NCAA West Preliminaries.
Parrish jumped 7.94m/26’0.5” to win in the long jump, helping him hold on to the conference lead and setting the third-best mark in Wichita State program history.
Junior Chidera Okoro won the women’s long jump with a personal best in the outdoor, 5.93m/19’5.5”.
The women’s team broke the Wichita State record in the 4×800 meter relay as junior Jenna Muma, redshirt sophomore Lea Jerkovic, junior Audrey Parson and junior Farrah Miller finished in 9:02.62.
While the team wrapped up in Wichita, junior Brady Palen competed in the Arkansas Spring Invitational on Saturday afternoon and cleared a 2.20m/7’2.5” high jump that moved him up to No. 1 in the American Athletic Conference and No. 4 in the NCAA.
Sophomore Mattelyn Swartz and junior Marissa Jensen placed third and fourth in the high jump for the women in Arkansas.
Baseball
Baseball traveled to South Florida over the weekend, where the Shockers could not get much going, losing the series 3-0. In the series opener, Wichita State fell 7-3.
The Shockers had 16 hits compared to the Bulls’ six and trailed 3-2 in the seventh inning. South Florida responded with three runs that enhanced the lead, 6-2.
Wichita State got its final run in the eighth when senior Dayvin Johnson hit a double and scored freshman Kam Durnin, making it a three-run game, 6-3.
Senior Caden Favors gave up 13 hits and six runs in six innings, striking out seven while allowing one walk.
In its second game, the Shockers made four runs in the ninth inning but ultimately could not defeat South Florida, 8-7.
Wichita State entered the final inning trailing 8-3, but a single from junior Mauricio Millan and a double from redshirt junior Ryan Callahan set them up for success as senior Seth Stroh’s right-side single allowed them to cross the plate, 8-5.
Freshman Lane Haworth hit his first career home run on an error, as a fly ball hit off an outfielder’s glove and flew over the fence. However, it was not enough for the Shockers’ late-game rally.
In the final game of the series, Wichita State led most of the game, but South Florida came back in the ninth and won in extra innings, 3-2.
The only scoring for the Shockers came with two runs at the top of the fifth. Durnin broke the scoreless game with an RBI double that allowed redshirt junior Jordan Rogers to score. Later in the inning, freshman Camden Johnson’s single allowed Durnin to run home for a 2-0 lead.
The Bulls managed to tie the game in the ninth inning on a walk, single and double. Freshman pitcher Tommy LaPour struck out seven in five innings but allowed seven hits and three walks.
Women’s tennis
Women’s tennis faced Tulsa and the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) on Monday in a doubleheader. The Shockers fell to Tulsa, 4-1 but came back to win against UMKC, 4-0.
Against Tulsa, the Shockers came close in doubles, but the Golden Hurricanes came out on courts one and two to take the doubles points.
In singles, freshman Xin Tong Wang won her match in two sets on court two. Redshirt senior Natsumi Kurahashi lost her match on court two, to give Tulsa the lead. Freshman Giorgia Roselli would be the next Shocker to fall, losing in three sets.
Tulsa claiming victory over sophomore Kristina Kudryavtseva on court four sealed the win.
Wichita State came back to sweep UMKC two hours later.
The Shockers took the doubles point easily. Wang and Kurahashi won 6-0 on court two, and graduate student Jessica Anzo and Kudryavtseva won, 6-3, on court one.
Anzo found victory in the singles match starting on court five. Junior Anne Knuettel added to the lead with a victory on court four.
Wang delivered the final point for Wichita State with a win on court one, 6-4, 6-3.
Women’s tennis will travel to Lawrence to face off against the University of Kansas on Friday, April 12, at the Jayhawk Tennis Center. The match is set to start at 10 a.m.
