Freshman Gabby Scott had never registered a collegiate hit prior to Wichita State’s game against the University of Kansas on Wednesday evening.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Scott came through with her first knock for the Shockers, tallying three RBIs in a 7-3 WSU win.
Wichita State snapped a five-game losing streak, the team’s longest since the 2020 season, ruining the Jayhawks’ home opener in the process. The Shockers improved to 11-12 on the season, while KU fell to 12-8.
Prior to the game, the Shockers had lost all seven of their matchups against power-conference opponents.
Two batters into the game, Wichita State scored its first run with consecutive doubles by graduate students Ellee Eck and Lauren Lucas.
In the top of the third, WSU’s first two batters went down. Then, the Shockers rallied, loading the bases on a single and two walks.
With the bases loaded, Scott, starting her third game behind the plate, delivered her first career hit. The ground ball bounced off the KU third baseman’s glove and trickled into the outfield, scoring two runs.
Then, freshman Brookelyn Livanec knocked her eighth career hit, a line drive that fell just under the center fielder’s glove, to drive in two more runs before being thrown out at second base to end the inning.
The Shockers put runners on second and third in the fifth inning. Junior Jodie Epperson, who was an ice-cold 4-30 over WSU’s five-game losing streak, delivered a single to drive in a run. Scott earned her third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly, making the score 7-0.
After throwing two innings of scoreless ball, sophomore Chloe Barber lost her control in the bottom of the fifth frame. She walked two Jayhawks and allowed two doubles to give up two runs, 7-2.
Freshman Ryley Nihart arrived in the circle and gave up three hard line drives but got away with only one run allowed due to two landing in Wichita State outfield gloves and the other harmlessly in foul territory.
Kansas put runners in scoring position in the second and fourth innings without scoring. The Jayhawks went down quietly in the sixth and seventh innings.
Wichita State’s top of the order — Eck, Lucas and junior Taylor Sedlacek — combined for six hits and four of WSU’s seven runs.
Wichita State will play its second American Athletic Conference series of the season against the University of North Texas from Friday, March 14, through Sunday, March 16. The first pitch in Wilkins Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday.
