Wichita State softball continued its dominance against East Carolina over the weekend, taking two of three games in a home series that had a little bit of everything — a run rule to begin the series, a walkoff in the middle and a rally by the Pirates to end it.
While the Shockers extended their winning streak against the Pirates to 12 with back-to-back wins on Friday and Saturday, the streak came to an end in extra innings on Sunday.
With the series win, WSU improved to 21-19-1 overall and 9-8-1 in the American Athletic Conference. ECU dropped to 24-19 on the season and to 10-8 in AAC games.
Friday
Freshman Ryley Nihart set the tone early in the circle in the series opener. The Shockers’ offense followed suit.
Wichita State exploded for 11 runs over the first three innings and never looked back in an 11-2 run-rule win that lasted just 1 hour and 24 minutes and five innings.
Graduate student Lauren Lucas headlined the offensive barrage, recording the first multi-home run game of her career and driving in five runs. Junior Taylor Sedlacek added her 11th home run of the season and 30th of her career, tying her for 10th all-time at Wichita State.
Nihart was dominant in the circle, going the distance for her fourth complete game of the season. The win marked Wichita State’s 11th straight over the Pirates.
Saturday
Game two brought more drama. WSU eventually won the game in extra innings, 9-8.
Sophomore Chloe Barber struck out seven ECU batters over four innings, but was hurt by defensive lapses that allowed the Pirates to plate six runs.
The Shockers responded in the bottom of the fourth, rallying for six runs of their own.
Graduate student Ellie Eck delivered a clutch home run to highlight the comeback. Freshman Ava Slinger entered in relief in the fifth, shutting the door with three strong innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits while striking out one.
With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, junior Sami Hood played hero, delivering a walk-off RBI single to score fellow junior Jodie Epperson. The win clinched the series and extended the Shockers’ win streak over the Pirates to 12.
Sunday
Nihart returned to the circle on Sunday as the Shockers looked to complete the sweep.
Wichita State struck early again with a sacrifice fly from senior Camryn Compton in the first and a solo home run from Hood in the second. A Pirates error in the third allowed another run to cross the plate, and the Shockers scored in each of the first three innings.
Nihart allowed a solo shot in the third, followed by runs in the fourth and sixth as the Pirates slowly chipped away. Compton made two spectacular catches in the fourth to limit further damage, but momentum began to shift.
With the game tied 3-3 in the top of the sixth, freshman Ava Sliger entered the circle again and halted the Pirates’ surge. She recorded key outs in the sixth and seventh to push the game into extra innings.
Slinger continued her strong outing into the eighth and didn’t allow an earned run. But in the top of the ninth, the Pirates broke through with a two-run home run to take a 5-3 lead.
The Shockers’ bats, which had gone cold with no hits across the final six innings, couldn’t answer. WSU fell in extras, snapping its 12-game winning streak against the Pirates.
Up next
Wichita State will head to Stillwater, Oklahoma, for a midweek showdown against No. 16 Oklahoma State. The first pitch is set for Tuesday, April 15, at 6 p.m.
