Kansas faces Wichita State in Midweek tilt

Games 40
 

Date April 11, 2017
Location Lawrence, Kan.
Notes Game Notes

LIVE COVERAGE
Audio Audio Stream
Stats Live Stats
 LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas softball begins a four-game homestand with Wichita State on Tuesday, April 11 at 6 p.m., at Rock Chalk Park. The nonconference matchup will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network.  

Leading off for Kansas

  • Kansas and Wichita State meet for the 89th time in program history on Tuesday. KU has won 10 of the last 12 matchups with the Shockers. 
  • With its victory over then-No. 14 Baylor (3/25), Kansas’ streak increased to eight-straight seasons with a win over a nationally-ranked opponent. 
  • After defeating Texas Tech twice in a three-game series (April 7-9), Kansas won its first Big 12 series of 2017.
  • Kansas has scored first in 20 of its 39 games in 2017. The Jayhawks have a 13-7 record when putting a run on the scoreboard before their opponent. 
  • Junior outfielder Mikayla Warren hit Kansas’ second grand slam of the season at Texas Tech (4/7). The pinch-hit homer was the first of Warren’s career. 
  • Freshman hurler Mandy Roberts recorded her first career save against the Red Raiders (4/8) after fending off TTU’s late rally in the second game of the series. 

About the Jayhawks
Kansas steps out of Big 12 Conference action for a midweek tilt with Wichita State on Tuesday. The Jayhawks are 21-18 on the season with an 18-12 mark in nonconference play. The Jayhawks have won 10 of the last 12 meetings against the Shockers, but WSU won the 2016 meeting in extra innings. 

Kansas’ offense is batting .291 in 2017 with 299 hits, including the second-most home runs (31) in the Big 12, and 99 walks. Six Jayhawks are hitting above .300 after 39 games. Senior outfielder Lily Behrmann is batting .348 to lead KU’s offense, while junior infielder Jessie Roane is just behind with a .346 clip. Roane leads the team with 45 hits, including 12 doubles, and 30 RBIs. Junior Mikayla Warren hit Kansas’ second grand slam of the season at Texas Tech (4/7), her first career long ball in the Crimson and Blue. 

The Jayhawks’ pitching staff has posted the fourth-best ERA in the conference with a 2.94 ERA. After a win over No. 14 Baylor (3/25), sophomore Alexis Reid has defeated at least one nationally-ranked opponent in each of her seasons with the Jayhawks. Reid is 13-11 on the season with 91 strikeouts and a 2.60 ERA. She struck out eight batters in the series finale against Oklahoma State (4/1), marking the second time this season to record eight strikeouts. Junior Sarah Miller has made 10 starts in the circle and owns a 3-4 record. She has a 3.55 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 47 and one-third innings of work.

Scouting the Shockers
Wichita State owns an 22-14 record in 2017 and is 8-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Shockers have won three of their last four games and face Kansas in a midweek game before hosting to Indiana State for a three-game series. Wichita State has a 16-10 record away from Wilkins Stadium.

Offensively, the Shockers are batting .310 with 304 hits, including 34 home runs, and 98 walks. Seven players on WSU’s roster are hitting above .300. Senior infielder Kelli Spring is hitting a team-high .368 in 36 starts with 42 hits and 10 RBIs. Sophomore infielder Laurie Derrico leads the team with in RBIs (34) and is tied for the most home runs (8), while hitting .325 at the plate. 

In the circle, Wichita State has posted a 2.87 ERA with 167 strikeouts compared to 94 walks in 236 and one-thirds innings of work. Opposing batters are hitting .268 against the Shockers’ pitching staff. Senior Katie Malone leads the pitching staff with 23 starts and 15 complete games. She has posted a 2.36 ERA and struck out a team-high 124 batters in 166 and one-third innings of work. Malone owns an 19-8 mark in the circle.  

Series Breakdown
Record
Kansas leads the overall series against Wichita State, 70-18.

Overview
Kansas and Wichita State meet for the 89th time in program history on the diamond. The series began in 1978 with a 7-5 KU victory. The Jayhawks have won 10 of the last 12 games in the all-time series. 
 
Last Time Out
Kansas needed extra innings to decide the outcome against Wichita State and the Shockers surged past the Jayhawks, 6-1. The Shockers scored six unanswered runs, including five runs on five hits in the top of the eighth, to hand KU its 11th loss of the season.

Following Kansas
Listen to every pitch, home and away, all season long as part of the Jayhawk Radio Network, in partnership with KJHK, the University of Kansas’ student radio station, KLWN and KWOD. All of KU’s contests will be carried live, for free, at KUAthletics.com/radio or by clicking the link on the online schedule. Fans can also get in-game updates via twitter by following @KUsoftball.

The Jayhawk Way
From the moment a student-athlete steps on campus, Kansas head softball coach Megan Smith and her staff begin the process of instilling the Jayhawk Way into their team. The philosophy guides the Jayhawks in competing on the diamond, in the classroom and being a part of the community. There are several core values that the Jayhawks learn to live by while playing at Kansas: family, academics, character and hard work.

Up Next
Kansas hosts No. 12 Oklahoma for a three-game Big 12 series April 13-15 at Rock Chalk Park. All three games will air on the Jayhawk Radio Network, while the final game of the weekend will air on FSN. 

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.
 

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