Black and Yellow Challenge

[flyingMoose]

Game Four

Western Illinois at Shockers

Lineup: Sydney, Lauren, Zoe, Lolo, Sami, Lainee, Taylor RF, Jessica 3B, Camryn LF with Kenzie in the circle. I wondered if she might get this start. Emily Price, probably their ace (2.44 and 1.29), has the start for Western.


Ground out, ground out, pop up, all to Syd at short. Shocks are also down in order. No score after one.

A solo home run gives the Leathernecks a 1-0 lead in the middle of the second. Shockers are down in order again.

Kenzie hits the leadoff in the third but retires the next three batters. With two outs in the Shocker third, Camryn doubles and Sydney walks, but Lauren grounds out. 1-0 Western after three. Price has struck out four.

Western goes in order in the fourth.

[Gone for the duration]

Lauren starts the fifth for the Shocks, replacing Kinzie. Two hits including the homer and two strikeouts in four innings. Not a bad outing at all, but not against the greatest team. In the bottom of the fifth, Lainee singles, advances to third on sac bunt and error, and scores on a single by Jessica. 1-1 after five.

The Leathernecks loaded the bases in the sixth with one out on three consecutive singles. Lauren gets a force at home and a strikeout to end the threat.

In the seventh, Taylor reaches third on single, a stolen base (with two outs), and a throwing error on the Western C. Camryn pops out to the Shocker threat.

In the eighth, Syd reaches on a bunt single, steals second, and scores on Lauren's double to the gap in left center.


Western Illinois 1-2(8) Shockers

Lauren gives up three hits in her four innings get the win, striking out four. Only six hits for the Shocks with RBI by Jessica and Lauren.

[shoxlax]

Anyone hear the status of Barnard?

[shoxlax]

Not sure why we couldn’t hit the WIU pitcher this afternoon but we were fortunate to come out with a win.

[shocks02]

Really dodged a bullet there. WIU is not good. Likely to finish in the 200’s of the RPI.

Looking ahead there are some big games next week. #8 Stanford is at Wilkins on Thursday. They have a freshman pitcher from Topeka, NiJaree Canady, who is having a remarkable season. 44 innings, 0 earned runs, has only allowed 9 hits (.065 batting average), 79 strikeouts/9 walks. Insane numbers. Stanford is playing KU and Central Arkansas after us over the weekend, so we’ll likely get the ace.

Two games over the weekend against Nebraska and Missouri State. Huskers are 14-6, with five of those six losses against top 15 teams. They won at #16 Arizona this weekend.

[flyingMoose]

Anyone hear the status of Barnard?

No, and we are not going to hear about her unless there is a leak from the Shocker Camp. That is the way programs do things.

[flyingMoose]

Stanford is playing KU and Central Arkansas after us over the weekend, so we’ll likely get the ace.

Possibly, but not necessarily. Often the kind of trip Stanford is making back to the Midwest is so the family can see their "kid" play in person. LSU and Emily Griggs of Maize coming to WSU on their way to a KU Tournament several years ago is an example. Normally, this is done in the senior year of a player (see Griggs), and as noted, Canady is a freshman.

Another factor is that Topeka is closer to Lawrence than Wichita.

Another factor is the Stanford at KU games are Friday and Saturday after the Thursday game against the Shockers.

So who knows. Again, possibly, but not necessarily.


The Cardinal have options. Alana Vawter (59 IP, 1.07, 0.73) and Regan Krause (31.2 IP, 2.65, 0.95) are no slouches.

Just hoping the weather allows the game to be played.

[shocks02]

The Eagle article from this morning states that Addie is “day-to-day” and hopes to be ready for Stanford.