RV26 Shocker SB v Houston

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers continue their conference schedule with four games against Houston this weekend. The Friday game is at 5 pm, the Saturday DH starts at 2 pm, and the Sunday finale is at noon.

The Cougars are 10-22 with a 1-7 record in the AAC. They were swept by UCF and took one game of four from USF. They do have wins over Oklahoma State and Baylor. Their conference schedule is strong-to-weak, the exact opposite of that of the Shocks.

The Houston offense is led by Sarah Queen (OPS of 1.032 and seven homers), Britaney Shaw (1.026 and five homers), and Kati Ray Brown (1.022 and six homers).

Most of the Cougar starts/innings belong to Rachel Hertenberger (ERA of 3.22 and WHIP of 1.51), Megan Lee (5.72 and 1.50), and Logan Hulon (2.24 and 1.45).

The Shocks have five starters with an OPS above 1.000: Neleigh (1.342 and seven homers), Addison (1.304 and fourteen homers), Butters (1.174 and ten homers), Sydney, and Ryleigh.

Bailey (1.49 and 1.10), Erin (3.0 and 1.11), and Caitlin (2.17 and 1.48) are the starters for the Shocks.

[flyingMoose]

Further Note: Although I am clearly a fan, I try to do these writeups as a reporter, if you will. Every other school uses two polls, the Coach's Poll and the USA Softball/ESPN Poll, when they talk about the rankings of their opponents. I choose to do the same when talking about the Shocks and their opponents.

[1972Shocker]

The Cougars are 10-22 with a 1-7 record in the AAC. They were swept by UCF and took one game of four from USF. They do have wins over Oklahoma State and Baylor. Their conference schedule is strong-to-weak, the exact opposite of that of the Shocks..

I was looking at Houston's schedule and resutls the other day and I think they are quite a bit better than the record on its face suggests. They were picked to finish a notch ahead of the Shockers in the preseason AAC coaches' poll.

[1972Shocker]

Game 1 of 4

A shaky start for the Lady Shocks in this one. Both teams scored a run in the 1st and then Houston scored 4 in the top of the 2nd on only 3 hits to go up 5-1, The Shocks came right back in the bottom of the 2nd to tie the game on a 2-out grand slam by Butters to tie it back up at 5-all.

Bailey Lange settled down after that and blanked Houston over the next 4 innings without allowing a hit. A Bailey Urban sac fly in the bottom of the 3rd gave the Shocks a 6-5 lead. Urban drove in 2 more in the bottom of the 6th with a double to extend the lead to 8-5.

In the bottom of the 6th a double by Neleigh followed by an infield error and a walk loaded the bases for the Shocks. Lolo got ahead in the count and then unloaded the bases with the Shocks 2nd grand slam of the game making it 12-5. Kaylee singled, moved to 3rd on Urban's 2nd double of the game and then score the game ending run on a Sydney single.

Shocks win 13-5 in six innings. Perhaps a breakout game for Bailey Urban? We'll see.

[flyingMoose]

Game 2 of 4

In much the same fashion as yesterday, the Shockers scored late to pull away for Houston for an 8-3 win. (The LiveStats are coming in a bunch. The second game of the DH may start before we get the actual end of this one.) With the Cougars leading 3-2 after three and a half, the Shocks scored two in the fourth, one in the fifth, and three in the sixth.

Sydney had three hits including a homer and LoLo also had three hits including a double. Butters had a home run. The Shockers had a total of twelve hits.

Erin only managed three innings plus a leadoff homer in the fourth before Caitlin came on in relief. Erin gave up three earned runs on three hits and three walks. She struck out six. Caitlin gave up one hit and one walk in her four innings. (To be revised later when the LiveStats wake up.)

So who gets the start in Game 3? Hailey? Bailey? Caitlin?

NOTE: Again, to be updated when stats are available.

[1972Shocker]

Shockers Softball twitter indicates the final score was 8-3 so apparently Caitlyn made it through the 7th okay.

Note that Butter's solo home run in the 1st inning was the team's 59th of the year tying the school record set in 2018. Sydney's 2-run homer in the 4th gave the Shockers a 4-3 lead and set a new season record for team home runs with 60 and they still have 21 games remaining on the regular season schedule.

Sydney continues to be as hot as a firecracker going 3-4 today with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI while boosting her average to .455 and she still has only struck more than 0 but less than 2 times this season.

Lolo also starting to pick it up a bit recently at the plate. So for the time being look for Lolo to occupy the DH spot and Neleigh to be back at 1st base.

[1972Shocker]

Wichita State Softball
@GoShockersSB
Take a lap around the bases with Syd on our record-breaking home run. ICYMI: We broke the single season home run record in our 31st game. NBD.

4:31 PM · Apr 10, 2021·Twitter Web App

https://twitter.com/i/status/1380996818822164481

[1972Shocker]

Game 2 of 4So who gets the start in Game 3? Hailey? Bailey? Caitlin?

Looks like Bailey gets the nod.

[flyingMoose]

Game 3 of 4

Bailey has this start.

[1972Shocker]

Sydney led off the Shocker 1st with a single to left, stole second and scored on a Butter's line drive over the leftfielders head for a double. Shocks lead 1-0 after 1.

With 2 outs in the top of the 3rd Bailey gave up a single up the middle followed by a home run to left center as Houston took a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the 3rd Sydney led off with a home run to right center. Addison flied out to center and Butters grounded out the 3rd. Neleigh hit a long single o the right field corner Ryleigh homered to right center to put the Shocks back on top 4-2. Bailee walked, Lolo singled to center and Kaylee singled through the 5-6 hole driving in Bailee and moviing Kaylee to 2nd. A Bailey Urban single to center loaded the bases bringing the lineup back to Sizzlin' Sydney who finished off the 5-run two out rally with a 2-run double and the Shocks pushed their lead to 7-2 after 3.

Bailey induced 3 ground ball outs in the top of the 4th to work a quick inning. In the bottom of the inning with Neleigh on second with a 1-out single through the 3-4 hole and Bailey on 1st after a 2-oput walk Lolo just missed one as she hit a high fly to deep center to end the inning. Just got under it a bit too much.

Bailey worked another quick scoreless inning in the top of the 5th. Kaylee Huecker had an interesting at bat. She hit a long foul to left that appeared to have home run distance, then she hit a low liner down the 3rd base line that was about a foot foul. Then she hit a line drive over the 3rd baseman's head that hooked just foul and the she hit a hard line drive right at the 3rd baseman's chest to record the 1st out of inning. No live stats for the bottom of the 5th yet and I don't recall what Bailey Urban did be she was the 2nd out. Sydney popped up behind the 3rd basement just a step onto the outfield grass and the shortstop could not corral the ball with the help of the wind (scored an error I presume). Sydney tired to make it to second and was called safe on an extremely close play that could have gone either way. The Houston coach objected and the umpiring crew discussed it quite at length but the call stood. Addison imitated Kaylee and pulled a ball foul to left that looked to have home run distance. But on the next pitch Addison hit her 15th home run of the year to dead center to make it 9-2. Butters then came up and imitated Kaylee and Addison by pulling a ball foul to left that looked to have home run distance before walking. Neleigh then ended the game with a walk-off 2 run home to center field to bring the run rule into effect as the Shocks win 11-2 in 5 innings.

Still no live stats for the 5th inning and I thinking those won't be forthcoming.

In any case, the Shocks can go for the series sweep tomorrow. Will the Shocks come back with Caitlyn tomorrow after an effective relief outing in game 1 today or with the give Erin another shot at the Cougars.

Shocks had 4 more dingers bringing there record total to 64.

[1972Shocker]

Looked at the Box Score for Game 2 on goShockers.com and they scored Sydney's bloop to left in the 5 innng as a double and not an error (as I probably would have). In any case, Sydney went 7-8 in today's DH pushing her season average to .474 in 32 games. Pretty amazing year so far although I think she will find it tough to maintain that average agaisnt teams reamining on the schedule. Also Sydney has still only struck out 1 time this season now in 127 at bats.

[1972Shocker]

Game 4 of 4

A little surprised to see Bailey Lange starting in the circle today. May say something about how important HCKB views a sweep of this series.

Bailey gave up a 2-out triple in the top of the first but induced an unassisted ground out to Neleigh at 1st.

The Houston started struck out the side in the 1st but also walked 3 and gave up a 2-out grand slam home run to Bailee Niickerson on a 1-2 count. Shocks lead 4-0 after 1.

A walk and two singles by Houston plate a run for the Cougars in the 2nd. But Bailey is able to escape without further damage. Similar to Bailey's previous 2 appearances in this series Bailey starts out just a little shaky in the first couple of innings before settling down and keeping the Cougars at bay. Let's hope that trend holds.

In the top of the 4th Bailey gets the 1st two batters but then a hit batter, wild pitch, single to left, stolen base put runners at 2nd and 3rd and an infield single to Bailey plated 2 runs making the score 4-3. Bailey doesn't seem to be super sharp today or may Houston has just seen her so much they are figuring her out. In any case, the Shocks need to crank up the offense.

Kaylee leads of the Shocker 4th with a walk, moves to 2nd on a Bailey Urban sac bunt, but is thrown out at home on a Sydney grounder to short. Addison lined out to left to end the Shocker at bat. After 4 full it remains 4-3..

Caitlyn comes on to pitch in the 5th. Houston ties it up in the 5th on a 3-base error by Addison in right field and a throwing error by Kaylee to lead off the 5th. Houston put another runner in scoring position on a 2-out single and a stolen base but Caitlyn got the next batter to ground out back to her.

3-4-5 due up for the Shocks in the bottom of the 5th. If Jobu no help, the Shocks need to do it themselves. Butters lines out to right and Neliegh walks. But Ryleigh strikes out and leaves it up to Bailee Nickerson. Neleigh advances to 2nd on pitch in the dirt. On a 1-2 pitch Bailee loops a single into right center scoring Neliegh with the go ahead run. On a 1-1 count Lolo hammers a line drive on what looked to be a change up over the wall in the right field corner making it 7-4. Kaylee follows with a home run to straight away center and the Shocks are back on top 8-4. Nice job by the back half of the order.

The Shocks can't stand the prosperity however. After getting the 1st batter Caitlyn puts a runner on 1st with a walk. An infield single and Kaylee's 2nd throwing error of the game scores the runner from 1st with the batter ending up on 2nd base. 1-out later Sara Queen homered to right center making it an 8-7 game.

In the bottom of the 6th Sydney popped up to 3rd but Addison followed with a home run to center tying Caci Williams single season home run record with her 16th round tripper of the year. Butters doubled, Neleigh walked and they advanced to 2nd and 3rd on a wild pitch. Jessica pinch hits for Ryleigh and grounds out to short with the runners holding leaving it up to Baiilee again with 2 outs. Butters scores on a wild pitch. Houston would have had her out except the pitcher covering home drop the throw from the catcher. Bailee then walked to put runners at the corners. Lolo struck out to end the inning. Shocks lead 10-7.

Can the Shocks pitching and defense hold up for one more inning. Caitlyn falls behind 3-1 to the first batter and then gives up a hard shot down the left field line that Ryleigh is just able to get her glove on enough to keep ii from going into the left field corner and holds it to a single. The runner stole second but slid past the bag avoiing the tag and ended up in a run down between 2nd and 3rd before being tagged out by Ryleigh. Caitlyn gets a strike out or out #2. Caitlyn sawed off the next batter hit a half swing low line to the right side. Neleigh should have fielded it but left it to Kaylee to try to run down and make a quick flip to get the runner which she did but Neliegh did not make the catch. They gave Kaylee an error but this was on Neleigh all the way. The next batter lined out to the short stop and the Shocks hold on for a 107 win.

They completed the sweep but the finale was anything but a stellar effort. The pitching and defense wasn't very good. OTOH it's tough to sweep 4-game series. Kudos to the bottom half of the batting order as they drove in 8 of the Shockers 10 runs with Bailee's 2-out grand slam in the 1st and her 2-out RBI single in the 6th, both on 1-2 counts, accounted for 5 of the Shocker 9 RBI in he game as she was the player of the game.. Lolo had 2 RBI, Kaylee 1 and Addison 1 as the Shocks put 4 more home runs on the books. All 4 runs allowed by Caitlyn were unearned.

Nice to get a sweep from a team picked to finish ahead you but the Shocks probably won't winning many against the likes of Tulsa, UCF and USF pitching and playing defense like they did today. No doubt HCKB will make that abundantly clear.

[flyingMoose]

Other AAC Softball Series

Tulsa 1-2 USF
The third game of the series was suspended on Saturday and completed on Sunday, but the regularly scheduled Sunday game was canceled. Corrick got both wins for the Bulls.

UCF 4-0 East Carolina

Memphis Bye


11-1 Shockers
9-2 USF
9-3 UCF
4-3 Tulsa
1-7 East Carolina
1-11 Houston
0-8 Memphis

[1972Shocker]

American Names Herring Player of the Week

https://goshockers.com/news/2021/4/12/softball-american-names-herring-player-of-the-week.aspx

Wichita State junior Neleigh Herring has been named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week, it was announced Monday afternoon.

Herring was a force at the plate over the weekend, helping Wichita State sweep Houston. The Chandler, Okla., native was 7-for-9 (.778) at the plate with a home run, two doubles, two RBI, five walks and also scoring six runs. She had multiple hits in the first three games, and didn't officially record an at-bat in the finale, but reached base four times thanks to three walks and a hit by pitch. Herring hit one of the team's 12 home runs in the series in helping the Shockers break the single season home run record, needing only 31 games to accomplish the feat.

This is the first Player of the Week honor for Herring. She was named to the Honor Roll earlier this season.