Shocker SB v Missouri State

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers host Missouri State today at 5pm in a single game, part of the "travel-partner" series. We go there next week, mid-week, to play a doubleheader to complete the series. Other Valley pairs are playing games either yesterday or today. Yesterday, both Drake/UNI (Jamie Fisher lost again) and Loyola/Indiana State split a doubleheader. Today, Illinois State/Bradley and Evansville/Southern Illinois also play twin bills.

The Shockers' web site article for today's game is here, and the Bears' article is here.

Missouri State are 23-17 overall and 6-8 in the Valley. They took two of three from Southern Illinois, but only one of three from Bradley, Drake and Indiana State. They split two games with Loyola, losing one to weather.

Erin Streumph (ERA of 2.74 and WHIP of 1.46), Chelsea Jones (2.97 and 1.46) and Jessie Van Es (4.09 and 1.48) all have eleven or more starts for the Bears, but there is a lot of pitching-by-committee.

Ashley Brentz (BA of .331 and OPS of .847), Bethany Sullinger (.319 and .921 and five homers), Chelsea Jones (.318 and .854) and Heather Duckworth (.292 and .881) are the offensive leaders.

On the season, Cacy and PaigeL continue to lead the offense for the Shocks. But in conference games, Brittany has caught fire, having a BA of .533 and an OPS of 1.352. Others doing well in conference are Cacy (.404 and 1.235 and three homers) and Liz (.395 and 1.035). In the circle in conference games, Sloan has an ERA of 2.53 and a WHIP of 1.14, while Katie's numbers are 2.87 and 1.53.

Sorry, no conference-only stats for the Bears.

With the exception of last weekend, the Shocks have struggled the first time they saw the staff ace, but had her solved the second time they saw her. From that perspective, today's game will be interesting, especially since Streumph is a freshman, and we have no book at all on her.

[flyingMoose]

LiveStats link

[Hovpen]

Nice start

[1972Shocker]

Nice start

Getting to be a good habit for the Lady Shocks. Not sure which came first but you called it. Success breed confidence breeds more success breeds more confidence, etc.

[1972Shocker]

On the season, Cacy and PaigeL continue to lead the offense for the Shocks. But in conference games, Brittany has caught fire

Cacy and Brittany killing it this evening.

Cacy is 3 for 3 with a solo homer and 3 runs scored.

Brittany has a double, 3-run homer and a 2-run homer in 3 at-bats scoring 3 runs and knocking in 6.

Shocks lead with no outs in bottom of the 4th.

Make that 10-0 Liz Broyles just added another solo homer to the mix. Liz is now 2 for 3 on the night.

Getting down right contagious now as PaigeM adds a solo homer to make it 11-0. Good grief.

Shocks still going in the 5th as 3 consecutive singles load the bases with 1-out and back to the top of the line-up with Cacy coming to bat (maybe their is a poem in there somewhere). Our Cacy did not strike out. She hit a sac fly to CF. Now 12-0.

Macklin Hitz batting for Melanie strikes out to end the misery for Misery State.

Shocks could make this a short night if they can hold the Bears off in the 5th.

[1972Shocker]

Shocker end it in 5 with a 12-0 run rule win. This was a bloodbath in every way.

I deliberately did not mention Katie Malone in the circle for the Shocks until the game was over. Katie pitched a 5-inning no-hit shut-out allowing only 3 runners to reach. One on an error and two on walks. Congratulations Katie.

Great team effort tonight.

:yahoo:

Final Line Score:

Missouri State....0R, 0H, 1E, 3LOB
Wichita State....12R. 16H, 1E, 5LOB

Long drive for the Lady Bears who get to turn right around and ride back to Springfield with less than a positive vibe.

[1972Shocker]

Bradley took Game 1 from Illinois State 1-0. In game 2 Illinois State Scored 4 in the 6th and 4 in the 7th to take Game 2 11-2 in Peoria. Probably a good outcome for the Shocks. The two teams closest to them in the standings each pick up another loss. Perhaps a sweep by Bradley would have been best but you take what you can get.

Drake and UNI split a pair of games yesterday.

[1972Shocker]

Samantha Ricketts @SammyRick Well that was fun. @kmmalone15 with the no hitter and the Shocker offense with 16 hits including 5 HRs! Extra work pays off! #HappyCoach ��

[ShockTalk]

Shocker end it in 5 with a 12-0 run rule win. This was a bloodbath in every way.

I deliberately did not mention Katie Malone in the circle for the Shocks until the game was over. Katie pitched a 5-inning no-hit shut-out allowing only 3 runners to reach. One on an error and two on walks. Congratulations Katie.

Great team effort tonight.

:yahoo:

Final Line Score:

Missouri State....0R, 0H, 1E, 3LOB
Wichita State....12R. 16H, 1E, 5LOB

Long drive for the Lady Bears who get to turn right around and ride back to Springfield with less than a positive vibe.

@1972Shocker:, I'm trying my best to take your advise and not get excited yet about this team.

[flyingMoose]

Bradley took Game 1 from Illinois State 1-0. In game 2 Illinois State Scored 4 in the 6th and 4 in the 7th to take Game 2 11-2 in Peoria. Probably a good outcome for the Shocks. The two teams closest to them in the standings each pick up another loss. Perhaps a sweep by Bradley would have been best but you take what you can get.

And Southern Illinois took two from Evansville. We now have a three game lead on the Redbirds. Illinois State will play Drake a doubleheader on Monday, 28 April, to recover two of the three games lost to weather earlier in the season.

In recent seasons, the Shocks were scrambling to get into the Valley Tournament on the last weekend of the season. This year, the last weekend may have a whole other vibe.

[flyingMoose]

Shocker end it in 5 with a 12-0 run rule win. This was a bloodbath in every way.

We saw all three Bear pitchers and hammered all three of them.

[flyingMoose]

The game merited a real article, not an In Brief summary, in today's print edition.

Also, the Scoreboard included yesterday's Valley scores and the current standings. Maybe some more ink along these lines is coming, or was it just a slow sports day?

[Cdizzle]

The game merited a real article, not an In Brief summary, in today's print edition.

Also, the Scoreboard included yesterday's Valley scores and the current standings. Maybe some more ink along these lines is coming, or was it just a slow sports day?

Sustained success will always lead to more press. When you have been an up and (mostly) down program, it takes a little while to get the press on board. Good for them, hope they can keep it up.

[WuDrWu]

Wichita State 13-3
Illinois State 9-5
Bradley 10-7
Northern Iowa 9-7
Southern Illinois 9-7
Loyola 7-9
Drake 6-8
Missouri State 6-9
Indiana State 5-11
Evansville 4-12

Certainly the meat of the schedule is coming up with 3 @ Drake, 2@MSU, 3 at home against SIU and finishing with 3 @ISUR.

SIU has a fairly easy finish with Indiana State and Loyola at home, their split with Evansville and the 3 at WSU. They certainly could be 8-0 against everyone but WSU. ISU has Evansville, 1 with BU, 2 with DU all at home, 3 @ MSU then closes with the Shocks at home. UNI could also close strong with MSU and Loyola at home, a single at Drake and 3 at Bradley. I suppose BU has to be in the mix too, with 6 @ ISUb and Drake, home for 3 at UNI and 1 @ ISUr.

Have to think the top 4 at this point will be WSU, ISUr, SIU and either BU or UNI in some order. It's nice knowing you don't have to win out to make the tourney.

[xazshox]

Article on game with Mo State

Flying Moose, you must have an earlier version of today's Eagle than I do. The 1st page of the sports page has a big article about the game with Mo State. The article takes up 25 % of the whole page. Above the title, it reads "12-O", & the title reads "Blooming in the Valley". There is a big picture of Britney Fortner with a big smile on her face as she rounds the bases after hitting a 3-run home run. The article describes the whole game & is continued on page 5D.

Btw, I went home after the game last night & checked the MVC softball stats. WSU now leads the MVC in 9 of out 10 offensive stats. The only stat they don't lead is in triples. They are the leaders in every other category. Casy Williams leads the MVC in home runs with 10. She came up to the plate in the 4th or 5th inning with the base loaded & pinned the MO State centerfielder against the wall so she almost got a 2nd HR in the game, but she did get a sac fly out of if.