Shocker SB at Loyola

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers conclude their conference season this weekend in Chicago against Loyola.

The Ramblers' overall record is 14-33 with a conference mark of 4-19.

Brooke Wyderski (OPS of .867 and eleven HR) is the only hitter with an OPS greater than .800 for Loyola. Madison Hope (ERA of 4.36 and WHIP of 1.71) and Ashley Rogers (4.81 and 2.05) have pitched every inning for the Ramblers this year.

Brittany (OPS of 1.219 and nine HR), Cacy (.949 and eight HR), Mackenzie (.941) and Macklin (.903 and seven HR) lead the Shocker offense. Macklin has come on of late in the DP slot with some time at first base.

Numbers for the pitchers are Katie (ERA of 3.47 and WHIP of 1.42), Jenni (3.58 and 1.67) and Kelsey (6.00 and 1.55).

Other conference series this weekend are Illinois State at Drake, Missouri State at Southern Illinois, Indiana State at Northern Iowa and Bradley at Evansville.

[1972Shocker]

The Shockers (32-21, 14-10) travels to Chicago this weekend to take on Loyola (14-33, 4-19) in the final 3-game series of the regular season with DH tomorrow starting at Noon and a single game on Sunday starting at Noon.

Wichita State Game Notes

Playing for Seeding: Wichita State sits in fourth place heading into this weekend, which gives them a bye during the first two MVC Softball Tournament games that will be played on Thursday, May 7 if they finish the regular season on a strong note. However, with help from Illinois State (who’s playing Drake), Indiana State (who’s playing UNI) and Southern Illinois (who’s playing Missouri State) the Shockers could crack the top two, which would give them an automatic bye into the semifinals that will be played on Friday, May 8.

Current Record for Wins in a single Season Under Bredbenner Could Already be Broken: Last season, the Shockers won 34 games under Kristi Bredbenner in route to the program’s first ever MVC Regular Season Championship. If the Shockers sweep Loyola in Chicago this weekend, the 2015 Shockers would have 35 wins, which would eclipse Bredbenner’s previous record of wins in a single season of 34 set last season.

:poster_shocks:

[flyingMoose]

Game One

Jenni has the start in this one. The lineup has the recent regulars with Macklin as the DP and McKenzie in right field.

[1972Shocker]

Is Shocker freshman 3B Mackenzie Wright the odds on favorite to be named the Valley Freshman/Newcomer of the Year with a goof final series this weekend? I'm not that familiar with the other newcomers in the league but Mackenzie has had a damn fine year.

From the Shocker Game Notes:
Mackenzie Wright had another great week, as she led the team with a .545 batting average (6-11) this past week. Wright also had three RBI, six total bases, a .545 slugging percentage, two walks, a .667 on-base percentage, and two stolen bases to go along with a 1.000 fielding percentage. Overall, Wright is second on the team in batting average (.366), second on the team in hits (56), has five doubles, three homers, 30 RBI, and 72 total bases (second on the team). The Midwest City, Okla. native owns a .471 slugging percentage, 19 walks, a .470 on-base percentage (second on the team), and is the team leader in stolen bases (17).

[flyingMoose]

After Brittany led off the top of the first by being hit by a pitch, Kelli followed with a two-run blast.

Shocks lead 2-0 after one complete.

[flyingMoose]

The Ramblers had runners in scoring position following a single and a two-base error by Kelli, but Jenni held them off with a fly-ball out.

Shocks still lead 2-0 after two.

[flyingMoose]

Is Shocker freshman 3B Mackenzie Wright the odds on favorite to be named the Valley Freshman/Newcomer of the Year with a goof final series this weekend? I'm not that familiar with the other newcomers in the league but Mackenzie has had a damn fine year.

There have been nine different Newcomers of the Week in the Valley this year. Chelsea Thomas of Missouri State was named the first two weeks of the season. She was followed by Erika Hansen of Bradley who has been named NOW twice more, including last week. For next week's conference tournament, I intend to give the conference-only stats of the key players. I will also note how Mackenzie compares to Hansen and Thomas.

[1972Shocker]

SIU leads MSU 5-3 in Game 1 today with SIU coming to bat in the bottom of the 4th.

In Game 1 at UNI the Panthers trail Indiana State by 2-0.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks have put up a 5 spot in the top of the 3rd to go up 7-0 and are still batting.

[WuDrWu]

Shocks opening a can on the Ramblers now. Probably going to be a shortened game.

As Shane would want to say, death by paper cut in the top of the 3rd for Loyola. 4 walks, a double, 4 singles (one infield single) an error and 2 RBI groundouts plate 9.


11-0 going to the bottom of the 3rd.

[flyingMoose]

The floodgates opened for the Shockers in the top of the third. Brittany walked, Kelli singled and Mackenzie drove one run home. Macklin walked to load the bases, and Cacy drove two more runs home with a double. After Liz walked to reload the bases, the Ramblers changed pitchers. Melanie promptly walked to score another run, and Paige had a pinch-hit single to drive in the fifth run of the inning. Ashley's infield single drove in another run, and there are still no outs. Brittany reached on an error to score another, and Kelli and Mackenzie scored the eighth and ninth runs of the inning with infield groundouts.

Shocks lead 11-0 as we go to the bottom of the third.

Loyola got a couple of runs back. After loading the bases to start the inning on two singles and a walk, two groundouts scored the runs.

Shockers lead 11-2 after three complete.

[1972Shocker]

Game 1: Indiana State 3 @ Northern Iowa 2 after 5 complete

Game 1: Missouri State 4 @ Southern Illinois 5 with SIU batting in the bottom of the 6th.

[1972Shocker]

There goes the run-rule lead for now.

Shocks lead 11-4 after 4 complete.

[flyingMoose]

Jenni ran into more trouble in the fourth. After two outs, Loyola reached base on another Kelli error. A double scored the runner and a following single brought Kelsey on in relief. She gave up a single that scored another run before getting the last out.

The lead is now 11-4 after four innings.

[1972Shocker]

Game 1 in Carbondale - Final: SIU 5 - MSU 4