Shocker SB at Kansas (Tue) and v Tulsa (Wed)

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers have two mid-week dates, both single games, both starting at 6pm. On Tuesday they travel to Lawrence to play Kansas and on Wednesday they host Tulsa.


The Jayhawks were picked fourth of the seven teams of the Big 12 playing softball and have a season record of 19-10. They have wins over Southern Illinois, Missouri State, Western Illinois(2) and Evansville(2 this past week) and a loss to Northern Iowa. Their RPI ranking is 50.

For Kansas, the two biggest OPS numbers belong to Chaley Brickey (1.304 and seven home runs) and Daniella Chavez (1.155 and nine home runs). Sisters Erin and Shannon McGinley each have an OPS above .900.

Andie Formby has more than twice the innings of anyone else on the staff. Her ERA is 1.50 with a WHIP of 0.88. Ania Williams (2.45 and 1.19) and Monique Wesley (2.65 and 1.14) are others that could appear in the circle.


The Golden Hurricane of Tulsa were picked second in the American Athletic Conference. Their record is 23-6. Their games with common opponents are later in the season. Their RPI ranking is 28.

Jill Hollingsworth has the highest OPS at 1.023, and Shelby Estocado has six home runs and an OPS of .975.

Pitching appears to be the strength of Tulsa. Caitlin Sill has an ERA of 1.15 and an OPS of 1.10, while the numbers of Emily Watson are 1.67 and 1.09.


For the Shockers, Macklin now has the highest OPS at 1.189 along with four homers. PaigeL has an OPS of 1.105, and Brittany has raised hers to .952. Cacy has an OPS of .942 and six home runs.

Jenni's strong weekend dropped her ERA to 2.75 with a WHIP of 1.32. Katie is now at 4.18 and 1.56. The numbers for Kelsey, who seems likely to start one of these games, are 2.78 and 1.41.

The RPI ranking of the Shocks in now 60.

[flyingMoose]

The RPI rankings have been added to the previous post.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks and Jayhawks finished the regulation 7 innings in a 1-1 tie.

In the top of the 8th Macklin Hitz a 1-out single to left field. Cacy Williams followed with a single to left and an error by the LF allowed Macklin to score all the way from 1st with Cacy taking 2nd to give the Shocks a 2-1 lead.

Mackenzie Wright followed with a double to left center scoring Cacy extending the lead to 3-1.

Cassidy Kelsheimer singled with Mackenzie holding at 2nd. Laurie Ann Derrico then delivered the coup de grâce with a 3 run homer to put the Shocks up 6-1.

In the bottom of the 8th Jenni Brooks set the Jayhawks down in order to close out the win.

Kelsey Sterneker went the 1st 3 innings giving up 4 hits and 3 walks but only 1 run. Jenni went the final 5 innings allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks to run her record to 9-3 as she continues to whittle away at her ERA.

[flyingMoose]

The lineup last night had MackenzieW at third, Laurie Anne at short and Kelli at second with Liz sitting.

Infield defense has been an issue at times. After a freshman-jitters start, LA's confidence in the field and at the plate seems to be growing. She made a very nice play from behind second base against Loyola this past weekend, and the home run last night has to help.

So the three of them (not including Kelli) may share some playing time. We shall soon see.

[1972Shocker]

Pitching appears to be the strength of Tulsa. Caitlin Sill has an ERA of 1.15 and an OPS of 1.10, while the numbers of Emily Watson are 1.67 and 1.09.

The Shocks did beat Caitlin Sill 9-5 this past fall. Sill went the distance in that game while the Shocks split it up between Jenni, Kesley and Ashlynne.

I doubt that will be of much, if any, significance to tonight's game. Especially if Katie Malone starts for the Shocks which you would expect to be the case and Tulsa may counter with Emily Watson.

[flyingMoose]

v Tulsa

In a bit of a surprise, Kelsey gets the start again tonight. As @1972Shocker: noted, Katie would have been expected to get the start - perhaps she is the designated reliever. Although the lineup is shuffled around some, Liz is the infielder sitting again tonight. Perhaps she has a nagging injury. Indeed, Watson is the starter for Tulsa.

[1972Shocker]

Macklin "Can" Hitz is on fire. The Shocks started out playing some bash ball as their 1st 3 hits were home runs. A 2-run shot by Macklin, a 2-run shot by MackeznzieW (her 1st of the year) and a solo homer by PaigeL that put the Shocks up 5 to 3.

In the 5th the Shocks switched to aggressive small ball. Kelly led off the inning with a bunt single. Brittany singled to center with Kelly going to 3rd and drawing throw. Brittany headed for 2nd making it safely as the throw from 3B got away from the 2B and Kelly came home to score. MackenzieW followed with another single to center and went to 2nd on the throw home with Brittany holding at 3rd. Cacy William then bunted Brittany home and was safe at 1st when the Tulsa pitcher clutched mid-throw to 1st and ended tossing a weak one hopper to the 2B covering while McKenzie went to 3rd with the Shocks now leading 7-3. Cacy prompty stole 2nd and then bash ball returned as Mackin Hitz her 2nd home run of the game to put the Shocks up 10-3. After Tulsa pulled their starter, Watson, PaigeL hit her second solo homer of the game to give the Shocks an 11-3 lead and end the game on the 8-run rule at the end of 5.

The Shocker ladies trying to match the Shocker baseball team's 1st inning today but the game ended before they could continue their onslaught. 6 consecutive hits including 2 home runs resulting in 6 runs.

Watson, the Tulsa starter had allowed 4 home runs in 67 innings but the Shocks delivered 4 big knocks against her tonight plus the game ender by PaigeL, the 1st batter to face the Tulsa relief pitcher.

In the circle Kelsey struggled a bit giving up 6 hits and 3 runnings in 2 innings plus 2 batters in including a 2-run homer to the 8-hole hitter who was batting 0.125 or so coming in to the game. Katie Malone, who I thought would get the start, came on in relief with no outs and runners on 1st and 3rd in the top of the 3rd. She walked the 1st batter she faced to load the bases but then got a little pop-up back to her, a sac fly to left scoring Tulsa's 3rd run and a strike out to end the Tulsa threat with minimal damage.

In the top of the 5th with the Shocks leading 5-3 Katie ran into a bit of trouble but Ashley Johnson bailed her out by throwing out a runner trying to score from 2nd on a single to center with a perfect throw to Cassidy Kelsheimer that ended the inning on a bang-bang play. Katie pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief (thanks to Ashley and Cassidy) to pick up the win and move to 7-5 on the season.

All-in-all a very impressive win for the Lady Shocks I thought. The Shocks scored 11 runs on 9 hits and left no runners (that's zero, nada, zilch) on base. That is some offensive efficiency not to mention Tulsa had a team ERA of 1.81 coming into tonight's game.

Here's hoping the Lady Shocks can keep it rolling.

[SPEShockAlum]

The game tonight against TU was the first I've ever attended in my 13 years affiliated with the University. This was great entertainment and, as mentioned above, an impressive victory over a high caliber club in the Golden Hurricane.

[flyingMoose]

Game article and a bit of video

[1972Shocker]

The game tonight against TU was the first I've ever attended in my 13 years affiliated with the University. This was great entertainment and, as mentioned above, an impressive victory over a high caliber club in the Golden Hurricane.

Always entertaining when you pick as your 1st game one in which the Lady Shocks set a school record for home runs in a single game.

[SPEShockAlum]

Always entertaining when you pick as your 1st game one in which the Lady Shocks set a school record for home runs in a single game.

Yes, and they weren't wind-aided at all. It was a gorgeous evening.

Having roamed the outfield myself during my playing days, I took a particular interest in our CF who laid out to make a catch and then picked up an assist by throwing out a TU player at the plate to end the inning. Very cool.