WICHITA, Kan. – Indiana State outhit Wichita State 21-20 but were unable to keep the Shockers from producing with runners on in a doubleheader sweep, falling 9-6 and 7-3 on Friday afternoon.
 
The Sycamores (18-21, 3-11 MVC) jumped out to a big lead in the first game and were cruising along before the top-ranked MVC offense of the Shockers (25-14, 10-4 MVC) took control of the momentum, a monopoly they never relinquished throughout the doubleheader.
 
The series between the Sycamores and Shockers will wrap up tomorrow at noon ET. Fans can watch live on The Valley on ESPN3.
 
Game One:
Wichita State (24-14, 9-4 MVC), 9
Indiana State (18-20, 3-10 MVC), 6
WP: Katie Malone (21-8)
LP: Della Gher (3-1)
 
Indiana State stunned the Shockers in the first inning of the first game, putting up a six spot after batting around in the top of the first. The Shockers settled in, though, and scored all nine of their runs in the final three frames.
 
In the first, freshman Leslie Sims (1-4, SB) – who entered the day with a .420 average and left the day with the same clip after a 3-for-8 day at the plate across both games – led the game off by reaching on an error, the first of two errors she would reach on in the inning.
 
Rylee Holland (2-4, RBI, SB) singled to center on the next at-bat, picking up where she left off from a 3-for-3 game at Fort Wayne on Wednesday. With Holland on first and the speedy Sims on third, ISU called for a double steal which worked to perfection to give the Sycamores a 1-0 lead.
 
A Brooke Riemenschneider (1-2) walk and a Mary Turitto (1-4) infield single pushed Holland to third for Becky Malchow (2-4, RBI), who brought Holland in on a fielder's choice. Brooke Mann (2-4, RBI) and Shaye Barton (1-4 RBI) followed with consecutive RBI singles to give ISU a 4-0 lead. Sims reached on another error to allow Mann to score, and Holland followed with her second RBI single of the inning to give ISU a 6-0 lead before the Shockers even came to bat.
 
Starter Kenzie Ihle took that momentum and was lights out until the bottom of the fourth, where the Shockers started to rally with two in the fourth, four in the fifth and three in the sixth to wipe the momentum away from the Sycamores.
 
Even though ISU outhit the Shockers 13-10, WSU starter Katie Malone – the Valley's top pitcher at 21-8 – settled in and pitched six scoreless after the first.
 
Game Two:
Wichita State (25-14, 10-4 MVC), 7
Indiana State (18-21, 3-11 MVC), 3
WP: Jenni Brooks (2-4)
LP: Kylie Stober (2-10)
 
The Shockers took that momentum from the first game right into the second, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first off ISU starter Kylie Stober.
 
The Sycamore bats were still hot, slugging nine hits to Wichita's 10 in the second game, but couldn't produce with runners on to keep the Shockers at bay. Erika Crissman (2-4, RBI, SB) opened the Sycamore scoring with an infield single in the third to make it a 2-1 game, but the Shockers responded with a five-spot in the bottom half to chase Stober from the game and take control for the remainder. WSU did so on a three-run triple with two outs to force Stober from the game, followed immediately by an RBI single off of reliever Della Gher to make it a 7-1 game.
 
The Sycamores started to fight back with an RBI single by Leslie Sims (2-4, RBI) and an RBI groundout by Rylee Holland in the top of the fourth, but that would be it for the Sycamore offense.
 
Also having a good day at the plate was Brooke Riemenschneider, who went 2-for-4.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Softball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.