WICHITA, Kan. - The Shocker softball team split their third straight doubleheader of the fall Wednesday evening at Wilkins Stadium defeating Butler County in the nights first game, 2-1, before dropping game two to the neighboring Grizzlies, 9-7.

In game one, early offense gave way to a pitchers duel. Butler County struck first in the top of the first inning when a fielder's choice with the bases loaded scored the runner from the third base. Shocker sophomore Layne Greenlee fired back in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff solo home run that hit off the flagpole in left centerfield to tie the score, 1-1.

Brittany Fortner's second inning RBI double that scored senior Hayley Temple gave Wichita State the lead, 2-1. That proved to be the game-winning run as senior hurler Katie Armagost stymied the Grizzly hitters for the final six innings.

Armagost, from Wichita, Kan., allowed one earned run and struck out four of the 31 Butler County hitters she faced allowing only one walk.

In the nights second game, big scoring innings dominated the final line score with both teams managing to plate at least three runs in two separate innings.

Wichita State got on the scoreboard first with a three-run third inning that was highlighted by Temple's two-run double that scored junior Ali Vandever and sophomore Kacie Eich.

The back-and-forth ensued from there with Butler scoring five runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-3 lead. The Shockers then plated four runs in bottom of the inning to regain the lead, 7-5. In the inning, Temple added two more runs batted in to give her a game high of four.

Butler County proceeded to score one run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take the final, 9-7, tally. The late Grizzlies rally was aided by numerous fielding errors (five in the game) by the Shockers.

Wichita State is scheduled to play next in Stillwater, Okla. on Sat., Oct. 13 beginning with a 1 p.m. game with Tulsa followed by a 3 p.m. matchup with host Oklahoma State.

- WICHITA STATE -