WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State scored all three of its runs in the fifth inning and waited out a lengthy weather delay to defeat UTSA, 3-2, in the series opener Friday night at Wilkins Stadium.
Wichita State (22-15, 10-6) totaled just three hits, two of those belonging to
Kammie Smith, to edge the Roadrunners on a rainy, windy day. The two teams went into a rain delay just an hour into the game that lasted nearly three hours.
The Shockers went into the delay, trailing 2-0 with one out in the bottom of the third. After four scoreless innings, Wichita State finally found life in the bottom of the fifth. With a pair of runners on base, Smith hit a triple to center to tie the game at 2-2. The next batter,
Johnna Schroeder, hit a chopper to the right side that the UTSA second baseman whiffed on, allowing the go-ahead run to come in.
UTSA scored a run in the second on an RBI single and another in the third on a solo home run.
Ryley Nihart (9-9) settled in after the third inning, holding the Roadrunners scoreless over the final four innings. She earned the complete game win, allowing two runs on eight hits, a walk and three strikeouts.
Jodie Epperson was the only other Shocker to record a hit with a double.
Kinzey Woody walked three times and scored a run.
The two teams were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader today, but will now attempt to play a doubleheader on Saturday to finish the series. First pitch of Game 1 will be at 10 a.m.
