How a dream became reality for Wichita State softball with win over No. 2 team in country

When Kristi Bredbenner took over the Wichita State softball team in 2011, she had a vision for where she wanted the program to be.

She hoped the Shockers would one day be nationally ranked in the top-25, contend to not only play in an NCAA Regional, but host one, to play in front of sold-out crowds in Wichita and to prove a mid-major program can take down the top power-conference teams in the country.

That “one day” is no longer off in the distant future. On Tuesday night, it became the new reality for Wichita State.

In front of a sold-out crowd with nearly 1,000 in attendance, the No. 22-ranked Shockers out-dueled No. 2 Oklahoma State in an 8-7 victory that marked the program’s highest-ranked win in school history.

“You hope there’s bigger ones to come, but this is a big one and we’re going to enjoy it,” said Bredbenner, the coach who has turned WSU into a perennial power. “We’ve got to move on and take care of business this weekend, but it’s a pretty big deal when you can beat the No. 2 team in the nation.”

Not only did WSU improve to 31-7 with its second top-10 win of the season, but the Shockers, ranked No. 21 in the RPI before Tuesday, collected the exact type of marquee victory (OSU was ranked No. 2 in RPI) needed to bolster their case to be selected as a top-16 seed and host an NCAA Regional.

Before Bredbenner, WSU had reached the postseason just twice and never won in the NCAA tournament. The bar has since been raised, as Bredbenner has guided the Shockers to an NCAA Regional berth in four of the last six tournaments and totaled six wins.

Now freshmen like Taylor Sedlacek, who finished with a career-high three hits and the game-winning RBI, enter the program expecting success like this season.

“Wichita State is a very underrated program in the softball world,” Sedlacek said. “Even though we’re a mid-major, this win shows that we’re a big-time program and we can compete against any of these Power Five teams.”

Bredbenner has consistently been able to schedule midweek games against national powers in the region like Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Arkansas in recent seasons, even though that has meant more losses than wins for her team.

The tide seems to be shifting this season, as the Shockers run-ruled No. 9 Arkansas in a 10-2 win in six innings on March 14, then racked up eight runs — third-most allowed by OSU all season — and 13 hits against the second-ranked Cowgirls.

“We had nothing to lose tonight,” Bredbenner said. “Technically, on paper, they’re supposed to beat us every time. You have to have that mindset to go out there and believe in yourself and prove people wrong.”

WSU has earned a reputation as one of the most explosive offenses in the country under Bredbenner with All-American hitters in shortstop Sydney McKinney and outfielder Addison Barnard, along with sluggers like Lauren Lucas, Zoe Jones and Lauren Mills.

McKinney said WSU was fired up before the game even started when Oklahoma State decided not to throw its ace, Kelly Maxwell, who was 11-0 with a 1.59 earned run average. It wasn’t until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Cowgirls turned to Maxwell.

“Some day other teams are going to learn that’s a mistake,” said McKinney, the nation’s leader in batting average at .541 after two more hits on Tuesday.

It wasn’t like No. 3 starter Kyra Aycock was a slouch, as the freshman was a perfect 7-0 this season with a 1.88 ERA. But WSU jumped on her from the start, singling three times in the first inning. Although no runs scored, the tone was set.

WSU freshman Sami Hood, who is hitting .220 on the season, launched the first pitch she saw to open the bottom-half of the second inning over the right-field fence for a lead-off home run to start the scoring for the Shockers.

“I’ve been dreaming about getting a good hit finally,” said Hood, who hit her fourth homer of the season. “I finally did it and I did it against a good team and that’s what makes me feel really good.”

WSU extended the lead with a fine display of two-out hitting, as McKinney delivered an RBI single back up the middle, stole second, then scored on an RBI single from Lucas, followed by another run-scoring single by Jones for a 4-0 lead.

Oklahoma State rallied to take the lead back, 5-4, after the top-half of the fourth inning, which set up a pivotal moment for WSU: would the Shockers allow the wave of momentum to crush them or would they fight back to reverse it?

Bredbenner said it was the mark of a great team that she never sensed a let-down in the WSU dugout.

“I don’t think anyone ever had a doubt in their mind that we weren’t going to win that game,” WSU starting pitcher Lauren Howell said. “We always had faith.”

“That’s the way it’s got to be when you’re playing a team like (Oklahoma State),” Bredbenner said. “This team never got down and they competed so hard. I’m proud of the kids.”

The game turned in the bottom of the fourth inning when OSU made two uncharacteristic mistakes on defense.

After back-to-back singles by Barnard and Lucas, Jones chopped a ground ball to third base and the throw to first base was wide, which allowed Barnard to score and the runners to advance.

On the very next at-bat, Mills smoked a ball to left field that dropped in for a single, but the outfielder misplayed the ball on the bounce and it scooted to the fence. Jones and Lucas both scored, then WSU took an 8-5 lead when Sedlacek later plated what became the game-winning run on a RBI single back up the middle.

“Our freshman (pitcher) didn’t get off to a great start,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said. “She left a lot of balls middle and you can’t be middle to anyone and give Wichita State credit, they punished it. We just didn’t play a clean game and give them credit for getting 14 hits. They were better here today and they got it done.”

Oklahoma State threatened with two runs in the fifth inning and had the game-tying run at third base in the sixth inning, but WSU lefty reliever Alison Cooper escaped the jam with a fly out. Howell returned to the circle to close out the game and did so in prompt fashion, eliciting three straight fly-outs in the shallow outfield.

Even though it was an early-April affair, the game had the feel and intensity of an NCAA Regional contest. The Shockers are used to being sent on the road to play one of the best teams in the country, like Oklahoma State, in postseason play.

WSU is holding out hope a win like the one on Tuesday will convince the NCAA selection committee to keep the Shockers at home to start this postseason. But regardless of what ends up happening, McKinney said WSU sent a message on Tuesday.

“This is a huge win to get under our belt, especially with them ranked second in the nation,” McKinney said. “We let them know we have what it takes to beat them.”