American Athletic Conference Softball Championship - Game 4; Wichita State 13, UTSA 0 (5 innings)

WICHITA, Kan. – Addison Barnard hit a tournament-record three home runs and moved into eighth place on the NCAA’s career chart as No. 4-seeded Wichita State overpowered No. 9-seeded UTSA 13-0 in a first-round game of the 2024 American Athletic Conference Softball Championship Wednesday evening at Wilkins Stadium.

The Shockers (26-21) advance to face Tulsa in a second-round game Thursday at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT.

Barnard hit two-run home runs in the first and second innings, smacked a solo shot in the fourth and added a double to tie her own American Athletic Conference single-game records with three home runs and 14 total bases. Barnard went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and five RBIs and slugged 3.500 for the game.

Barnard’s three round-trippers were the 88th, 89th and 90th in her career, moving her into eighth on the NCAA’s all-time list, tying her with Stacey Nuveman of UCLA (1997-2000). They gave Barnard 21 home runs in 2024 as she registered her third season with 20 or more home runs.

Barnard keyed a Shocker lineup that pounded 10 hits, including seven extra-base hits, in only five innings. The first three players in the batting order combined for 10 runs scored, four home runs and eight RBIs.

Leadoff batter CC Wong, the 2024 American Player of the Year, set the table with walks in each of the first three innings, and Barnard followed by driving Wong home each time. Barnard put the Shockers on the board with a two-run blast to centerfield and she staked Wichita State to a 5-0 lead with no-doubter to left-center in the second inning.

Barnard’s double to the right-center gap in the third inning gave Wichita State a 9-0 lead, while she capped the scoring in the fourth with a line drive home run to center to make it 13-0.

Taylor Sedlacek added a three-run home run in the third inning for the Shockers. Lainee Brown went 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

The Shockers’ offensive performance overshadowed a strong showing by two Wichita State pitchers, who limited the Roadrunners (15-41) to two hits in five shutout innings. Starter Lauren Howell went 1.2 innings with two strikeouts and one hit allowed, while Alison Cooper (6-8) was credited with the win in relief after she worked 3.1 innings of one-hit ball with three strikeouts.

The latest information on the 2024 American Softball Championship can be found on the conference’s Championship Central site.

2024 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

May 8-11 | Wilkins Stadium | Wichita, Kansas

First Round – Wednesday, May 8 | ESPN+

Game 1 No. 7 East Carolina 4, No. 6 UAB 0

Game 2 No. 3 North Texas 7, No. 10 Memphis 1

Game 3 No. 5 Tulsa 2, No. 8 South Florida 1

Game 4 No. 4 Wichita State 13, No. 9 UTSA 0 (five innings)

Second Round – Thursday, May 9 | ESPN+

Game 5 East Carolina (38-18) vs. North Texas (31-23) 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT

Game 6 Tulsa (30-22) vs. Wichita State (26-21) 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT

Semifinals – Friday, May 10 | ESPN+