WICHITA, Kan. – Addison Barnard hit two home runs, including the go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning, to lead Wichita State to a wild 11-9 win against Tulsa Thursday afternoon in the second round of the American Athletic Conference Softball Championship at Wilkins Stadium.
The Shockers (27-21) advance to face No. 1-seeded Florida Atlantic in a semifinal game Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT.
Barnard continued her history-making performance at the American Championship on the heels of her 4-for-4, three-home run showing in Wednesday’s opening-round win against Memphis. Through two games of the tournament, Barnard is a combined 6-for-7 with five home runs, a double, six runs scored and 11 RBIs.
Barnard’s two home runs Thursday give her 92 in her career, moving her into a tie for fourth all-time among NCAA Division I players.
Barnard also contributed with two key defensive plays from centerfield. She gunned down Tulsa’s Tara Hall at the plate to keep the Golden Hurricane off the board in the fourth inning and made a diving catch in the top of the seventh on Anneca Anderson’s short line drive for the second out of the inning.
Barnard’s grand slam capped a seven-run fifth inning for Wichita State, which answered Tulsa’s six runs in the top of the inning. She also hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.
The Golden Hurricane had built an 8-4 lead in the top of the fifth, scoring six runs with two outs. Kaylin Bearpaw’s short fly ball to right fell in for a two-run hit to start the scoring, while Anderson laced a two-run double off the wall in center, and Imani Edwards’ infield hit brought in pinch-runner Celeste Wood to give Tulsa a four-run lead.
The Shockers answered with seven runs in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of three hits and two Tulsa errors. The Golden Hurricane misplayed a bases-loaded force at the plate to allow one run to score, and a groundout, another error and a walk loaded the bases for Barnard. Barnard sent a 1-1 pitch over the rightfield wall for the grand slam and her fifth home run of the tournament.
Tulsa threatened in the top of the seventh when Maci Cole led off with a solo home run. But Barnard’s diving stab of Anderson’s line drive went for the second out before pitcher Chloe Barber got a groundout to end the game.
Barnard finished 2-for-3 with six RBIs, while Hood and Lainee Brown also had two hits each for the Shockers, who advanced to the semifinal round of The American Championship for the fourth consecutive season. Alex Aguilar was credited with the win in only 0.1 inning of work, improving to 7-4, while Barber, who started the game and worked 6.1 innings, earned the save after she re-entered to close out the sixth and seventh innings.
Tulsa (30-23) had 11 hits on the day as Edwards, Bearpaw and Cole had two hits each.
Friday’s semifinal round will see the tournament’s top two seeds take the field for the first time. No. 2-seeded Charlotte will take on North Texas at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT in the first semifinal before Wichita State faces No. 1-seeded Florida Atlantic at 3:30 ET/2:30 CT.
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
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
Game 5 North Texas 9, East Carolina 1
Game 6 Wichita State 11, Tulsa 9
Semifinals – Friday, May 10 | ESPN+
Game 7 North Texas (32-23) vs. No. 2 Charlotte (36-16) 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT
Game 8 Wichita State (27-21) vs. No. 1 Florida Atlantic (41-13) 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT
Championship Game – Saturday, May 11 | ESPN2
Game 9 Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner Noon ET/11 a.m. CT
NCAA Division I Career Home Run Leaders (through May 9, 2024)
| 122 | Jocelyn Alo | Oklahoma (2018-22) |
| 101 | Karli Spaid | Miami (Ohio) (2021-present) |
| 95 | Lauren Chamberlain | Oklahoma (2012-15) |
| 92 | Addison Barnard | Wichita State (2021-present) |
| Tiare Jennings | Oklahoma (2021-present) | |
| Mia Davidson | Mississippi State (2018-22) | |
| Katiyana Mauga | Arizona (2014-17) | |
| Jessie Harper | Arizona (2017-21) |
