<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739514314046.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Wichita State Athletics
 
CLEARWATER, Fla. &ndash;&nbsp;A cold day at the plate doomed Wichita State as they fell to No. 23/24 Kentucky, 2-0, and No. 5/5 Texas A&amp;M, 9-1, at Eddie C. Moore Complex on Saturday afternoon to open the Shriners Children&apos;s Clearwater Invitational. &nbsp; With the pair of losses against challenging foes, Wichita State fell to 5-2 on the year and opens with a 0-2 start in Clearwater. &nbsp; Wichita State 0, No. 23/24 Kentucky 2 &nbsp; The Wildcats manufactured the opening run, drawing a leadoff walk and later scoring the runner via a sacrifice fly, taking an early 1-0 lead.&nbsp; &nbsp; The Shockers had runners in scoring position in both the first and third innings but were unable to capitalize in the early going. &nbsp; In the bottom of the third, Kentucky doubled their lead with an RBI triple by Allie Blum, giving her both of the game&apos;s RBIs. &nbsp; That was all of the scoring for the game as neither side broke through in the final three innings, as Kentucky took the 2-0 victory over Wichita State. &nbsp; WSU outhit Kentucky by two but was 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/chloe-barber/9310" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Chloe Barber</a>&nbsp;threw all 6.0 innings, allowing the two runs on just two hits, but was saddled with the loss, her first of the season. &nbsp; Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/ellee-eck/9322" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ellee Eck</a>&nbsp;led the Shockers in the hits category with two, tying her season high. &nbsp; No. 5/5 Texas A&amp;M 9, Wichita State 1 &nbsp; In game two of the day for Wichita State, the 5th-ranked Aggies jumped on Shocker starter&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/alex-aguilar/9309" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Alex Aguilar</a>, bringing two runs home in the top of the first inning, one earned and one unearned.&nbsp; &nbsp; A&amp;M added to its lead with a solo homer in the second inning, extending the Aggie lead to 3-0. &nbsp; The Shocker bats remained cold early in the game, as they went scoreless through the first three innings. &nbsp; In the bottom of the fourth,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/taylor-sedlacek/9318" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Taylor Sedlacek</a>&nbsp;broke the Shockers&apos; goose egg on the scoreboard with an RBI double into the gap in left center that brought&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-lucas/9314" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Lauren Lucas</a>&nbsp;in to score all the way from first, making it a 3-1 game.&nbsp; &nbsp; Neither side scored in the fifth, but the Shockers gave themselves a chance to score in the bottom of the sixth. After&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/ellee-eck/9322" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ellee Eck</a>&nbsp;reached on catcher&apos;s interference, Sedlacek later legged out an infield single to give the Shockers two on and two out with&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sami-hood/9312" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Sami Hood</a>&nbsp;at the plate. Hood put up a tough at-bat and ended it with a bouncing chopper up the middle, but the Aggie second baseman made a great snag and got the force out at second to end the WSU threat. &nbsp; In the next half inning, Texas A&amp;M dashed hopes of a comeback, loading the bases and bringing in three runs with a three-run double, making it a 6-1 game. The Aggies made it 9-1 before the inning was over with a couple hits off&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/erica-schertz/9316" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Erica Schertz</a>, who came in in relief. &nbsp; Aguilar survived a rocky start to throw 6.1 innings, allowing six earned runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts. She was saddled with the loss, her first of the season in the circle. &nbsp; Lucas (2-for-3) and Sedlacek (2-for-3) combined for all four of Wichita State&apos;s hits in the contest. &nbsp; Next Up The Shockers battle the San Diego State Aztecs on Friday at 4:00 PM CT in Clearwater.</div>

🥎 Shockers start Florida trip with pair of losses