‘Small but mighty:’ How WSU softball turned a weakness into a top-10 national defense

In the span of one season, the Wichita State softball team has turned a weakness into a strength that has the Shockers ranked in the top 10 of the country.

After finishing with the most errors (70) and second-lowest fielding percentage (.956) in the American Athletic Conference last season, WSU coach Kristi Bredbenner made defense an internal focus for 2019. The turnaround has been stunning.

Entering the final series of the regular season against conference-leading South Florida (38-15, 16-2 AAC) starting at 6 p.m. Friday in Wilkins Stadium, the Shockers (29-23, 10-8 AAC) rank No. 10 nationally with a fielding percentage of .976 and are just off the school record of .979 set in 2006.

“I think everyone, no matter who is out there, has stepped up and really taken pride in doing their job on defense,” WSU junior Ryleigh Buck said. “We want to have our pitchers’ backs. Everything they put in play, we want to make a play on.”

Bredbenner isn’t surprised WSU’s defense improved this season. She is surprised, however, the Shockers have maintained an elite defense with so many injuries. WSU is playing without three key starters in ace Bailey Lange (foot), outfielder Asea Webber (knee) and second baseman Kaylee Huecker (arm).

A pair of transfers has been crucial. Sophomore Wylie Glover, from Valley Center and Marshall, has made 65 outs without an error in center field as Webber’s replacement, while freshman Sydney McKinney, from Missouri, has also been elite (143 chances with one error) splitting time between second and third base, whichever position WSU needs that game.

“We may be small, but we’re mighty,” Bredbenner said. “We’ve done a lot of things in practice to get ourselves in situations where we’re seeing the ball in the glove. We’re playing defense with a purpose. We understand the ball is going to come at us. We don’t have the strikeout pitcher anymore, so we’re anticipating the ball coming to us every time and that’s helped.”

If WSU was going to make a jump defensively, Bredbenner knew the Shockers would have to find someone who could follow Mackenzie Wright, the 2018 AAC Player of the Year, at third base.

Junior Ryleigh Buck, a Wellington native, had been an understudy to Wright the past two seasons and felt ready to make the move from first base this season. Buck has made lunging saves and displayed a quick glove that has impressed teammates and coaches with how she’s followed Wright, who is a volunteer assistant with the team and still mentors Buck.

“I tell her all the time that I try to play like her,” Buck said, laughing. “She’s a great role model. I got to play along side her for two years and I think I learned a ton from her. So now I just go out there and try to play like Kenzie.”

“Ryleigh has definitely stepped up her game and she’s out here making crazy diving plays now,” said WSU senior Laurie Derrico. “She’s been awesome for us and she’s living up to Kenzie Wright, for sure.”

Buck leads the American in double plays turned, as she’s started 18 of them. Second place? Derrico, who’s been involved with 16. The Shockers lead the conference with 25 double plays this season, which is four away from tying the program record.

Sophomore Neleigh Herring has been automatic since moving to first base, while Madison Perrigan has been a consistent presence behind the plate. Sophomore Bailee Nickerson has also made several highlight-reel plays chasing down balls in the outfield next to Glover.

As WSU looks to knock off the top team in the AAC and secure its sixth straight 30-win season, the Shockers will do so on the strength of their defense.

“I think our defense is something that we can always fall back on,” Derrico said. “It doesn’t matter how we’re hitting, we can always play great defense. I think now we’re focusing more on every single pitch. You kind of zone in when the pitch is pitched, then zone out. I think taking it pitch by pitch has really helped us this season.

South Florida at WSU softball

Records: USF 38-15, 16-2 AAC, WSU 29-23, 10-8

When: 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. Sunday

Where: Wilkins Stadium

Streaming: Yurview.com/Kansas

This story was originally published May 1, 2019 at 4:16 PM.