SPRINGFIELD, Mo.
The easy path to the top of the bracket beckoned to Wichita State, requiring only a win over last-place Illinois State.
A painful first inning squashed that hope. The fifth-seeded Shockers are dumped into the losers bracket after a 7-4 loss to Illinois State on Thursday in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. On Friday, they face top-seeded Missouri State, a team that outscored them 33-9 in three games a month ago at Hammons Field.
WSU (28-29) must win twice on Friday to stay alive and twice on Saturday to win the tournament. Illinois State (15-38) went 2-18 in the regular season and is 2-0 in the tournament, needing one win Friday to reach Saturday’s championship.