From K-State Athletics
Wichita State built a six-run lead and starter Ryan Stuempfig allowed one earned run over five innings, as the Shockers went on to defeat K-State 8-5 Wednesday night at Eck Stadium.
The Wildcats (11-14) scored four unanswered runs across the seventh and eighth innings, getting RBI doubles by Thomas Hughes, Zach Kokoska and Jordan Maxson, cutting Wichita State’s (13-12) lead to two runs at 7-5.
After WSU added a run in the eighth, Mitchell Walters pitched a perfect ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts to hand K-State its fourth consecutive loss.
“I’ll never question the competitiveness of our guys, that’s for sure,” head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. “We are all frustrated that if we play fundamentally sound baseball, once again, that’s the storyline, the outcome might be different. We’ve got to keep working towards getting better and playing fundamental baseball.
“I like the fight in us. Saw some good things by a lot of guys. Good to get Jordan Maxson going again.”
Kokoska and Rainer Ausmus each went 2-for-4 in the game to lead the Cats.
Stuempfig earned his first collegiate victory for WSU, yielding four hits over his five innings of work with four strikeouts.
Two straight doubles by Luke Ritter and Mason O’Brien helped the Shockers bring in two in the bottom of the first inning, opening a 2-0 lead.
After K-State cut WSU’s lead in half with an RBI double from Maxson in the top of the second, Garrett Kocis homered in the home half to push the Shockers’ lead back to two runs at 3-1. It was Kocis’, second home run of the season.
A pair of unearned runs in the third ended starter Kasey Ford’s day. An error by Caleb Littlejim allowed Hunter Gibson to come home before a sacrifice fly by Paxton Wallace put the score at 5-1.
Ford finished his outing with five runs against him (three earned) on four hits in two-plus innings. The junior right-hander struck out two in his first loss of the year (0-1). All four of Ford’s hits allowed went for extra bases.
Ross Cadena delivered a two-out RBI single as part of a two-run fifth for the Shockers. After a throwing error by pitcher Brett Lockwood, WSU held a 7-1 lead after five innings.
Hughes laced a two-out double down the right field line to score Ausmus in the top of the seventh. Hughes extending his hitting streak to seven games, the longest active streak and longest by a Wildcat this season.
K-State took advantage of a pair of Shocker errors, cutting Wichita State’s lead to 7-5 after a three-run eighth. In the inning, Kokoska produced an RBI double while two runs scored via a two-out error by WSU shortstop Jordan Boyer.
Mitch Zubradt tossed a perfect ninth with a strikeout, running his scoreless streak to 13 innings to begin the season.
Joey Martin added 2 1/3 innings of relief while Luke Hauswirth tossed two innings, each allowing one earned run. Martin struck out four while Hauswirth picked up two strikeouts.
Seven different Shockers recorded a base hit in the game while five drove in a run.
