WICHITA, Kan. – After being held hitless over the first four innings, Wichita State erupted for eight runs in the fifth and sixth frames en route to a 9-2 win over Missouri State Friday evening in the opening contest of the two clubs’ three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Eck Stadium.
With the setback, Missouri State (26-7, 1-2 MVC) saw its six-game win streak in its series with WSU come to an end and suffered its first two-game MVC losing streak since May 2014. The Bears, who recorded the first eight hits of the contest, fell victim to a resurgent WSU offense that sent 18 men to the plate over its critical two-inning outburst and accounted for 11 of the game’s final 14 hits.
The Shockers (12-22, 2-2 MVC) received a spark from the bottom portion of their batting order, with the fifth through ninth-place hitters combining to score seven runs while going 7-for-8 with a pair of walks over WSU’s two big innings.
Dayton Dugas went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including the go-ahead two-run double in the fifth to pace Wichita State’s 11-hit attack, while Cody Tyler (1-2) scattered 11 hits over a complete-game mound effort for the Shockers.
After MSU starter Jordan Knutson (5-2) dominated the first four innings, the Shockers not only broke up the junior’s no-hit bid, but hammered out six consecutive hits to start the fifth and turn the tide for good. Knutson, who allowed just one of the first 13 WSU hitters to reach base, yielded a leadoff single to Gunnar Troutwine to start the key rally, and five more Shockers followed with hits to chase the MSU hurler from the contest. Ryan Tinkham’s double to left brought home Troutwine with the tying run, before Dougas put WSU on top to stay with a two-run double.
But the Shockers weren’t quite done, as back-to-back singles by Tanner Kirk and Trey Vickers added a run, before Greyson Jenista’s RBI grounder to second made it a 5-1 contest.
MSU briefly cut the deficit to three runs courtesy of Jeremy Eierman’s third home run of the season with one out in the sixth. The MSU freshman finished the night with three hits in four at-bats, accounting for both MSU runs in the contest.
WSU kicked its offense back into high gear in the home half, however, striking for three more runs against Bears reliever Sam Perez to extend its lead to 8-2. Dugas delivered another run-scoring double, before Mikel Mucha’s two-out hit to right brought home two more runs.
The mid-game momentum shift followed a strong offensive start for the Bears, who put their first two runners on base in three of the first four innings. MSU cashed in for just one run, however, as Tyler repeatedly worked his way out of trouble.
Missouri State was able to generate several early scoring chances, including the first inning when Hunter Steinmetz started the game with a soft liner to center for a single, and Matt Dezort beat out a bunt single to put immediate pressure on Tyler. But the left-hander quickly righted the ship, getting three consecutive strikeouts to squash the rally.
Aaron Meyer got the ball rolling in the second, lacing a two-strike pitch from Tyler into the gap in left-center for a leadoff double. Alex Jefferson followed with the second bunt single by a Bear in as many innings to put runners on the corners, but Tyler once again wiggled his way out of trouble without allowing any damage. The WSU sophomore got a little help from the Bears this time, as Justin Paulsenpopped up a bunt attempt for the first out, before Jefferson was gunned down attempting to steal second for out number two. He then got Matt Fultz to chase a third strike after a lengthy battle that saw the MSU catcher foul off six two-strike offerings.
But the Bears finally cashed in with a run in the fourth, using a triple to left off the bat of Spencer Johnson on the first pitch of the inning and a liner up the middle by Eierman on the next offering to hand Knutson a 1-0 lead. MSU had the chance to add to its advantage after a second Meyer double put runners at second and third with nobody out.
Tyler once again delivered in the clutch, retiring Jefferson on a bouncer to third, before Eierman was picked off at third and Paulsen’s liner back to the mound ended the threat. In all, the Bears stranded eight men on base, including seven in the first six innings.
With heavy rains expected throughout the day Sunday, the two clubs will now conclude the series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday (April 16) at Eck Stadium.
