Box Score

WICHITA, Kan. ? Wichita State (8-4) fell behind early and could not recover falling to Richmond, 10-11, in game one of a three-game series at Eck Stadium. Combined, the two teams scored 21 runs on 30 hits.

 

Unfortunately for the Shockers it was the second time in as many games that they found themselves one run short of a thrilling victory. The last time Wichita State allowed 17 or more hits was in the 2005 Regional against Tennessee, a game which the Shockers dropped, 12-2.

 

Friday's game started on a sour note as the Shockers found themselves down 3-0 in the second inning when freshman shortstop Harrison Dreiling threw an errant ball to first baseman Derek Schermerhorn which allowed the Spiders to score three unearned runs in the inning. Richmond continued to dominate Shocker pitching in the next eight innings, scoring eleven runs on seventeen hits.

           

The Spiders (4-4) had a very balanced attack as eight of their nine starters managed a hit. Joe Mahoney led the charge, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI, including a solo homerun shot in the top of the third.

           

Wichita State used seven different pitchers to get through the game. Starter Aaron Shafer was charged with the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season. The sophomore right-hander went 3.2 innings, giving up seven runs, three earned, on nine hits.

           

Derek Schermerhorn's bat continued to sizzle as he went 2-for-2 picking up one RBI and reached base three more times on two hit by pitches and a walk. Two other Shocker batters were able to keep pace with Schermerhorn. Tyler Hill went 2-for-4 and hit his second career homerun contributing three RBI and three runs on the day. Blake Hurlbutt went 2-for-3 with two RBI and scored twice.

 

Wichita State's offense was highlighted in the fifth and seventh, where the Shockers posted four runs in both of those innings. Schermerhorn was plunked and Matt Brown reached on a single to put two runners aboard for Hill's homerun to right field. Consecutive singles from Hurlbutt and Tyler Weber extended the inning and Hurlbutt came around on a stolen base and a Spider error.

 

Conor Gillaspie led off the bottom of the seventh with an infield single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Hill was four-straight balls and Hurlbutt drove both runners in with a double ripped into the left field corner. Weber took a pitch in the leg then Dusty Coleman dropped one into center field to load the bases. Dreiling's ground ball squeezed out one and Schermerhorn worked a full count to draw a walk that pushed the fourth run across, before Brown grounded into an inning-ending double play, his second of the night.

 

The four run inning had put the Shockers within one, 11-10, but Richmond sat down the last six Wichita State batters in order over the last two innings.

 

Wichita State looks to bounce back against Richmond Saturday at 2 p.m. They will wrap up the series Sunday at 1 p.m.

-Wichita State-