Box Score

WICHITA, Kan.- Wichita State (37-12) used a six-run eighth to pull away from Bethany (33-14) and win 13-6 on Monday night at Eck Stadium. 

 

Keenan Dukes homered in the second at bat of the game to give the Swedes a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

 

Wichita State answered with two runs in the bottom half of the frame to give the Shockers a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. Ryan Jones had a lead-off single and Bret Bascue drew a walk, putting two aboard. Back-to-back singles from Derek Schermerhorn and Clinton McKeever drove the runners in.

 

The Shockers extended their lead to 6-1 with a four-run second. Cody Lassley, who had reached on an infield single, and Harrison Dreiling, who drew a walk, came home on a bunt single from Blake Hurlbutt. Bascue doubled in Hurlbutt and Schermerhorn drove in the final run of the inning with a single to left field.

 

A two-out walk to Ralph Reyes-Chavez was costly as Shaun Ravenscroft followed with a double that crossed the run.

 

Starter Tyson Fugett (1-1) earned the win in four innings of work, allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three.

 

WSU got that run back however in the bottom of the fifth when Lassley brought in Josh Workman with a single through the right side. Workman had shot one back up the middle for a base hit and stole second to get in scoring position.

 

Andy Womack held Bethany scoreless for three innings, giving up only one hit and one walk and striking out four.

 

The Swedes came thundering back in the top of the eighth, adding four runs to come within one. Bethany roughed up relievers Ronnie Morales and Dusty Coleman for a combined four earned runs on four hits and a walk.

 

Wichita State answered loudly in the bottom half to pull away and solidify a 13-6 win. Dreiling singled to right-center driving in Noah Krol, who reached on a base hit to the same place. Danny Jackson hit a ground ball to short, but both men were safe because of a fielding error.

 

The inning was then highlighted with back-to-back homeruns from Hurlbutt and Matt Brown. Hurlbutt's three-run blast went over left field for his second of the year, and Brown hit a solo shot to center to tie Tyler Weber for a team-leading eight on the season.

 

Dusty Coleman lined one just inside of the right field line and Conor Gillaspie capped the inning with a single to left field that crossed Coleman.

 

The Swedes managed a double off of Jared Simon in the top of the ninth, but that was all as a pop out and two ground balls back toward the mound made for three easy outs to end the game.

 

Wichita State faces Northern Colorado in a two game series, starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday night.

 

-Wichita State-