Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind.- Both Wichita State (37-13, 15-4 MVC) and Evansville (13-37, 3-16 MVC) put up less than perfect performances in the field, combining for 11 errors, but the Shockers produced offense and topped the Aces, 15-8.

WSU took a 9-0 lead after the second inning, but let Evansville creep back in it due to lack of sharpness on defense. Only two if the first nine were earned as Evansville committed five errors behind UE starter Zach Taylor (2-5).

Second baseman Josh Workman would cap the early-inning offense by the Shockers with a two-run home run to right field, his third of the year, to give WSU a 9-0 lead after two innings.

A pick off throw by WSU's Rob Musgrave (8-1) gave Evansville their first two unearned runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth.

After a solo home run by third baseman Conor Gillaspie in the top of the sixth inning pushed the lead to 10-2, Evansville would once again strike for three unearned runs off of Musgrave in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the WSU lead to 10-5.

That would be as close as Evansville would come though, as Wichita State added four more runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by a towering three-run home run down the right-field line by lead-off man Andy Dirks, his ninth of the year, to take a 14-5 lead. The hit extended the senior's streak to 17 games and the walk in the first allowed him to reach base safely in 61-straight games.

The teams would trade single runs in the eighth inning, before Evansville squeezed in two runs in the bottom frame of the ninth. Reliever Matt Smith would induce a line-out and a ground out to close the game out though, and give the Shockers the 15-8 victory.

Dirks ignited the Wichita State attack at the top of the order by going 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and three runs scored. Designated hitter Clinton McKeever also added three base hits, while Gillaspie scored three runs and had two RBI with his two hits.

Musgrave earned the victory on the mound by scattering five unearned runs on seven base hits in 5.2 innings of work. Reliever Tyler Fleming allowed two hits and one earned run in 2.1 innings and Smith closed out the final inning with two unearned runs on two hits with a strikeout.

Taylor suffered the loss, giving up nine runs (two earned) on seven hits in four innings on the mound.

The two teams will continue the series on Saturday afternoon at 2:07 p.m., as UE junior RHP John Foley (4-4, 4.84 ERA) will battle WSU junior RHP Aaron Shafer
(8-2, 2.63 ERA) on the mound.

-Wichita State-