Box Score

WICHITA, Kan. ? Riding the momentum of Jordan Cooper's career-high 10 strikeouts, the Shockers were able to make an early lead hold while shutting out the Redbirds to take the series on a chilly afternoon at Eck Stadium, 5-0.

Picking up his second win of the week, Cooper (5-2) shined on the mound. The freshman lefty threw seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and three walks. His counterpart, Redbird starter Corey Maines (5-2), did not fair as well. WSU plated four runs on six hits to hand Maines his second loss of the season. The right-hander allowed four free passes in his six innings on the hill.

The Shockers provided their starter plenty of help at the plate. For the second game in a row, all but two of WSU's starters recorded at least one hit. Freshman shortstop Tyler Grimes and junior left fielder Bret Bascue drilled opposite field homeruns to drive in three of the Shocks' five runs on Sunday afternoon.

For the Redbirds, catcher Gabe DeMarco led the offense with a 2-for-3 day at the plate.

A quick two-strikeout inning for Cooper in the top of the first paved the way for the Shockers to jump on the score board first. Grimes made sure that happened when he pelted a solo homer over the right field fence in the bottom of the first.

Cooper racked up another pair of strikeouts in the Redbirds next at bat before they threatened to tie the game. A two-out walk followed by a single by left fielder Jake Thornton nearly broke up the shutout, but a solid defensive effort  by second baseman Will Baez and third baseman Chris O'Brien resulted in a play at the plate for the final out of the inning.

O'Brien walked and moved around on a sacrifice bunt and a well-placed groundout to put himself in position to score when Maines tossed a wild pitch. The manufactured run put the home team up, 2-0, two innings in.

Bascue continued his torment of the Redbirds on Sunday. After collecting at least one hit in the first two games of the series, Bascue let loose for his first homer of the season in the bottom of the sixth. His opposite-field line drive to right built on the Shocker lead, 4-0.

The Shockers thanked Cooper for throwing into a Redbird double play in his last inning on the mound by adding another run to the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Junior outfielder Ryan Jones welcomed relief pitcher Jim Sajewich with a leadoff double and came home on an O'Brien RBI single. Jones finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate.

Freshman right-hander Chance Sossamon kept Cooper's shutout intact by surrendering just one hit and striking out four in his two innings of relief.

The Shockers will gain a game on what Mother Nature has taken away this season when they play host to Saint Mary on Tuesday, April 7. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

-Wichita State-