Box Score

WICHITA - Evansville behind a six-run sixth inning beat Wichita State, 12-11 Friday night in game one of the three-game series.  The Shockers mounted a rally in the ninth with three runs off two home runs but fell just short to drop their record to 21-16, 1-3.  The Purple Aces improved to 18-13, 1-3.

Chris O'Brien went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a home run and three RBI for the Shockers.  Preston Springer added two hits with a two-run home run.

Grant Muncrief took the loss for the Shocks (1-1) and Kyle Lloyd 3-3 earned the victory for the Aces.  James Kohler tossed four innings to earn his first save of the season.

Evansville went ahead 2-0 in the first inning with an RBI fielder's choice by Cody Fick and a sacrifice fly by Ryan Oesterle off of Smith.  The Aces added another run the next inning with a walk, a sac bunt and an error by third baseman Dayne Parker, 3-0.

The Shocks got a run back in the bottom of the second when Johnny Coy led off with a single followed by a single from Don Lambert.  Coy would score on a wild pitch by Llyod to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Wichita State took the lead with five runs in the third inning the last two scored on a RBI single by Josh Halbert over the second baseman's head to make it 6-3.

Zach Stucky singled to the shortstop and Kevin Hall was hit by a pitch to start the fourth inning for WSU.  O'Brien knocked in both with his RBI double down the right field line to push the lead to 8-3.

Evansville cut the Wichita State lead to 8-5 after Oesterle's two-run shot off the right field pole in the fifth.

The Purple Aces loaded the bases in the sixth inning and took the lead 9-8 after Cody Fick blasted a grand slam over the right field wall off of Muncrief.  Jared Baehl added an RBI double and Copeland an RBI single to push the lead to 11-8.

Evansville added one more run in the eighth with an RBI double by Fick.

O'Brien and Springer each homered in the ninth for the Shockers.

Game two of the series will be played Saturday at 2 p.m at Eck Stadium.

-WICHITA STATE-