LAKEWOOD, Calif. – Macklin Hitz's three-run walk off home run gave the Shockers a thrilling 4-2 victory over Boise State during the first of five games at the Long Beach State Louisville Slugger Invitational on Thursday afternoon inside Mayfair Park. With Hitz's three-run walk off home run, Wichita State moved to 8-7 on the year as Boise State dropped to 5-11.

Katie Malone (3-3) picked up the win for the Shockers, as both starting pitchers went the distance. Malone gave up two runs (both unearned) on seven hits, allowed two walks and struck out four.

Rachel Rodriguez (2-4) took the loss. She allowed four runs (all earned) in eight hits, walked two and struck out one. She was also 1-3 from the plate with a RBI.

As Hitz was 1-3 with her three-run walk off home run, Kelli Spring and Liz Broyles were each 2-4, as Broyles also scored a run.

During the top of the first, Devon Bridges hit a Malone pitch deep to left and could have given the Broncos a 1-0 lead. Fortner caught the ball and fell into the fence, causing the fence to fall down and brace Fortner as both went to the ground. This saved a run, and allowed the game to be scoreless through the top-half of the first.

A Broyles single to center, an error by Makenzie Sullivan at third that allowed Hitz to reach base, and a Mackenzie Wright single gave the Shockers a bases-loaded rally with one out during the bottom of the second. Melanie Jaegers popped out to Izzy Serrano, and Ashley Johnson grounded into a fielder's choice to keep the game scoreless through two innings.

Sara Ketelsleger's sacrifice bunt put Kaelie Doyle at second and Lindsey Nicholson (pinch-running for Serrano) at third with one out in the top of the fourth during what was still a scoreless game. A Sullivan RBI-groundout to Wright put the Broncos on the board and up 1-0. Moments later, Rodriguez singled to right, scoring Doyle to push their lead to 2-0 after the top of the fourth.

Pinch-running for Hitz, Layne Greenlee was rounding second and got herself into a four-throw rundown between second and third. At the end of the rundown, Greenlee was safe at third, setting up a rally for the Shockers. However, a Wright foul tip-strikeout and a diving stop by Jordan Kreiger on a Jaegers line drive kept the game at 2-0 in favor of the Broncos through four innings.

The Shockers had runners on first (Wright) and second (Hunter Hogan who pinch-ran for Paige Mason) with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but Jaegers flew out to Serrano to end the threat.

Spring and Fortner gave the Shockers one last chance to score during the bottom of the seventh with consecutive hits, each coming with two outs. As Spring was on second and Fortner was on first, Broyles delivered with a RBI-double to cut the Bronco lead down to 2-1, with Fortner on third and McKenzie Adams pinch-running for Broyles at second as the potential winning run. Seconds later, Hitz hit the three-run walk off home run to give the Shockers the 4-2 win in thrilling fashion.

Wichita State plays Cal State Fullerton, one of this week's tournament hosts, on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. inside the Mayfair Park.

-WICHITA STATE-