WICHITA, Kan. – Hunter Gibson hit a walk-off home run in the 13th inning to lift the Wichita State baseball team to a 3-2 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks Wednesday night, March 20, at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.
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Leading-off the bottom of the 13th in a 2-2 tie, Gibson, a sophomore from Oologah, Okla., didn't waste any time sending the Shockers (9-11) home with a victory, as he crushed the first pitch he saw over the wall down the right field line. It was his second homer of the season.
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Sophomore
Ross Cadena went 3-for-5 with a double, while senior
Luke Ritter added two hits, including a homer, to go along with two RBI, pacing Wichita State at the plate.
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Freshman right-hander
Aaron Haase (1-0) picked up his inaugural collegiate win on the mound after tossing three scoreless innings in relief, surrendering no earned runs on just two hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
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Wichita State jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first-inning after Ritter belted a two-run shot to right-center, scoring Gibson, who was hit by a pitch to lead-off the frame. It was his team-best fourth round-tripper of 2019.
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Kansas (13-7) tied the game, 2-2, with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh when Dylan Ditzenberger hit a two-RBI single through the right side.
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Neither team was able to score the remaining two innings, sending the game to extras.
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The Shockers outhit the Jayhawks in the contest, 10-9.
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Ditzenberger had three hits in five at bats and tallied two RBI, leading Kansas in the batter's box.
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Reliever Hunter Freese (1-1) took the loss after giving up Gibson's walk-off homer and allowing one earned run on one hit with no strikeouts or walks in an inning.
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Wichita State is scheduled to host the Memphis Tigers for its American Athletic Conference opener Friday, March 22, at 6 p.m. at Eck Stadium.
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