WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State University baseball team opened American Athletic Conference action with a 7-3 win over the Memphis Tigers Friday, March 22, in the opening game of a three-game series at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.
 
Wichita State (10-11, 1-0 American) and Memphis (10-10, 0-1 American) are slated to play game two of the series at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23.
 
Junior Noah Croft went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored, while sophomore Paxton Wallace added two hits and drove in two runs, pacing the Shockers at the plate. Jordan Boyer belted his fifth double of the season, while Ross Cadena and Brady Slavens each posted two hits, respectively.
 
Junior right-hander Preston Snavely (2-2) earned the victory on the mound for WSU after giving up two earned runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in five innings.
 
Wichita State jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second after Croft sent a two-RBI single through the left side, allowing Cadena and Mason O'Brien to cross home plate.
 
The Shockers added one run in the fourth on an RBI infield single from Jacob Katzfey, increasing the lead to 3-0, before building their advantage to 4-0 with a run in the fifth on a RBI single to right field off the bat of Wallace.
 
Memphis trimmed the lead to 4-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but WSU answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame via a bases loaded walk from Hunter Gibson and an RBI infield single from Wallace, increasing the advantage to 6-2.
 
Boyer ripped a double to right-center in the bottom of the seventh, allowing Katzfey to cross home plate, making it 7-2, Shockers.
 
The Tigers plated one more run in the contest, scoring on a solo homer from Payton Marshall in the top of the eighth.
 
Marshall led Memphis, going 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored.
 
Tiger left-hander Hunter Smith (2-3) took the loss after surrendering four earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks in five innings.