WICHITA, Kan. – A seven-run fourth inning helped propel the Wichita State baseball team to an 11-4 victory over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in game two of a three-game series Saturday, March 30, at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.
 
The Shockers (15-12), who have now won four straight games, are slated to play the Wildcats (9-19) in the series finale Sunday, March 31, at noon.
 
Jordan Boyer went 3-for-5 with a triple and RBI, while Hunter Gibson tallied a pair of doubles and drove in three runs, leading Wichita State at the plate. Junior Jacob Katzfey added a homer and double, and Paxton Wallace had two hits.
 
Sophomore right-hander Liam Eddy (3-3) earned the victory on the mound after tossing seven scoreless innings in relief and only allowing one hit while posting a career-high seven strikeouts with just one walk.
 
After Bethune-Cookman scored four runs in the second to race out to a 4-1 advantage, the Shockers began chipping away at the lead, scoring two in the bottom-half of the frame on Katzfey's first homer of the season – a two-run shot to right field, trimming the deficit to 4-3.
 
Wichita State's offense ignited in the bottom of the fourth, plating seven runs on six hits and two errors to give the Shockers 10-4 lead. Boyer plated the opening run on an infield single that scored David VanVooren, before a Wildcat fielding error allowed Katzfey to cross home plate for the go-ahead run.
 
Boyer made it 6-4, Shockers, after he raced home on Brady Slavens' fielder's choice, prior to Mason O'Brien scoring Slavens on a RBI single through the right side, building the Wichita State lead to 7-3.
 
Gibson provided the final offensive surge in the frame, hitting a bases-clearing double down the right field line, ballooning the Shocker advantage to 10-4.
 
WSU added its 11th and final run of the game in the eighth when Noah Croft hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Wallace to cross home plate.
 
For the game, the Shockers outhit the Wildcats, 12-6, and committed no errors, compared to three for the visitors.
 
Joseph Fernando went 1-for-3 with a run, walk and RBI, leading Bethune-Cookman in the batter's box.
 
Wildcat starter Seth Lovell (2-2) suffered the loss after giving up four earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 3 1/3 innings pitched.