WICHITA, Kan. – Every starter on the Wichita State University baseball team recorded at least one hit in an 8-6 victory over the UCF Knights Thursday evening, April 18, at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field, in the opening game of a three-game American Athletic Conference series.

The Shockers (19-18, 4-6 American) snapped a six-game skid with the victory and are scheduled to play game two against the Knights (22-16, 4-9 American) at 6 p.m. Friday, April 19.

Outfielders Jacob Katzfey and Brady Slavens both tallied two RBIs in the contest, while Luke Ritter, Hunter Gibson, Ross Cadena, and Noah Croft also each drove in a run. Jordan Boyer also had success at the plate, going 3-for-5.

Right-hander Liam Eddy (4-4) earned his fourth win of the season on the mound after throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing four earned runs on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts, while Mitchell Walters threw two innings and gave up one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts to secure his sixth save of the season.

The Shockers found themselves down 1-0 in the top of the first but answered quickly after Cadena hit an RBI single up the middle, and Slavens followed him with a two-run single through the left side, giving the Shockers a 3-1 lead after one.

UCF cut the advantage to 3-2 in the top of the third, but Wichita State responded in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs off a bases loaded, two-RBI double to right-center off the bat Katzfey, a RBI single from Ritter, and a sacrifice fly by Gibson, increasing the WSU lead to 7-2.

After both teams added a run in the fifth inning to make it 8-3, UCF plated two more runs on a two-run single by Tyler Osik, trimming the Shocker lead to 8-5.

The Knights tried to make it interesting in the top of the ninth, as Anthony George hit a double to lead-off the inning, before Chandler Robertson followed with a single, putting runners on first and third with no outs.

George crossed home plate on a double-play, making it 8-6, but Paxton Wallace snared a line-drive  at third for the final out of the frame.

Osik led the Knights at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs in the losing effort.

UCF starter Grant Schuermann (4-4) suffered the loss after surrendering eight earned runs on ten hits with one strikeout and one walk in five innings of work.