DELAND, Fla. – Garrett Kocis homered in back-to-back games for the second time this season, but it wasn't enough, as the Wichita State baseball team fell to FIU, 11-2, and Stetson, 9-4, Friday, March 19, at Melching Field on the Stetson University campus.
 
Wichita State (7-7) is scheduled to take on Stetson (13-6) Saturday, March 20, at 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET) in DeLand.
 
Kocis, who hails from Omaha, Neb., hit a solo homer in the seventh inning in WSU's opener against FIU (7-8), before belting a two-run shot in the top of the sixth inning in the Shockers' showdown with the Hatters. On the season, he now has a team and American Athletic Conference-high nine home runs.
 
In Wichita State's game one setback, the Shockers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the third after Jack Sigrist scored David VanVooren on a single to left field.
 
FIU answered, though, and gained a 3-1 lead with a trio of runs in the top of the seventh.
 
WSU responded in the bottom of the frame, cutting the deficit to 3-2 on Kocis' solo shot to dead-center field, but the Panthers pushed back, scoring six runs in the eighth and two in the ninth to secure their 11-2 victory.
 
VanVooren went 2-for-3 and Sigrist went 2-for-4 to pace Wichita State at the plate in the opener.
 
WSU right-hander Preston Snavely (1-1) took the loss on the mound after pitching 6 2/3 innings and giving up three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and zero walks.
 
Steven Ondina drove in four runs and tallied a triple, while Adrian Figueroa had three hits, including a double, and a pair of RBI, leading FIU in the batter's box.
 
Panther right-hander Tyler Myrick (3-1) earned the win after allowing two earned runs on six hits with six Ks and a pair of walks in seven innings of work.
 
Against the host Hatters in the nightcap, WSU and Stetson were scoreless until the Hatters broke through with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-0 lead.
 
The Shockers trimmed the advantage in half with two runs in the top of the sixth after Paxton Wallace hit a two-out double to left, prior to scoring on Kocis' two-run round-tripper to right field, but the Hatters answered immediately, pushing its advantage back to four-runs with two in the bottom of the inning.
 
WSU wasn't done, however, and cut into the lead again with a pair of runs in the eighth on a Wallace single and Kocis sacrifice fly, making it 6-4, Hatters.
 
That was as close as the Shockers would get, though, as Stetson plated three in the bottom of the eighth and held on for the 9-4 triumph.
 
Sigrist and Wallace both collected two hits, and Kocis batted in three, leading WSU in the nightcap.
 
Shocker right-hander Liam Eddy (1-3) suffered the loss on the rubber after giving up six earned runs on nine hits with a season-high eight strikeouts and no walks in six innings of work.
 
Eric Foggo and Jorge Arenas each went 2-for-3 in the batter's box, with Foggo tallying a two-run home run, pacing the Hatters offensively.
 
Stetson right-hander Nick Durgin (3-1) secured the victory after allowing four earned runs on six hits with six Ks and one walk in seven innings.