WICHITA, Kan. – Garrett Kocis homered twice for the second consecutive game to lead the Wichita State University baseball team to a 15-7 victory and a three-game series sweep of the Dixie State (Utah) Trailblazers Sunday afternoon, March 7, at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.
 
Wichita State (6-3), winners of its last five games, is scheduled to begin an eight-game, two-week road swing with four games in Tucson, Ariz., March 11-13. WSU is slated to face the 17th-ranked Arizona Wildcats in a three-game series the 11th through the 13th, while also taking on Air Force in a neutral site contest March 13.
 
Kocis, a junior out of Omaha, Neb., hit his third and fourth home runs of the series and team and American Athletic Conference-best sixth and seventh of the season, while also batting in five runs.
 
He launched the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the third inning over the right field wall with the bases loaded for a grand slam – the Shockers first since 2019, prior to smashing a solo shot to right on a 0-1 pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Corrigan Bartlett tallied three hits, including two doubles, and compiled four RBI, while Seth Stroh and Jack Sigrist each hit triples.
 
Freshman Cooper Harris, making his first start for WSU Sunday, belted a two-run homer over the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth inning for his first collegiate hit, while sophomore Andrew Stewart posted a double for his inaugural hit in the Black and Yellow.
 
Hunter Gibson added a pair of hits, including a double, to round out the Wichita State leaders at the plate.
 
WSU starter Preston Snavely (1-0) earned the win on the mound after allowing three earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks in five innings of work.
 
Jake Engel went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI, leading Dixie State (0-7).
 
Trailblazer starter Carson Phillips (0-2) suffered the loss after surrendering five earned runs on three hits with three walks in two innings.