HOUSTON, Texas – The Wichita State University baseball team swept an American Athletic Conference doubleheader at Houston Friday, April 2, at Schroeder Park, winning game one, 3-2, before taking the nightcap, 2-1.
The Shockers (14-9, 2-1 American) and Cougars (13-13, 1-2 American) are slated to wrap up the four-game conference series with a contest at noon Saturday, April 3.
With the doubleheader sweep, WSU earned its first wins over Houston since joining The American in 2018 and the first victories over the Cougars since 2006.
Wichita State and Houston were tied, 2-2, going into the top of the ninth inning in game one before
Paxton Wallace belted a leadoff homer to left to put the Shockers in front, 3-2. It was his fifth round-tripper of the season.
WSU closer
Aaron Haase threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning to secure the opening game victory for Wichita State.
Wallace paced the Shockers at the plate in game one, going 2-for-3, including a homer, with two runs scored and two RBI, while
Garrett Kocis and
Corrigan Bartlett each had doubles in the contest.
Wichita State reliever
Ryan Stuempfig (4-0) earned the win on the mound after tossing a scoreless eighth inning, while Haase locked down his sixth save of 2021 in the ninth. WSU starter
Preston Snavely didn't factor into the decision but threw seven innings and allowed just two earned runs on three hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.
In the Shockers' 2-1 triumph in the nightcap, freshman right-handed pitcher
Jace Kaminska improved to 2-0 on the mound after throwing a career-high seven shutout innings, allowing no earned runs on just five hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
Haase secured his second save of the day, and team and American Athletic Conference-high seventh save of the season with a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
Jack Sigrist and Kocis both had a pair of hits, including doubles, while
Andrew Stewart added a career-best three-hits, pacing WSU at the plate in game two.
The Shockers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Sigrist hit a leadoff double to left field before scoring on Kocis's two-out double down the left field line.
The score remained 1-0 until the top of the eighth when Kocis doubled to right-center and crossed home plate on
Corrigan Bartlett's two-out single through the left side, increasing the Wichita State advantage to 2-0.
Houston answered with a run in the bottom of the eighth, trimming the Shocker advantage to 2-1, but WSU right fielder
Seth Stroh snagged a fly-ball in right-center for the final out of the inning, stranding the tying run at third base and keeping the Wichita State lead intact.
Haase closed out the game for the Shockers in the bottom of the ninth, preserving the 2-1 victory with two ground outs and a pair of strikeouts.
