WICHITA, Kan. – Houston scored four runs in the top of the sixth to erase a 3-1 deficit, rallying past Wichita State 7-4 on Friday night at Eck Stadium.

The decisive frame began with three straight baserunners against WSU starter Jace Kaminska (2-7), who had handcuffed the Cougars through five innings with eight strikeouts. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Kaminska got a fly out to right for the first out of the inning, but Ian McMillan bounced a ground ball to deep shortstop for an infield single that scored a run, and Malachi Lott followed with a hooking double into the right field corner that cleared the bases for a 5-3 lead.

The Shockers (15-31) quickly sliced the deficit in half in the bottom of the inning via a Garrett Kocis RBI double, but would get no closer as Houston re-extended the lead in the eighth on a Ryan Hernandez two-run homer. Wichita State hit into three double plays over the final four innings, and were unable to capitalize on a pair of eighth inning walks from Houston closer Ben Sears, who nailed down his tenth save with two scoreless innings of relief.

Wichita State used a pair of two-out homers in the early innings to seize the lead. Sawyre Thornhill sliced an opposite-field solo shot in the bottom of the first, and an inning later Ross Cadena lined a two-run home run just over the wall in left for a 3-0 advantage.

Houston (31-15) got on the board with a two-out knock of their own in the top of the third, as Alex Lopez doubled home Brandon Burckel to trim the WSU lead to 3-1.

Cougars starter Jaycob Deese (5-2) settled down after the rocky start, completing seven innings to earn the victory despite striking out only one. 

The Shockers and Cougars continue the series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm.