ST. GEORGE, Utah – Garrett Pennington delivered a go-ahead double in the top of the tenth inning and Caden Favors fired a career-best 4.2 innings of shutout relief as Wichita State rallied for a 5-3 win against Utah Tech on Friday afternoon.

With the game deadlocked at 3-3 into the top of the tenth, Jordan Rogers led off the inning by working a walk against Utah Tech reliever Zach Thomas (0-1). Pennington followed by slamming the first pitch he saw into the right field corner, which was then overrun by Trailblazers right fielder Tyson Fisher. The misplay allowed Rogers to score all the way from first and sent Pennington around to third, giving the Shockers their first lead of the day at 4-3. Payton Tolle also picked on the first pitch from Thomas, grounding a sharp single through a drawn-in infield to score Pennington with an important insurance run.

Favors (1-0) did the rest, pitching around a one-out walk in the bottom of the tenth to close out the victory. He entered with runners at second and third in the sixth inning and just one out, stranded both, then left the bases loaded in the seventh to preserve the tie. Each of Favors three strikeouts ended an inning with a runner on base.

Utah Tech (2-4) used a sacrifice fly from Ethan He to claim a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but Sawyre Thornhill had a quick answer with a lead off solo home run in the top of the third that tied the score at 1-1.

A two-run double from Bryker Hurdsman in the bottom of the fifth put the Trailblazers back in front, but the Shockers (2-3) manufactured a pair of runs in the seventh on RBI groundouts from David Herring and Brock Rodden to tie the game at 3-3.

Both teams had excellent opportunities to take the lead in the late innings. Wichita State put runners at first and second with nobody out in the eighth but failed to score, and Utah Tech did the same in the bottom of the ninth before a double play stymied the threat.

Pennington led the Shockers offensively with four hits, while Tolle, Thornhill and Mauricio Millan each notched a two-hit game.

Clark Candiotti pitched well in a no-decision, striking out four over 5.1 innings while allowing seven hits and three runs.

The two teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch from Bruce Hurst Field is scheduled for 1:00 PM CT.