ORLANDO -- Wichita State scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning to erase a one-run deficit, earning a split of Saturday's doubleheader with a 12-7 win after a wild 16-15 defeat in game one. The victory clinches third place in the American Athletic Conference standings, matching Wichita State's best finish since joining the conference in 2018. 

Game One

Wichita State mounted a stunning comeback in the top of the ninth inning, scoring seven runs after entering the frame trailing 15-8. A pair of walks opened the inning, followed by a Garrett Pennington RBI single that made it 15-9. A wild pitch plated another run, cutting the UCF lead to 15-10 and prompting a UCF pitching change. Two batters later, David Herring rifled an RBI single to pull the Shockers within 15-11.

The Knights summoned closer Kyle Kramer, who hit Kyte McDonald to load the bases with one out. A strikeout followed, leaving the Shockers down to their final out. Jack Little took ball one and then crushed a game-tying grand slam to left, capping a seven-run inning that tied the game at 15-15.

In the bottom of the ninth, Robert Cranz allowed two baserunners sandwiched around a pair of outs. UCF's Matt Cedarburg followed by bouncing a grounder up the first base line that skipped off the glove of Garrett Pennington and into foul territory, bringing home the winning run.

The Shockers banged out a season-high 18 hits in the game, including home runs from Pennington and Chuck Ingram as part of a five-run seventh that helped the Shockers cut into what was a 10-3 UCF lead.

Pennington finished with four hits to lead the Shockers offensively, while Brock Rodden added three and Ingram, Herring and McDonald each recorded two.

Wichita State's Payton Tolle was knocked for nine runs in just 4.0 innings of work, though he struck out seven and walked only one in a no-decision. Tolle technically entered the game as a reliever, as Clark Candiotti was the original starter for the Shockers last night when the game was suspended in the top of the first inning.

Matt Wilkinson, Nate Adler, and Patrick Dunn also worked in relief for the Shockers, highlighted by a season-long 2.2 innings out of the bullpen for Wilkinson.

Cranz (1-3) took the loss for WSU, while Kramer (5-2) picked up the win for UCF.

Game Two

Wichita State erased an early 5-0 deficit thanks in large part to five runs in the top of the sixth. A solo home run in the fifth from Brock Rodden got the Shockers on the board, then in the sixth the Shockers put together a string of clutch hits against UCF reliever Dom Stagliano. Seth Stroh yanked a two-run double into the right field corner that cut the Knights lead to 5-3, followed one batter later by an Ingram RBI single that pulled the Shockers within a run at 5-4.

With two on and two out, Pennington smacked a hard ground ball up the middle that was knocked down by a diving second baseman Cole Russo, but his throw to first base was errant. The error allowed both runs to score, giving Wichita State a 6-5 lead.

That's where the game stayed into the bottom of the seventh thanks to an excellent relief appearance from Jace Miner, who struck out a career high seven hitters over 4.0 innings. Miner allowed two hits and one run, which was charged to him when UCF took the lead back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. Ben McCabe sliced a game-tying RBI double and Nick Romano plated the go-ahead run with a ground out to third against reliever Nate Snead (1-2).

UCF carried that 7-6 advantage into the ninth, setting the stage for another dramatic Shockers rally. A one-out error by shortstop Drew Faurot allowed Pennington to reach, followed by a single by Tolle that put two on for Mauricio Millan. The WSU catcher yanked a run-scoring single into left, tying the game at 7-7. Herring was hit by a pitch to load the bases, followed by a walk to Stroh that put the Shockers in front, 8-7.

Little and Ingram blew the game open with a two-run single and two-run double, respectively, giving Wichita State a 12-7 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Snead struck out the side to close out the victory for the Shockers (30-22, 13-9). 

Julian Balzer (1-1) took the loss for UCF, allowing two unearned runs over 2.2 innings out of the UCF bullpen.

The Shockers and Knights conclude the series on Saturday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm CT.