The RoundHouse | 4/3/2024 11:31:00 PM
By Paul Suellentrop
Wichita State catcher
Mauricio Millan found himself in one of those baseball torture zones, where he loved the game when he smacked the ball and hated it seconds later when it landed in a glove.
Lots of hard-hit balls on Tuesday and Wednesday and lots of frustration. He knew, however, that he was seeing the ball well.
"The game knows," he said. "I try to do my best to keep my head level and keep telling myself the game knows. It will all even out."
Millan got his reward for handling the frustration with a game-winning hit in Tuesday's 7-6 decision over Kansas at Eck Stadium. The Shockers (19-10) rallied from a two-run deficit with two home runs in the eighth to tie. Then they got to Kansas closer Hunter Cranton – who entered the game with a 0.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings – for the winning run in the ninth.
"He's their guy," second baseman
Jordan Rogers said. "When I step into the box, with that situation, game tied, I'm going to be aggressive. I'm not going to take any pitches for a strike."
Rogers hit Cranton's first-pitch fastball to right.
Jaden Gustafson moved him to second with a bunt. After a strikeout, Millan came up with much the same plan as Rogers did.
"Picture-perfect inning," Millan said. "We knew their closer was coming in. We knew he had a really good fastball, up to 97, 98, touched 100 (mph). We knew what we were getting."
Millan watched Cranton strike out
Derek Williams with three sliders for the second out of the inning. Millan figured he would see the same pitch.
"That's exactly what I got," Millan said. "I was sitting on it because of the last at-bat."
He hit Cranton's slider into center field. Rogers scored well ahead of the throw, sliding across home plate to set off a celebration. The Jayhawks (15-11) walked off slowly, trying to avoid the joyous Shockers, and trying to figure out how they coughed up a lead with a rested bullpen and two red-hot relievers.
"A lot of quality at-bats the last couple innings," Shockers coach
Brian Green said. "What a big hit by (Millan)."
Kansas led 6-4 entering the eighth and the scene looked familiar for the Shockers. They stranded eight runners in the first seven innings, including leaving the bases loaded in the second and runners at second and third in the third inning. Much like in three previous mid-week losses, big hits eluded the Shockers.
That changed in the eighth against KU's Kolby Dougan, protecting a 6-4 lead.
Seth Stroh hit the first pitch out to right field. Freshman
Camden Johnson hit his first Shocker home run with two outs to tie it 6-all, blasting a chest-high fastball out to right.
Johnson credited teammate
Ryan Callahan, who played at KU in 2021 and 2022, with a scouting report on Dougan.
"I knew what I was looking for," Johnson said. "He was real aggressive with that fastball. Not wavering away from that. That's the pitch I was looking for."
Johnson gleefully rounded the bases and stomped on home plate.
"I'm not the biggest home run hitter, and you could tell by watching me," he said. "If I'm being honest, I kind of blacked out going around the bases. My first collegiate homer and it came at a pretty big time. I was pumped."
After the ups and downs of the first seven innings, the final two innings created a perfect scenario for winning. The home runs juiced up the Shockers dugout in the eighth. Closer
Nate Adler struck out the side in the top of the ninth. Rogers started the rally. Gustafson's well-placed bunt moved him into scoring position and Millan singled to score Rogers and win it.
"Heck of a bunt to get me over," Rogers said. "I knew Mo had the same mindset as me, be aggressive early. As soon as the bat hit the ball, I was taking off. I couldn't feel anything, I was just running as fast as I can to score that run."
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
