WICHITA, Kan. -- Jaden Gustafson slapped an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Wichita State to an 8-7, walk-off win over East Carolina on Sunday afternoon at Eck Stadium.
The win is Wichita State's first in a rubber match this season, securing a 2-1 series win over the Pirates and moving the Shockers back into a three-way tie for the eighth and final seed in the American Athletic Conference tournament.
The Shockers (15-31, 7-14) squandered a late 7-3 lead, allowing East Carolina (27-21, 11-10) back into the game with a four-run top of the seventh that evened the score at 7-7. The score stayed there until the bottom of the ninth, when WSU capitalized on a dropped fly ball by Pirates right fielder Alex Peltier that put
Jordan Rogers at second base with nobody out. After a walk to
Mauricio Millan, Gustafson showed bunt on a 1-0 pitch then pulled the bat back and chopped a ground ball through the open left side of the infield, scoring Rogers with the winning run.
Pirates reliever Bradley Zayac (1-2) took the loss despite not allowing an earned run over 3.0 innings of work.
Nick Potter (2-1) picked up the win for Wichita State, allowing just one baserunner over 2.1 scoreless frames.
Wichita State grabbed control of the game with a five-run bottom of the fourth inning, erasing a 2-1 deficit. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out for
Kaleb Duncan, who laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Gustafson to tie the game, 2-2.
Camden Johnson earned a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run, then
Kam Durnin scored two with a sacrifice fly when Duncan alertly saw the ball loose on the infield and came in to score all the way from second.
Jordan Rogers made it 6-2 with a two-out RBI single.
The two teams traded runs in the fifth, as East Carolina got a solo homer from Alex Bouche and
Cole Dillon responded with an RBI single to reach 7-3.
Jeremiah Arnett got a no-decision as the Wichita State starter, allowing four hits and two runs over 3.2 innings.
Gustafson led the way offensively with three hits, while Dillon, Duncan and Millan each added two knocks.
The Shockers are back in action on Tuesday night against BYU. First pitch from Eck Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 pm CT.
