WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State and Omaha split a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, with the Shockers taking game one, 5-2, and the Mavericks claiming the series finale, 15-8.
The Shockers record stands at 9-3 following the twin bill, while Omaha is 4-6.
Game One
The Shockers broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run bottom of the fifth inning and never looked back on the way to a 5-2 win.
Wichita State scored a run in the bottom of the second on a double steal, as
Nolan Ganter swiped second and drew a throw down that allowed
Owen Washburn to score from third for the game's first run. Omaha answered back in the top of the fourth inning when Hayden Lewis plated a run with an RBI groundout, marking the end of the day for WSU starter
Johnny Nuanez after just 3.1 innings.
Amar Tsengeg was able to strand two Omaha runners and escape the jam with the game tied, 1-1.
In the fifth, a hit by pitch and a walk set the stage for a WSU rally.
Josh Wulfert poked an RBI single into right field to break the deadlock and
Jayson Jones followed by ramming a double to the gap in right-center, scoring two runs and giving the Shockers a 4-1 lead.
Wichita State's bullpen made that lead stand up, as Tsengeg (1-0) got the Shockers through the top of the sixth unscathed before running into trouble in the seventh. The Mavericks got two singles to start the inning, then later in the frame Henry Zipay lined an RBI single of his own to pull Omaha within 4-2.
Brady Pacha stranded the bases loaded with a strike out and a fly out, then took it the rest of the way to nail down his first save.
The Shockers tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a
Jaden Gustafson sacrifice fly for the final margin.
Omaha's Carter Mick (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs out of the bullpen without recording an out.
Game Two
Omaha's offense exploded for nine late, unanswered runs to flip an 8-6 deficit into a 15-8 win.
The Mavericks scored five times with two outs in the top of the seventh to erase Wichita State's lead. Tyler Bishop tied the game with a two-run double, then Drew Borner singled him home to give Omaha their first lead at 9-8. Cardel Dick hooked a two-run homer to left to cap off the scoring in the inning with Omaha in front, 11-8.
Omaha poured in three more runs in the eighth and one in the ninth, with the big blow coming from Jackson Trout's two-run double. Wichita State had one last gasp in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with one out, but Nate Moquin got
Jaden Gustafson to bounce into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play to record his third save.
The Mavericks banged out 18 hits in the game and scored multiple runs against the first five Shocker hurlers.
Mitchell Johnson (0-1) was saddled with the loss for Wichita State, conceding three runs while recording two outs in relief. Nick Riggs (1-0) picked up the win for Omaha, allowing two runs in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen.
The Shockers continue their homestand next week as they welcome in West Georgia. First pitch of Friday's series opener is scheduled for 3:05 pm CT.
