WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State dropped a 5-4 decision to West Georgia in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader before rallying for a 12-7 win in the nightcap to earn a split of the twin bill at Eck Stadium.
Game One
West Georgia took command of the game early with four two-out runs in the top half of the second to take a lead they did not relinquish. Anthony Cole banged a two-run double to open the scoring and Mason Cooper followed with a two-run single of his own for a 4-0 lead against Wichita State starter
Brady Hamilton. All four runs were unearned, and Hamilton settled down to keep the Wolves off the scoreboard in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings before giving way to the bullpen.
The Shockers tried to chip away at the early deficit, grabbing single runs in the fourth and fifth on RBI doubles from
Max Kaufer and
Alex Ulloa.
Jaden Gustafson then got WSU back within a run in the bottom of the seventh, cranking a solo homer to center that sliced the margin to 4-3.
West Georgia got a key insurance run in the top of the eighth via an RBI single from Andon Lewis, extending their advantage to 5-3. That run proved to be decisive, as Wichita State rallied in the bottom of the ninth.
Owen Washburn yanked a two-out RBI single to score Gustafson and put the tying run on base and the winning run at the plate, but West Georgia reliever Zane Wright got
Jayson Jones to line out to right field for the final out.
Wright picked up the save by recording the final seven outs for the Wolves. Lex Kenny earned the win with 6.0 strong innings, allowing five hits and just two runs.
Game Two
Wichita State pulled off their largest comeback win since 2016, erasing a 7-0 deficit to pull out a 12-7 victory thanks in large part to heroics from
Max Kaufer.
The Wolves scored three runs in each of the first two innings to take a 6-0 lead, then tacked on one more in the top of the fourth for a 7-0 edge. The Shockers pulled a run back in the bottom of the fourth on
Drew Bugner's RBI single, but still trailed 7-1 into the bottom of the seventh.
They opened the inning with two singles and a walk to load the bases with nobody out, then got two more singles from
Josh Wulfert and
MJ Sweeney to bring home three runs and trim the deficit to 7-4.
Max Kaufer was called upon to pinch hit, setting off a wild sequence of events. After Kaufer grounded the 0-1 pitch sharply foul up the third base line, Wichita State head coach
Brian Green and assistant coach
Marty Lees were both ejected. When the dust settled, Kaufer promptly launched the very next pitch over the wall in left for a game-tying, three-run homer that knotted the score at 7-7.
Kaufer wasn't done, however, one-upping himself in the bottom of the eighth. The Shockers loaded the bases with one out on a double from Washburn, a single from Jones and a Sweeney walk. On an 0-1 pitch, Kaufer cranked a go-ahead grand slam to left, giving him two home runs and seven RBI off the Wichita State bench.
Kaleb Duncan tacked on one more run for good measure with an RBI single, giving WSU a 12-7 cushion into the top of the ninth.
Brady Pacha slammed the door with a 1-2-3 inning, earning his first win.
Dax Sharp also pitched brilliantly out of the WSU bullpen, retiring all nine hitters he faced.
Rowan Park took the loss for West Georgia, allowing two runs in one inning of work.
The Shockers and Wolves conclude the series on Sunday morning. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 am CT.
