BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Wichita State blew open a close game late to roll past conference-leading UAB 10-2 on Sunday afternoon at Young Memorial Field.
The win earned the Shockers (23-14, 7-5) their third conference series win in four tries, while handing the Blazers (23-13, 8-4) their first home series loss of the season.
Wichita State got a tremendous start from right-hander
Johnny Nuanez (4-1), who tossed scoreless ball into the seventh, but a two-run homer from UAB's Austin Pierzynski had pulled the Blazers back within 3-2 heading to the eighth inning. The Shockers erased any hope of a UAB comeback with seven runs over the final two innings against the Blazers bullpen, plating four in the eighth and three more in the ninth.
Nolan Ganter delivered the second of his two home runs on the day to open the barrage in the eighth, a towering two-run shot to right that pushed the lead back to 5-2. After
Jayson Jones was hit by a pitch and
Kaleb Duncan doubled, pinch-hitter
Josh Wulfert dumped a two-run single into left-center, widening the advantage to 7-2.
Jones delivered the knockout blow one inning later, crushing a long three-run homer for the final margin.
Wichita State reliever
Brady Owens made things comfortable down the stretch with two scoreless innings out of the Shocker bullpen, striking out three along the way.
Heitaro Hayashi retired the only man that he faced to end the UAB rally in the seventh.
The Shockers racked up 14 hits in the game, led by three from Ganter and
Jacob Gutierrez. Ganter entered the game with no home runs on the season, but helped stake WSU to an early 3-0 lead with a two-run blast in the third inning on the heels of an
Owen Washburn RBI single. The lead stayed at 3-0 into the seventh thanks to the great work from Nuanez, who struck out five and walked just two over his season-high 6.2 innings.
Justin Hicks (2-3) took the loss for UAB, allowing three runs on six hits over 3.0 innings.
The Shockers continue their long road swing on Tuesday night at Kansas. First pitch from Hoglund Ballpark is scheduled for 6:05 pm CT.
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