Shockers topple UTA at home

Wichita+States+Travis+Young+heads+out+onto+the+field+before+their+game+against+UTA+on+March+10%2C+2018+at+Eck+Stadium.

Joseph Barringhaus

Wichita State’s Travis Young heads out onto the field before their game against UTA on March 10, 2018 at Eck Stadium.

WSU baseball faced UT Arlington on Friday night for game one of the weekend series and won 12-3 to come back from their loss to Oral Roberts on Wednesday. This puts their record at 10-2 so far this season.

UTA started off the first inning with a run, but was still pretty slow at the plate the rest of the game.

“Codi Heuer pitched tonight with a migraine for six innings,” head coach Todd Butler said.

The Shockers were strong at the plate in the bottom of the first. Junior Alec Bohm had singled up the middle, then junior Mason O’Brien singled to right center with Bohm then taking third base. After senior Trey Vickers singled through the middle, O’Brien took second base and Bohm scored at home, which had then put the Shockers even with UTA 1-1.

In the bottom of the second junior Jordan Boyer doubled down the third base line. Then junior Travis Young singled to left center and stole second on the throw, and Boyer was able to score, making the score 2-2.

Vickers saw a great game while batting, he went 3-for-5 overall and with two RBI.  In the bottom of the third he homered out of left field.

“It feels good to be back,” Vickers said. “It’s especially more exciting to get the win. We just gotta stay on them tomorrow, keep scoring runs, and pitching doing a great job like they did tonight.”

UTA did not score a single run in the fourth inning, but the Shockers had six. Sophomore Jacob Katzfey doubled to right center field and stole third when senior Gunnar Troutwine singled through the left side.

Then Boyer singled through the left with an RBI, bringing Katzfey home and allowing Troutwine to take second base.

After Young singled to third base, Boyer stole second and Troutwine took third. When junior Greyson Jenista was at bat, he hit a grand slam out of left field, letting Young, Boyer, and Troutwine score, putting the Shockers ahead 8-2.

Bohm walked, then O’Brien doubled to left field, which also let Bohm take third and then score on a fielding error. The Shockers were far in the lead 9-2.

UTA scored their last run of the night in the top of the sixth, but WSU brought home two more. Junior Dayton Dugas had a pinch hit for Katzfey and doubled to left field with 2 RBI, to let Ritter take third and both Jenista and Vickers scored, leaving the Shockers still ahead 11-3.

The seventh inning was the last time the team would score. Bohm hit a sacrifice fly out to center field for an RBI, allowing sophomore Alex Jackson to score at home. The Shockers were still ahead 12-3 and finished the game later in the ninth.

“We’ve been playing good defense and we swung the bats well tonight,” Butler said. “When you win 12-3, the next day is different than today. You’re only as good as your next performance, so that’s what I told the team after the game.”

Game two of the weekend series at Eck Stadium begins at 2 p.m. Saturday and continues through Sunday at 1 p.m.