The outer deck of Eck Stadium, typically lined with Shocker fans, had an uncharacteristic crimson tinge that slowly disappeared by the end of the eighth inning as Wichita State baseball fell to the University of Oklahoma Sooners, 11-2.
With the loss, the Shockers fell to 18-10 overall this season, while Oklahoma improved to 15-12. The Shockers lost their previous outing, 5-3, against the Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma, back in March.
In typical fashion for Wichita State, the team ran out a long lineup of pitchers, nine by the end of the game. Because of these frequent pitching changes, the nine-inning matchup lasted just under four hours.
Jeremiah Arnett, a freshman right-handed pitcher, had the longest stint on the mound with two innings. Four of the nine pitchers did not pitch a full inning.
As Gavin Oswald, junior left-handed pitcher, began warming up on the mound during the eighth inning, fans began jeering at the frequent change in pitchers.
After the team gathered on the mound to relieve Oswald for Brayden Luikart, a redshirt sophomore who is officially listed as a outfielder, in the ninth inning, fans could be heard shouting “another one coming” and “I can’t keep track anymore.”
Daniel Zang, a sophomore right-handed pitcher, picked up the loss, bringing his season record to 2-2.
Oklahoma lit up the scoreboard during the early innings of the game, scoring four runs in three innings.
The Shockers were finally able to squeak out their lone run in the bottom of the third inning. Jordan Rogers, a junior utility player, was at the plate as Oklahoma catcher Scott Mudler lost control of the ball, allowing senior Dayvin Johnson to score.
The Sooners went on another scoring run during the eighth and ninth innings, scoring three of their six runs off of Mason Munz, a junior right-handed pitcher.
The Shockers scored late in the ninth inning after a single from Kam Durnin, a freshman infielder, allowed Lane Haworth, a freshman outfielder, to score.
Wichita State will have one last opportunity to snag a win in its season series against Oklahoma when they return to Norman on April 23.
Baseball has a quick turnaround in their schedule as they are set to face off against the University of Kansas Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Eck Stadium.
