Wichita State baseball fell behind early under the big-league lights of Globe Life Field against Abilene Christian University. A late-game surge wasn’t enough as the Shockers lost on Wednesday evening, 11-9.
Wichita State’s record slid to 3-9 this season as the Shockers suffered their third-straight loss. The Wildcats’ record lifted to 8-5. They’ve scored nine or more runs in the last four games while on a five-game win streak.
Senior Mauricio Millan, a preseason All-American Athletic Conference selection, debuted behind the plate for the first time this season after missing the first 11 games with an injury. Millan hit 2-4 in the box, driving in a run and crossing the plate himself.
Senior Arnad Mulamekic started on the mound and gave up six runs, five earned, in 2 2/3 innings pitched. Sophomore Tyler Dobbs earned his first loss on the rubber after pitching one inning and giving up one run.
With two outs in the first inning, sophomore Kam Durnin doubled to left-center, but senior Josh Livingston struck out in a seven-pitch at bat right after. The Shockers made Abilene Christian go 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the frame.
The Wildcats returned the favor in the second as Wichita State popped up, struck out and lined out in its only at bats of the inning. In Abilene Christian’s turn at the plate, it scored its first runs on a bases-clearing, two-out double to take the lead, 3-0.
The Wildcats rode the momentum with two outs, scoring four more runs in the third and fourth innings while the final out was at the plate. The Shockers kept the game close, however, matching Abilene Christian’s run production in those innings to make the score 7-4.
Senior Cole Dillon cut the deficit to two runs with an RBI single in the fifth inning. But the Wildcats one-upped Wichita State with two separate RBI singles of their own, upping the Shockers’ deficit to four runs, 9-5.
Abilene Christian scored its final two runs on a two-RBI homer in the sixth inning. In the seventh, Wichita State began to mount a comeback, managing three runs during the inning, which included a two-RBI double off the bat of sophomore Lane Haworth, 11-8.
Junior Nick Potter struck out the side in the eighth inning, which left a crack in the door for the Shockers to slip through. Instead, Wichita State only put up a single run in the ninth on a wild pitch with two outs. The next batter grounded out to seal the loss.
Wichita State will return home for a weekend series against an old Missouri Valley Conference opponent, Missouri State University, from Friday, March 7, to Sunday, March 9. The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.
