In Wichita State baseball’s road series at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the Shockers found late-inning heroics to win Saturday’s thriller — but that magic ran out Sunday afternoon as they fell in the decisive game, dropping the series at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium.
With the series loss, the Shockers are 11-20 on the season and dropped to 4-5 in American Athletic Conference games. Charlotte’s record rose to 18-13 overall and 6-3 in the AAC.
Friday
Charlotte opened the weekend series with a dominant 7-1 victory on Friday night. Despite the Shockers getting on the board first with an early RBI from senior Mauricio Millan, the 49ers quickly took control of the game and never looked back.
After tying the game with a solo homer in the second inning, the 49ers surged ahead and broke things open in the fifth with a two-out rally that produced four runs. Wichita State’s starter, senior Grant Adler, couldn’t stop Charlotte’s momentum. The 49ers later added an insurance run in the seventh.
The Shockers’ hitters struggled to generate offense, managing just two hits off Charlotte’s starting pitcher, junior Blake Gillespie. He struck out eight WSU batters in six innings on the mound.
While Wichita State put runners on late, the team was unable to capitalize, ultimately dropping the series opener.
Saturday
Wichita State pulled off a dramatic late-inning rally to defeat Charlotte, 4-2, on Saturday night.
The team turned a quiet offensive showing into a stunning win. Down to their final out in the ninth inning, the Shockers capitalized on a defensive error that allowed three runs to score, flipping the game on its head.
Freshman Hunter Carlson pinch-hit and in just his 13th at-bat of the season, delivered a crucial line drive to right field that slipped past Charlotte’s outfielder and cleared the bases. This gave Wichita State the lead for the first time all night.
Junior Nick Potter came onto the mound to close out the game and navigated a tense bottom of the ninth. He left the tying runs stranded to secure the save.
The Shockers trailed most of the game due to a third-inning solo homer by Charlotte and a back-and-forth exchange of sacrifice flies.
Despite being held to just a handful of hits over eight innings, Wichita State’s bullpen kept the game within reach, combining for over five solid innings of relief. Junior Aaron Arnold opened strong with six strikeouts in 3 ⅔ frames, while relievers sophomore Jeremiah Arnett and senior Owen Reynolds helped hold Charlotte at bay.
Sophomore Camden Johnson, junior Jaden Gustafson and Millan each had multi-hit games.
Sunday
In what proved to be a hard-fought series finale, the Shockers wrapped up their three-game set against Charlotte on Sunday afternoon with an intense rubber match going the 49ers’ way, 5-4.
The Shockers appeared to be in control after breaking a 1-1 tie in the top of the eighth inning with a pair of runs. Gustafson, who had already launched his first career home run earlier in the game, delivered again with an RBI single to right-center, and Josh Livingston followed with a groundout that plated a second run for a 3-1 lead.
However, the momentum quickly shifted in the bottom half of the inning.
Trouble brewed when Charlotte loaded the bases in the eighth, prompting a mound visit and a shift in strategy. With tension rising, junior Nick Potter was called in, hoping to replicate the composure and effectiveness he showed in the previous game.
However, pressure mounted quickly, and a walk issued by Potter brought in a run. Then, after a sacrifice fly, Charlotte capitalized on a well-hit ball to left-center. A misplay in the outfield allowed it to drop in, bringing home two runners and giving the 49ers a multi-run advantage.
Wichita State attempted a late rally in the ninth when senior Jordan Rogers delivered a clutch RBI double to left field, scoring sophomore Zeb Henry. But the comeback fell just short, leaving the Shockers one run away from claiming the series win.
Sophomore Brady Hamilton started the game on the mound for Wichita State, making his ninth start of the season. Hamilton held his own early, helping the Shockers keep the 49ers scoreless through the opening frames.
Wichita State will return home to face cross-town Newman University on Tuesday morning at Eck Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
