The Wichita State University baseball team extended its winning streak to 10 games – the longest since 2008 – with a 6-2 victory over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the opening game of a three-game series Friday at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field. Junior first baseman Garrett Kocis recorded two triples in four at bats and scored a pair of runs, while freshman Cade Clamons smacked his third home run of the season and had two RBI, leading the Shockers at the plate. Kocis, who hails from Omaha, Nebraska, became the first Shocker to record two triples in a game since Sam Hilliard, who had a pair of three-base knocks against New Mexico in 2015. Junior right-hander Jake Hamilton (2-1) earned the victory on the mound for WSU after giving up two earned runs on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in five innings. Wichita State took an early 1-0 advantage with a run in the second after Kocis crushed a triple off the right field wall before scoring on Chris Diehl's bloop double to second. The Bulldogs knotted the game at one with a run in the top of the fifth, but the Shockers answered immediately, plating three runs in the bottom-half of the frame to regain the lead, 4-1. Alex Jackson hit a one-out single to center, before Clemons stepped up to the plate and demolished a 2-0 pitch over the left-center wall for a two-run homer. Hunter Gibson provided the final run of the fifth, driving in Jack Sigrist on a single to right. After Louisiana Tech scored a run to trim the lead to 4-2 in the top of the sixth, Wichita State responded with two in the bottom of the inning, gaining a 6-2 edge after Kocis obliterated a 2-1 offering off the left field wall for his second triple of the contest, prior to crossing home plate on a wild pitch. Blake Marsh scored the second run of the frame, racing home on a Bulldog error. Jorge Corona, Manny Garcia and Alex Ray each had two hits, pacing the Bulldogs. Tech starter Jonathan Fincher (2-2) suffered the loss after surrendering four earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 4 2/3 innings.
Wichita State (11-2) is scheduled to face Louisiana Tech (10-4) in game two of the series Saturday at 1 p.m. and you can hear that game on 98.7 and 1330 KNSS.
