Courtesy of Wichita Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State erased a 9-8 deficit with six runs in the bottom of the eighth against one of the nation's premier relievers, rallying for a 14-9 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday afternoon at Eck Stadium.
Florida Atlantic (19-13, 6-5) had just retaken the lead in the top of the eighth on an RBI single from Jalen DeBose and handed that advantage to right-hander Danny Trehey, who had allowed just two runs in 26 innings entering the day. Dayvin Johnson promptly led off the inning with a solo home run to left-center to tie the game at 9-9, followed by a hit by pitch and two singles to load the bases for Kam Durnin. The freshman yanked a 1-0 pitch down the left field line for a two-run double and an 11-9 Wichita State lead.
A Lane Haworth fielder's choice and Camden Johnson sacrifice fly tacked on two more runs before Derek Williams put the nail in the coffin with a two-out RBI triple that extended the lead to 14-9.
Nate Adler worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the win, snapping Wichita State's six-game losing skid.
It was a back-and-forth game that featured eight lead changes and scoring in 11 of 17 half-innings. The Shockers chased FAU starter Tyler Murphy after just 2.1 innings with a run in the first via a Derek Williams RBI single and three more in the second on a Haworth RBI ground out and an Owls error. But Florida Atlantic put up crooked numbers in the second and third, aided by five unearned runs, to take a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the fifth.
Haworth got a run back in that half inning by coaxing a bases-loaded walk and Mauricio Millan put the Shockers in front briefly with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth that made it 7-6 in favor of the Shockers. A two-run homer from John Schroeder in the top of the seventh pulled the Owls ahead 8-7 before a balk tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom half, setting the stage for the wild eighth inning.
Wichita State starter Tommy LaPour ended with a no-decision, allowing just one earned run over 5.0 innings while striking out five and walking three. Jack Mount (1-0) earned his first win as a Shocker despite allowing the run in the top of the eighth, while Trehey (2-2) took the loss for Florida Atlantic.
The Shockers and Owls will decide the series with the rubber match on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Eck Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 pm.