⚾ Shockers Tame Wildcats Tuesday, 5-1

WICHITA, Kan. ­– Freshman pitcher Jace Kaminska earned his first collegiate victory on the mound as the Wichita State University baseball team defeated the Kansas State Wildcats, 5-1, Tuesday, March 23, at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.

Wichita State (9-8) is scheduled to conclude its non-conference schedule with a three-game series against the Omaha Mavericks March 26-28 at Eck Stadium.

Kaminska, who hails from Caney, Kan., tossed five innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks to tally his inaugural win on the rubber in the Black and Yellow.

WSU closer Aaron Haase secured his team and American Athletic Conference-best fifth save of the season after getting the final out of the eighth inning and throwing a scoreless ninth with one strikeout. Reliever Ryan Stuempfig threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, giving up no earned runs on a pair of hits with five Ks and two walks.

Corrigan Bartlett went 2-for-4, while Couper Cornblum drove in a pair of runs, pacing Wichita State at the plate.

After the Wildcats (13-7) gained a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the second, the Shockers responded, scoring three in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 advantage.

Jack Sigrist hit a sacrifice bunt that was misplayed by Kansas State for an error, allowing Ross Cadena to cross home plate, before Cornblum smacked a single to left field, bringing in Seth Stroh and Sigrist for the second and third runs of the inning.

The Wildcats threatened in the top of the eighth, loading the bases with nobody out, but Stuempfig worked out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts, then Haase entered and struck out Kansas State's Austin Garrett on three pitches for the final out of the frame.

WSU plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth, building its lead to 5-1. Paxton Wallace scored on K-State's second error of the game for the opening run of the frame, prior to Bartlett crossing home plate on a RBI single off the bat of Hunter Gibson.

Nick Goodwin and Zach Kokoska each had a pair of hits, leading Kansas State in the batter's box.

K-State starter Zak Herbers (1-1) suffered the loss after surrendering three runs – one earned – on four hits with one strikeout and no walks in three innings.