Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
TULSA, Okla. -- Freshman Tyler Dobbs allowed just one baserunner over five innings of scoreless relief to help lift Wichita State to a 3-1 win over Oral Roberts on Wednesday evening at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
Wichita State finishes the season-opening road trip with a 4-3 record ahead of the home opener on Friday afternoon.
Dobbs (1-0) came into the game in the bottom of the second with runners at first and second and nobody out. The southpaw promptly induced a double play and allowed just one single over the remainder of his outing, retiring the last eight hitters he faced. Dobbs struck out four and did not walk a batter.
Thanks in large part to Dobbs' relief work, the Shockers carried a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth. Oral Roberts (4-4) pulled a run back in the eighth on a David Herring sacrifice fly to trim the lead to 3-1 and nearly completed the comeback in the ninth. A single and a walk started the inning before Caleb Anderson recorded the first out of the inning via a strikeout. Nate Adler was summoned from the bullpen and was greeted with a bloop single that loaded the bases with one out. Adler coaxed a pop out from ORU leadoff hitter Alex Rodgers for the second out, then got Elijah Rodriguez to chop a ground ball to third baseman Camden Johnson. Johnson leapt high behind the third base bag to glove the bouncer and rifled a long across the diamond that got Rodriguez by a half step to end the game.
Adler picked up his second save of the season, closing out a win in which Wichita State allowed just five hits, four of which were singles. Michael Mulhollon made his first career start and got three outs before handing the ball off to Dobbs. The combination of Drew Iverson, Jack Mount, Hunter Holmes and Anderson got the ball to Adler in the ninth.
The Shockers did most of their damage early, scratching across a pair of runs in the top of the second for a 2-0 lead. Darnell Parker Jr. laid down a perfectly executed squeeze bunt to plate Jaden Gustafson for the opening tally and Dayvin Johnson tacked on another with a two-out RBI single.
Wichita State added a crucial insurance run in the sixth. Camden Johnson reached on a fielder's choice with two outs, moved to third on a Mauricio Millan single and scored on a passed ball for a 3-0 advantage.
Oral Roberts starter Owen Reynolds (0-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs in his two innings of work.
The Shockers kick off the home slate on Friday afternoon against Utah Tech. First pitch from Eck Stadium is scheduled for 3:00 pm.