Wichita State Shockers

Bob Arens powers Shockers to win


Wichita State University catcher Bob Arens tags out Indiana State's Landon Curry in the third inning on Sunday at Eck Stadium.
Wichita State University catcher Bob Arens tags out Indiana State's Landon Curry in the third inning on Sunday at Eck Stadium. The Wichita Eagle

Wichita State’s Bob Arens has definitely saved his best for last.

The fifth-year senior hit two homers, the first of his collegiate career, and drove in five runs to help Wichita State rout Indiana State 14-4 on Sunday at Eck Stadium.

The victory keeps the Shockers atop the Missouri Valley at 5-1 as WSU took two of three from the Sycamores.

Arens did hit .500 in 2011 but with just eight at-bats. He hit .150 in 2012 and .000 in 2014. He redshirted in 2013.

The former Northwest catcher raised his average to .371 with a 2 for 3 effort on Sunday. In the ISU series, he went 5 for 10, drove in eight runs with two homers and two doubles.

It was Arens’ three-run homer in the second that got WSU on the board. Chase Rader and Zach Reding walked to set the stage for Arens.

Ryan Tinkham’s two-run homer sparked a four-run third.

WSU put it away with a seven-run fourth, sending 11 batters to the plate and was aided by four walks in the inning. Arens hit a two-run homer in the inning, and Rader had a two-run double.

Isaac Anderson, making his first start since March 24 because of an elbow injury, threw five scoreless innings, striking out six, including three in the fifth.

Notes: For the first time this season, WSU’s Sam Hilliard played right field. He has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games, batting .385 during that stretch. . . . Previously, WSU had played three errorless games but committed Sunday. . . . It was WSU’s first three-homer game this season. . . . Daniel Kihle finished the series 8 for 13 (.615) and went 12 for 19 (.632) for the week. . . . Tinkham has hit in nine straight games. . . . Of the three relievers, only Reagan Biechler did not allow a run. He pitched 2/3 innings and struck out one. . . . WSU will travel to Austin, Texas, to face the Longhorns on Tuesday. . . . Second baseman Rader was injured in the top of the seventh taking a throw at second base. He was helped off the field and his status is unknown. Rader scored from second base on a wild pitch in the third inning. . . . Missouri State (4-2 in the MVC) took two of three from Dallas Baptist (6-3). Illinois State (1-5) comes to WSU next Friday.

Indiana State

AB

R

H

BI

BB

SO

AVG

Curry cf

3

2

2

2

1

0

.235

Hannahs 1b

1

0

0

0

1

0

.327

Estevez 1b

2

0

2

0

0

0

.273

Young 3b

2

0

1

0

0

0

.346

Romero 3b

1

0

0

2

0

0

.000

Rosselli dh

3

0

0

0

1

2

.208

Hayes rf

4

0

0

0

0

1

.221

Friis ss

2

0

1

0

0

0

.295

Gardner 2b

1

0

0

0

0

0

.143

Moore c

1

0

0

0

0

1

.284

Steen c

1

1

0

0

0

1

.167

Gutierrez lf

1

0

0

0

0

0

.345

McClain lf

1

1

0

0

0

1

.167

DeJesus 2b-ss

2

0

0

0

1

1

.265

Totals

25

4

6

4

4

7

Wichita State

Mucha lf

3

1

0

0

1

0

.286

Kihle cf

4

1

1

0

0

0

.336

Tinkham 1b

3

2

1

2

1

1

.352

Hilliard rf

4

1

1

1

0

1

.305

Rader 2b

2

3

1

2

2

1

.267

Farris 2b

0

0

0

0

0

0

.255

Reding dh

2

2

1

1

1

0

.184

Eaton 3b

4

1

1

1

0

1

.200

Arens c

3

2

2

5

0

0

.371

Vickers ss

0

1

0

0

3

0

.167

Totals

25

14

8

12

8

4

Indiana St.

000

001

3

4

Wichita St.

034

700

x

14

McClain reached on catcher’s interference.

Game halted by run rule.

E — Eaton, Arens, Vickers. DP — . LOB — ISU xx, WSU xx. 2B — Curry (5), Young (10), Rader (5). HR — Arens (1), Tinkham (2). SF — Romero, Reding. SB — Kihle (12). CS — Friis (5).

Indiana State

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

ERA

Larrison L,1-1

2

3

5

5

3

0

6.00

Stagg

1 1/3

2

6

6

4

2

8.24

Martin

2/3

3

3

3

1

0

11.6

Cheek

2

0

0

0

0

2

5.68

Wichita State

Anderson W,3-4

5

3

0

0

2

6

3.31

Ferrendelli

1/3

1

1

1

2

0

10.8

Biechler

2/3

0

0

0

0

1

5.11

Williams

1

2

3

1

0

0

8.78

WP — Larrison, Stagg 2. HBP — Steen (by Williams). Balk — Larrison. Umpires — home, Mark Wagers; first, Bill McGuire; third, Wayne Harris. T — 2:28. A — 2,838.

This story was originally published April 5, 2015 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Bob Arens powers Shockers to win."

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