Missouri State completes sweep of Shockers

Extra innings have not been kind to Wichita State his season. And on Sunday, against Missouri State in Springfield, Mo., the Shockers dropped their third extra-inning game in as many tries.

Justin Paulsen’s bases-loaded single in the 10th drove in pitch-runner Landan Ruff with the winning run, giving WSU a 3-2 loss.

With the score tied 2-2 in the eighth, WSU’s Tanner Kirk opened with a walk and pinch-hitter Tanner Dearman also walked. Mikel Mucha sacrificed them to second and third. On an attempted suicide squeeze, Kirk broke for the plate, but Jordan Farris let the pitch go; and Kirk was picked off third. Daniel Kihle hit into a force play to end the threat.

Down 2-0, Kihle hit his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot that tied it at 2-2.

WSU starter Jeb Bargfeldt pitched well, allowing seven hits, two runs in six innings. Bargfeldt missed his last start with tendonitis. He wiggled off the hook in the first. With the bases loaded and none out, he got Eric Cheray to hit a grounder to third. Chase Rader fielded it and stepped on third for one out and threw home to get Dylan Becker for the double play. Bargfeldt struck out Spencer Johnson for the third out.

Notes: WSU cannot finish the regular season over .500. It is 18-29 with eight games to play. . . . The Shockers left 12 baserunners, nine in scoring position. . . . WSU struck out just seven times Sunday. It finished the three-game series, striking out 35 times. . . Shocker pitchers also cut down on their walks, issuing three walks to make 21 for the series. . . . MSU did not make an error in the series while WSU had three. . . . Despite losing, WSU did not lose ground in the battle for fourth in the Valley as Evansville lost to Southern Illinois. However, Bradley in third padded its record to 9-6 with a win over Indiana State. Bradley is 9-6, and WSU is 6-9 as is Illinois State. Evansville, WSU’s next Valley foe, is 8-10. WSU also has Dallas Baptist to play in the Valley.

This story was originally published May 3, 2015 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Missouri State completes sweep of Shockers."