Dallas Baptist holds off Wichita State 5-4

Wichita State’s Sam Hilliard continued his impressive hitting, but Dallas Baptist got the victory Saturday, edging the visiting Shockers 5-4 to take the series two games to one.

After striking out three straight times, DBU’s designated hitter Daniel Sweet hit a two-run homer in the seventh, giving the No. 11 Patriots a 5-3 lead.

Hilliard cut the margin to one run with a solo homer in the ninth. He finished the three-game series 6 for 14 (.429) with five of his hits for extra bases. He drove in seven runs on three homers (one a grand slam) and two doubles. In his last seven games, he is 11 for 27 (.407) with 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored.

WSU opened the scoring with three hits after two were out in the third. Daniel Kihle and Hilliard hit back-to-back doubles, scoring Kihle. Ryan Tinkham followed with a single, but Hilliard was thrown out at the plate on a call WSU disputed.

The Shockers got two runs in the fifth, thanks to a throwing error by DBU third baseman Nash Knight. With one out, Tinkham, Mikel Mucha and Gunnar Troutwine singled to load the bases. Chase Rader struck out for the second out. Tanner Kirk reached on an infield single, scoring Tinkham, and the throwing error allowed Mucha to score from second.

The loss, coupled with losses by Illinois State (9-12 MVC) and Bradley (10-11), gives Bradley the third seed, thanks to taking the series from WSU (10-11). The Shockers are the fourth seed and Illinois State is fifth. WSU will play Illinois State in the tourney opener on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. In the same pool as WSU, top-seeded Missouri State will face No. 8 Southern Illinois. In the other pool, No. 2 Dallas Baptist will face No. 7 Indiana State and No. 3 Bradley will battle No. 6 Evansville. The two pool winners will clash in a one-game final.

Notes: WSU’s first five hits in the game came with two outs.… DBU closer Brandon Koch got the victory, striking out six in three innings.… WSU left 10 runers on base, five in scoring position. DBU also stranded 10 and left seven in scoring position.… Both teams were 4 for 11 batting with runners in scoring position.… Like Hilliard, Tinkham has been hot in the last seven games, going 8 for 23 (.348), with seven RBIs and 10 runs scored.… Despite the two one-run losses in the series, WSU has won 10 of its last 15 and nine straight at home.… WSU starter Chase Williams matched his season-high nine strikeouts.… Mucha hit in his eighth straight, and Hilliard hit in his 10th straight.… WSU got an unusual double play. In the eighth, Justin Wall struck out with Camden Duzenack on first. Duzenack tried to steal on the third strike to Wall and made it to second, but Wall was called for batters interference and Duzenack was ruled out.

This story was originally published May 16, 2015 at 6:54 PM with the headline "Dallas Baptist holds off Wichita State 5-4."