WSU drops first series as three superb starting pitching performances aren’t enough
Three straight superb performances by starting pitchers weren’t enough for the Wichita State baseball team to come away with a series win in the debut for manager Eric Wedge.
After splitting the first two games of the series against Northwestern State — an 11-0 loss on Friday, then a 5-1 victory on Saturday — the Shockers couldn’t protect a late lead and lost 3-2 on Sunday in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
The three WSU starters — Jake Hamilton, Liam Eddy and Preston Snavely — all struck out double-digit hitters, combined to strike out a total of 34 and allowed just four earned runs in 19-plus innings. Yet Hamilton and Snavely both ended up as tough-luck losers, as WSU’s offense floundered.
Friday’s game was scoreless through five innings, as Hamilton had recorded strikeouts on 13 of the 15 total outs. But Wedge pulled him after a lead-off walk in the fifth and Northwestern State pounded WSU’s bullpen for five runs in the sixth inning and another six runs in the seventh inning.
Eddy was brilliant on Saturday, allowing just one earned run and one hit in eight innings with 10 strikeouts and only two walks. That was enough for WSU’s offense, as RBI singles by Alex Jackson and Derek Shaver late in the game provided cushion in the 5-1 victory. After blanking the ninth inning, Foster Gifford combined with Eddy to throw the 36th one-hitter in program history.
On Sunday, WSU led 1-0 entering the seventh inning, thanks to an RBI single by freshman Couper Cornblum in the third, as Snavely proved to be excellent. He struck out 11 hitters in 6 2/3 innings, but could not find the find out of the seventh inning. After Snavely was knocked from the game, Northwestern State rallied for three runs with two outs.
Through its first three games, WSU’s offense produced just seven runs with a team batting average of .202. In the two losses, WSU combined for two runs on eight hits.
The Shockers will return home for their home-opening series starting 3 p.m. Friday against Texas Southern. Games will start at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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