Wichita State scores early to roll past Oral Roberts

Wichita State started its 10-game homestand with a dispiriting loss to Oklahoma State. On Tuesday,the Shockers closed the homestand with a 15-8 win over Oral Roberts, a performance they hope is more indicative of what’s to come.

“Scoring 15 runs in any game is a confidence-booster,” WSU right fielder Greyson Jenista said. “Especially in the style that we did. Good at-bats, good swings.”

The Shockers (10-19) pounded out four home runs, three doubles and a triple at windy Eck Stadium, also taking advantage of the elements and sloppy defense by ORU (17-11), which had won six straight games. WSU recovered from a weekend sweep vs. then-No. 8 TCU and pushed off for Missouri Valley Conference play with an encouraging offensive performance.

“We were very aggressive early, which we can carry into Valley games,” catcher Gunnar Troutwine said.

Chase Rader hit a grand slam in the first inning, a line drive over the fence in left field. Troutwine hit a two-run homer in the second. In the third, Ryan Tinkham smacked a three-run homer and Dayton Dugas added a two-run blast. WSU led 7-2 after the first inning and 15-3 after three. It didn’t score again, which allowed coaches and players to complain while enjoying the victory.

“That’s not really acceptable,” Jenista said. “That’s not good enough for us.”

Almost everything else went right for the Shockers. Freshmen pitchers Connor Lungwitz and Clayton McGinness avoided handing the lead back to ORU in the early innings. Lungwitz used his breaking pitches to strike out the final two hitters of the third with runners on second and third. Relievers Robby Evans, Tyler Gibson and John Hayes combined for four scoreless innings, bailing out Chase Williams after he walked the three batters he faced in the seventh inning.

“We played good defense and hit four home runs,” coach Todd Butler said. “I’d like to keep the pressure still on. Keep playing. Play nine innings offensively.”

ORU went up 2-0 in the first after Lungwitz walked two of the first three batters. He recovered to get two groundballs and WSU’s offense took over in the bottom of the inning. While the 28 mph wind made flyballs move unpredictably, ORU turned routine plays into mishaps.

After three singles loaded the bases, WSU’s Ryan Tinkham lined a ball at right fielder Noah Cummings, who dropped the ball. Tanner Kirk scored to tie the score 2-all. After Troutwine walked, Rader hit a slider for his first home run of the season to make it 6-2.

“I saw the pitch in and let my hands do the work,” Rader said. “I’ve been working with (coaches) on simplifying my swing and getting my bat speed through the zone.”

With two outs, Trey Vickers singled. He scored from first when Mikel Mucha placed a flyball, twisting and darting in the wind, into left field with three defenders in pursuit.

With the wind, the Shockers needed more. They added three runs in the second inning, two on Troutwine’s team-leading fifth home run. They batted around again in the third to score five runs.

Worth noting — WSU hit four home runs in a game for the first time since an 8-6 win at Bradley in 2011 when Kevin Hall, Chris O’Brien, Johnny Coy and Preston Spring homered. … WSU improved to 9-9 in home games. … Mucha returned from a bruised left knee to go 3 for 4 and walk twice. He sat out Sunday’s game against TCU. … WSU leads the series against ORU 33-28 and is 3-3 in Butler’s three seasons as coach.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 11:11 PM with the headline "Wichita State scores early to roll past Oral Roberts."