Shockers fail to protect early lead, lose to Dallas Baptist 5-4

Wichita State nicked Dallas Baptist ace Colin Poche for four runs in the first three innings, but Poche and the Patriots were able to chip away and finally overtake the Shockers for 5-4 victory Thursday night at Eck Stadium.

Three WSU errors paved the way as Dallas Baptist struck for two runs in the fifth, then single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth.

Poche, a former Baltimore Orioles fifth-round draft pick who entered with an 8-0 record and a 2.02 ERA, gave up all of the Shockers’ nine hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings.

“Poche’s really good,” WSU coach Todd Butler said. “Our guys did a really good job, and he had to get away from his fastball, because our guys were really on his fastballs, quite a few doubles there, hitting the ball all over the park. Then he settled in and kind of kept us at bay.”

Wichita State had six freshmen in the lineup and four of them had two-hit games, led by two doubles from Dayton Dugas.

“The past few days, I’ve really been seeing the ball well,” he said. “It basically comes down to just a few defensive keys.”

The Shockers (20-34, 8-11) began the scoring in the second inning, when Greyson Jenista led off with a double to the center-field wall. Gunnar Troutwine then went the opposite way for an RBI double into the right-field corner, but he was cut down trying to score on Chase Rader’s flyout to right. Dugas’ double to left started a new rally, and he came around to score on an error on Mikel Mucha’s grounder.

“We took away (Poche’s) fastball, which he’s been throwing all year, and made him throw stuff he didn’t like, which was his changeup,” Dugas said. “He threw that down, and we then just blistered the fastball and got to the next guy.”

In the third, WSU pushed its lead to 4-0 when Travis Young got his second single of the game. Luke Ritter’s grounder forced Young at second, but singles by Luke Bohm and Jenista loaded the bases. Poche then was called for a balk, scoring Ritter and putting Bohm at third. Bohm then scored on a Poche wild pitch.

But the Shockers could only manage two hits the rest of the way.

Junior Zach Lewis started for WSU and retired 12 of 13 Patriots (36-16, 14-4) in the first four innings.

Dallas Baptist only had two walks, but managed to convert both into runs.

“That’s what a championship team does,” Butler said. “They’ll take walks and capitalize on your mistakes.”

The Patriots used the sacrifice fly to their advantage, getting their first three runs on fly-ball outs.

They tied the game in the seventh, when Jameson Hannah drew a leadoff walk from Lewis. Trooper Reynolds singled to left. Matt Duce then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but catcher Troutwine’s throw sailed into right field, allowing Hannah to score and putting Reynolds at third. Right-handed reliever Chase Williams entered and recorded three outs to prevent further damage, finishing with four strikeouts in two innings of work.

But in the eighth, Williams issued a one-out walk to Justin Wall, who stole second and scored the eventual winning run on Hannah’s two-out single to right.

This story was originally published May 19, 2016 at 10:41 PM with the headline "Shockers fail to protect early lead, lose to Dallas Baptist 5-4."