Shocker seniors win their final game at Eck Stadium

Wichita State made it a senior day to remember Saturday in a 4-3 series finale victory over Missouri Valley Conference champion Dallas Baptist:

Senior first baseman Ryan Tinkham provided the margin of victory with a 400-foot shot to center field in the eighth inning;

Senior right-hander Chase Williams retired all four batters he faced – striking out two – and picked up the victory;

Senior John Hayes pitched the ninth, yielded a leadoff single, then retired the next three hitters for his sixth save;

Senior shortstop Tanner Kirk put WSU on the board with a two-run homer to left in the fourth;

Senior Mikel Mucha walked in the fifth and scored the tying run on Tinkham’s sacrifice fly after stealing both second and third;

Senior Zach Reding singled for one of WSU’s eight hits.

“They carried the load, they did a fantastic job,” Shockers coach Todd Butler said.

After narrow losses Thursday and Friday, the Shockers finally broke through and will take some momentum into the MVC tournament opener Wednesday afternoon against Bradley in Terre Haute, Ind. Wichita State is the No. 6 seed.

Tinkham’s blast broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth when he launched a drive that carried over the center-field fence.

“I was thinking, ‘Heck yeah,’ ” Kirk said. “He needed that, to go out on a bang like that, and he stayed strong all year. He got a pitch to hit, and that was awesome to see.”

Tinkham said it was a fitting close at home.

“It feels good to go out like that,” he said. “It just shows that we can beat anybody. It was a good pitch, and I just tried to put a good swing on it. (It was a) pretty good day to hit with the wind blowing out.”

The Shockers (21-35, 9-12) opened the scoring when Kirk pulled a fly ball into the southeast wind that carried over the left-field fence off Patriots starter Jordan Martinson.

Mucha said Tinkham wanted him on third in the fourth to set him up.

“(In the fourth) when we were both coming up, he said, ‘If you don’t get on third, we’re going to have some problems,’” Mucha said. “So I had to hold up my end, and I got to third, and that’s all it was.”

Mucha said it was a fitting way to close out his home career.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “Especially because it’s the last time I’ve ever going to play at Eck. It’s surreal.”

This left better for Williams, who took the loss Thursday night.

“Thank God,” Williams said. “Senior day, last time here, it’s good to come out and get a ‘W.’ ”

He was especially happy to see Tinkham’s homer.

“It’s like the weight of the world is off your shoulders,” he said. “I knew I was done, so now it’s time for our closer John Hayes to get the ball and go.”

This story was originally published May 21, 2016 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Shocker seniors win their final game at Eck Stadium."