Nick Gonzalez hit one of three homers for USF in a 6-4 loss Sunday.
WICHITA, Kan. (May 16, 2021) – The Wichita State Shockers (27-20, 15-12 AAC) scored a pair of unearned runs in the eighth inning of Sunday’s series finale to break a 4-4 deadlock and prevail with a 6-4 victory over the USF Bulls (22-24, 12-12 AAC).
Three of the Shockers’ six runs were unearned in the ballgame as the Bulls committed three errors in the setback, while out-hitting the home team, 9-4.
The contest literally started with a bang on Sunday as Carmine Lane (Lake Placid) and Riley Hogan (Orlando) connected on back-to-back homers on the first two pitches of the game thrown by Wichita State for an immediate 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The Shockers got one back with a solo homer run in the third before Nick Gonzalez (Tampa) padded the USF lead to 4-1 with a two-run blast in the fourth frame.
Wichita State quickly chipped away at its deficit in the bottom of the fourth with two runs, including one on a defensive miscue by the Bulls, to make it a 4-3 affair.
The Shockers final three runs came via a wild pitch in the seventh to tie the game, and two more unearned runs in the eighth, including one on a drop-third strike which resulted in a passed ball.
Despite the outcome, and having to settle for a series split, there were plenty of encouraging takeaways in the series for the Bulls, who came up just shy of their second straight series win. The USF offense recorded 19 extra-base hits over four games, including 10 home runs from six different players. Dylan Burns (Vero Beach) and Jack Jasiak (Spring Hill) each logged quality starts in the series, and the Bulls toppled one of the best pitchers in the conference in the series opener.
Notable
- Brad Lord (Crawfordville) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and struck out five over 4.0 IP in the start.
- Roberto Peña (Caraas, Venezuela) batted .533 (8-15) with five extra-base hits, four RBI and three stolen bases in the series.
- Lane hit .474 (9-19) with three homers and five RBI in the series…the redshirt freshman has five homers and 13 RBI over his last 10 games.
Up Next
The Bulls conclude their regular season schedule with a four-game series against No. 11 East Carolina on May 20-22 in Tampa. The series begins with a doubleheader on Thursday, May 20 at 2 p.m. and will wrap up on Senior Day which is set for Saturday, May 22 at 1 p.m.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 56th season in 2021. The Bulls have won 1,628 games entering the 2021 season and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three since 2015. The Bulls have won four conference tournament titles (3 Sun Belt and 1 Metro) and had 126 all-conference selections. USF baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times, most recently with third baseman David Villar in 2018. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program’s fourth first round selection in pitcher Shane McClanahan, who appeared in the 2020 World Series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Bulls saw continued success in head coach Billy Mohl’s first season in 2018, reaching 36 wins, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2012, and making the program’s latest NCAA Tournament appearance while also achieving a ranking in multiple polls for the final two months of the season.
– #GoBulls –
