WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat No. 23 UC Santa Barbara 3-2 in game one of a three-game series.
Jordan Farris, who had the game-winning hit, finished 1-for-4 with a RBI. Michael Burns went 2-for-3, while Sam Hilliard and Daniel Kihle each went 2-for-4.
Starter Willie Schwanke went 6.2 innings and gave up two runs on eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Reliever Taylor Goshen earned the win. He pitched 2.1 shutout innings with one walk and three strikeouts.
The Shockers got on the board in the bottom of the third. Bob Arens and Tanner Kirk were both hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Michael Burns sacrificed them both over. Mikel Mucha grounded out to the pitcher to score Arens to give the Shockers a 1-0 lead.
Andrew Calica led off the top of the fifth with a single and stole second before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt. Calica scored on a single to left field from Woody Woodward to tie the score at one. Woodward stole second and moved to third on an error. With two outs, Luke Swenson doubled down the right field line to score Woodward to give the Gauchos a 2-1 lead.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Tinkham walked and Sam Hilliard followed with a single to right field to move pinch runner Tanner Dearman to third. After a wild pitch moved Hilliard to second base, Daniel Kihle dropped a single into centerfield to score Dearman and tie the game at two. Jordan Farris then singled to left field to drive in Hilliard for the game-winning run.
