TSUSports.com: Baseball Falls In Close Contest At Wichita State

TigerFans

Administrator
Staff member
Image_2_22_20_at_1_38_AM.jpg


WICHITA, Kansas - A two-run fifth inning opened up a close game as Wichita State held off Texas Southern 5-2 in the opener of the three-game series Friday afternoon.

Texas Southern (0-7) fell behind at the start of the game by way of an RBI single by Wichita State (2-2) freshman Derek Shaver. After Texas Southern tied the game in the top of the third with an RBI single of their own, this time from junior Oscar Ponce, Wichita State responded quickly with one more run, an RBI double from junior Hunter Gibson, thereby restoring their lead to 2-1.

After a silent fourth inning, Wichita State opened the fifth with back-to-back singles but the Tigers avoided a run by throwing out the runner at home. However, the Tigers committed a critical throwing error on the next at-bat which crossed home the Shockers' third run. Another RBI base hit by Gibson bumped the home team's lead to 4-1.

With one out in the sixth, TSU sophomore Dean Salazar, in his second consecutive start for the Tigers this year, hit a solo home run on a 1-0 pitch to left field and gave the team a considerable boost as the game approached past the halfway point down 4-2.

In the meantime, as the Tigers offense chipped away at the Shockers' lead, starter Alex Olguin continued to keep the opponents' bats at bay. Through his five innings of work, he allowed seven hits on just four runs—two earned—and three walks.

His reliever, freshman Camden Guarnere, picked up where he left off as his 2.2 innings resorted Wichita State to four hits, a run, walk, and three strikeouts. However, that one run proved to be his undoing as an RBI double to center field by junior Ross Cadena, which made it a 5-2 game, effectively put it out of reach for the Tigers to wholly recover.

Sophomore pitcher Jesse Garcia replaced Guarnere to record the final out of the eighth over the Shockers, maintaining his 0.00 ERA through three appearances this year.

Salazar led the offense with his two hits and solo home run on a 2-for-4 day for the Tigers. Ponce added to the cause with an RBI hit on a 1-for-4 performance. Senior Tyson Thompson provided the last remaining hit for the team, which was claimed in the fifth inning.

Due to a weather advisory alert for Sunday, Feb. 23, with possible rain showering throughout the day, the Tigers and Shockers will play a double-header tomorrow afternoon. The first game will be played at 1 p.m. and the next will occur approximately 30 minutes after the former's conclusion.

No game will be played on Sunday.

Print Friendly Version

Courtesy: TSU Athletics
 
Back
Top