Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- Wichita State (48-18) used an eight-run eighth inning to power past Evansville (35-23), 12-1, Friday afternoon in the Missouri Valley Tournament. Head Coach Gene Stephenson picked up his 1,600th win as the Shockers eliminated the Purple Aces.

 

“Anthony Capra was tough and outstanding today,” said head coach Gene Stephenson. “Our defense was marvelous and we had three great catches that you aren't going to see everyday.”

 

Back-to-back doubles from Matt Brown and Conor Gillaspie led off the eighth. Three walks from reliever Tristan Facer pushed across a run. Consecutive singles by Andy Dirks and Derek Schermerhorn plated three more. Brown hit his second double of the inning for two RBI, and an RBI single, ripped up the middle by Gillaspie capped the eight-run eighth.

 

“It's always a plus to go out and support our pitching staff,” said Brown.

 

Pat Tumilty drew a lead-off walk in the second and moved up a bag on a sacrifice bunt from Kirk Bacsu and came around via a shallow single to center field by Jeff Zelenovich.

 

The Shocker evened the score in the fourth on a pair of singles from Schermerhorn and Gillaspie. Schermerhorn blooped one into right field and stole second before Gillaspie lined one into shalloe center field to cross the run.

 

WSU took its first lead in the next inning. Josh Workman was hit in the arm to get on board and Tyler Weber reached on an error by the shortstop. With two outs, Dirks took one to left field for an RBI single.

 

In the top of the seventh, WSU extended its lead, 4-1. Bret Bascue hit a soft grounder, but UE third baseman Andy Smith made a long throw that pulled Kasey Wahl off the bag and allowed Bascue to reach first. Workman hit an infield single as the pitcher fielded the ball, but slipped and couldn't come up with a play. Weber laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners and Dirks brought them home with a single down the left field line.

 

Anthony Capra earned the win and remains perfect at 7-0. The sophomore lefty allowed one earned run on four hits in seven innings and struck out three. Jared Simon threw a hitless eighth, facing four batters due to an error.

 

“I was mentally confident, but physically not there,” said Capra. “I had trouble spotting my fastball, but luckily I had my defense that picked me up.”

 

Dirks and Gillaspie each went 3-for-5 and combined for seven RBI.

 

The Shockers play tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. at Hammons Field.

 

-Wichita State-