WICHITA, Kan. – Garrett Kocis launched a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the tenth, and Wichita State rallied from a 5-0 deficit to stun Kansas 7-5 on Wednesday night at Eck Stadium.

It was the first walk-off win and first extra-inning win of the season for Wichita State, who extended their winning streak against Kansas to six games.

The Shockers (10-10) clawed back with three in the sixth, one in the eighth, and one in the ninth to force extras. After two quick outs in the tenth, Jordan Rogers kept the inning alive with an infield single. Kocis then stepped to the plate against Kansas reliever Kolby Dougan (0-1) and blasted a 1-2 pitch onto the berm in right field for his second home run of the season. The five-run deficit was the largest overcome by Wichita State this season.

The Wichita State bullpen was brilliant, keeping the Jayhawks (8-11) off the board for the final six frames. Connor Holden (2-0) earned the win by retiring all seven batters he faced over 2.1 scoreless innings, extending his season-opening string of zeroes to 11.0 spotless innings. Creighton Hansen, Adam Ketelsen, and LJ McDonough also had scoreless appearances on the evening.

Kansas sprinted out to the lead with a run in the first, two in the third, and two more in the fourth. Maui Ahuna got the scoring started with an opposite-field RBI double, then a sacrifice fly from Tavian Josenberger combined with a Casey Burnham run-scoring single made it 3-0.

In the fourth, Caleb Upshaw drilled a two-run home run to center, ballooning the Kansas advantage to 5-0.

The Shockers began to chip away in the sixth. Sawyre Thornhill broke up the shutout with a sacrifice fly, then Gage Williams delivered his first career RBI with a two-out, run-scoring single to make it 5-2. Payton Tolle followed with a chopper up the middle that Kansas shortstop Maui Ahuna threw away into foul territory, allowing Williams to race around from first and trim the deficit to 5-3.

In the eighth, Chuck Ingram sliced a solo home run down the right field line off Kansas reliever Stone Hewlett, pulling the Shockers within 5-4. It was the third straight game with a home run for Ingram, the first time a Wichita State player has accomplished the feat since Alec Bohm homered in three straight against Nebraska in 2018.

The Shockers scratched across the tying run in the bottom of the ninth thanks to some wildness from Kansas closer Jonah Ulane. He issued two walks sandwiched around an Andrew Stewart single, loading the bases for Ingram. A sharp line drive to left was deep enough to score pinch-runner Jack Sigrist with the tying run. The Shockers would re-load the bases on a hit by pitch, but Dougan sent the game to extra innings with a strikeout, setting the stage for Kocis's heroics in the tenth.

Thornhill extended his season-opening hitting streak to 19 games with a fourth inning single. 

The Shockers welcome in the Creighton Bluejays for a three-game series this weekend. First pitch of Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6:00 pm.