HOUSTON – Jace Kaminska fired eight shutout innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts and Chuck Ingram hit a crucial home run as Wichita State blanked Houston 4-0 in the American Athletic Conference opener on Friday night.

Kaminska (2-2) became the first Shockers pitcher to fan 12 opposing hitters since Jake Hamilton struck out 13 against Northwestern State on February 14, 2020. Kaminska struck out the side in the second and third innings, at one point recording seven consecutive outs via the strikeout. He surrendered just four hits and allowed only two runners to reach third base. The sophomore right-hander improved to 4-0 in four career starts against the Cougars, and has allowed just two runs in 32.1 total innings (0.56 ERA).

The Shockers (12-13) got the only run they needed in the top of the third. With runners at the corners and one out, Garrett Kocis bounced a potential double play grounder to second base that was bobbled by Houston second baseman Brandon Burckel, allowing Will Stark to score from third for a 1-0 lead.

The score remained 1-0 until the ninth because of the efforts of Houston starter Jaycob Deese, who had limited Wichita State to just three hits through eight innings. In the ninth, Xavier Casserilla reached on another error from Burckel, then Andrew Stewart followed with a sharp single into left. After a strikeout, Ingram blew the game open with a line drive three-run home run to the gap in left-center, his sixth home run in the last ten games.

Connor Holden came on for the top of the ninth and set the side down in order with two more strikeouts, tying Wichita State's season high for strikeouts in a game with 14.