WICHITA, Kan (GoShockers.com) – Four Shocker pitchers combined to allow just one hit and Derek Williams provided the offense with two home runs as Wichita State secured a series win with a 4-1 victory over Utah Tech on Saturday afternoon at Eck Stadium.
It is the 38th one-hitter in program history and the first since May 16, 2022 against Oklahoma.
Daniel Zang (2-0) started for Wichita State and held the Trailblazers without a hit for the first 6.2 innings. Utah Tech scratched across a run in the second innings on a walk, fielder’s choice, hit by pitch and RBI ground out, but did not get a runner to third base the rest of the way against Zang, who struck out eight and walked three. He handed the ball to Caleb Anderson, who got the final out of the seventh and the first two outs of the eighth, all on strikeouts. On an 0-2 count with two outs and the bases empty, Utah Tech’s Petey Soto Jr. hit a bouncer up the middle that second baseman Jordan Rogers dove to stop but could not get off a throw, resulting in the only hit of the day for the Trailblazers.
Hunter Holmes came on to retire left-handed hitting Aaron Perez to end the eighth and Nate Adler fired a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his third save.
All of the offense for Wichita State (6-3) came via the home run. Josh Livingston smacked an opposite-field solo shot to tie the game at 1-1 in the second, then Williams put WSU in front with a solo blast of his own in the sixth. Williams provided breathing room in the eighth with a long two-run homer to produce the final margin.
Utah Tech’s Carston Herman (0-2) pitched well in defeat, allowing four hits and two runs over six innings.
Camden Johnson reached base all four times at the top of the order for Wichita State, singling three times and earning a hit by pitch.
The Shockers and the Trailblazers conclude the series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Eck Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
