WICHITA, Kan. (GoShockers.com) – Left-handed pitcher Caden Favors fired a complete game shutout with a career-high 10 strikeouts as Wichita State rolled past Utah Tech 8-0 in 2024 home opener at Eck Stadium.
Favors (2-0) allowed just five hits and one walk in going the distance, throwing 114 pitches in the process. Only one Trailblazers runner reached third base against him, and he conceded more than one baserunner in an inning only once. The senior southpaw finished his outing on a high note, fanning Petey Soto Jr. to cap off the masterpiece.
Wichita State (5-3) gave Favors plenty of run support early. The Shockers got two runs in the bottom of the first when Utah Tech’s Jack Walker couldn’t squeeze a long fly ball from Jaden Gustafsonwith two outs, allowing Camden Johnson and Mauricio Millan to score for the game’s first runs. WSU blew the game open with a four-spot in the third, striking twice on a two-run single from Gustafson before Seth Stroh’s sacrifice fly and Dayvin Johnson’s RBI single made it 6-0. Another Gustafson run-scoring knock in the fourth made it 7-0 and gave him a career-high three RBI.
All seven of those runs were charged to Utah Tech starter Dylan Gardner (0-3), who worked 5.0 innings and allowed seven hits and three walks while fanning four.
The Shockers pushed across their final run of the day in the seventh on a Dayvin Johnson double play grounder.
Utah Tech (1-9) only managed one legitimate scoring threat, getting a one-out double in the second from Brennan Study and a two-out single off the bat of Walker to put runners at the corners. Favors coaxed a fly out to right to escape the jam and the Trailblazers could not get a runner into scoring position the rest of the way.
Camden Johnson led the Shockers at the top of the order with three hits and a pair of runs scored, also adding his first career stolen base.
Wichita State and Utah Tech continue the series with game two on Saturday afternoon. First pitch from Eck Stadium is scheduled for 12:00 pm.
