WICHITA, Kan. – SIUE baseball scored first on No. 34 Wichita State, but the Shockers came back for a 6-1 win in Friday's 2014 season opener.

Ryan Daniels pitched five shutout innings in his first action since the 2011 season, allowing just three hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.

"Ryan threw the ball well today," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "He answered a lot of questions today."

SIUE collected a pair of hits in the first inning against Shockers starter Cale Elam. Nick Lombardo singled to open the game, and was out at second on a Chase Green fielder's choice. Green was thrown out trying to steal second base Skyler Geissinger was hit by a pitch and came home to score the lone Cougar run on a double by Devin Caldwell.

"It was nice to get on the board in the first inning," Stoecklin said. "Caldwell took some nice at-bats. His hit in the first inning was clutch."

Caldwell finished 2 for 4 with the RBI. Lombardo, Geissinger, Alec Saikal, Zach Little, and Austin Verschoore each had a single hit for SIUE.

Elam tossed five innings allowing a run on five hits. He struck out seven and walked two.

Wichita State (1-0) scored its first run in the sixth on a pair of hits against Cougar reliever Zach Malach. The Shockers scored three more times in the seventh inning on three hits against Malack and Sam Hopkins.  Wichita State scored twice more in the eighth for the final margin.

Malach (0-1) suffered the loss for the Cougars allowing four runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief. He walked one. Hopkins allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.  

Aaron LaBrie and Ray Ashford combined for four scoreless innings in relief. LaBrie gave up three hits and struck out three hitters in three innings to earn the win.

"(Wichita State) did a good job. They didn't beat themselves," Stoecklin added. "Their bullpen guys threw strikes and attacked our hitters late in the game. We didn't and that's the difference in the game."

Garrett Bayliff was 1 for 3 with three RBIs and Casey Gillaspie was 2 for 5 with a pair of RBIs to lead Wichita State.

The two teams play the second game of the three-game series Saturday at Eck Stadium. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Senior Jake Stauffenberg gets the ball for the Cougars.