WICHITA, Kan. - Just when you thought the Northern Iowa baseball team's misery at Eck Stadium couldn't get any worse, its most disheartening moment of the series occurred Sunday.

The Panthers were three outs away from defeating eighth-ranked Wichita State, but the Shockers scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to escape with a 6-5 win and series sweep.

UNI (25-18, 11-7 MVC) has lost six straight and seven of eight going into Wednesday's 6:30 p.m. non-conference tilt against Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Riverfront Stadium.

The Panthers have never won a series against the Shockers and are 3-37 all-time in Wichita.

"We're on a little bit of a rough stretch, but we still have a good team," assistant coach Marty Sutherland said afterward on the UNI baseball radio network. "We wanted to do more than come down here and compete, but there is no panic button being pushed.

"We'll be back, and we'll be fine."

UNI had a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, but closer Joe Gonzalez blew his second consecutive save chance in a MVC series finale.

After Shocker pinch-hitter Mitch Caster reached on an infield single, WSU's Josh Workman laid down a bunt. Third baseman Travis Hendrix fielded it, but his throw went past first base to give the Shockers runners at second and third with no outs.

Ryan Jones followed with a single up the middle to plate both runners for the victory.

"They capitalized on our mistakes," UNI second baseman Cory Ege said. "When you give a team chances like that, they're going to beat you."

While UNI's offense was stymied to just 10 total hits in the first two games of the series, the Panthers collected 11 safeties Sunday.

Brandon Douglas was 3-for-5, while Ege, Hendrix and Dane Embury each had two hits as UNI chased starter Anthony Capra in the fifth inning.

Embury's two-run single in the fifth gave UNI a 5-1 lead, but WSU tallied a run in the bottom of the frame and added two in the sixth against starter Nick Kirk and reliever Derek Ott.

UNI, meanwhile, had just two hits after the fifth inning.

"We had plenty of opportunities with two outs," Sutherland said. "Good teams figure out a way to get those two-out hits."

Ott, who struck out five in three innings of relief, worked a perfect seventh and eighth before giving way to Gonzalez.

WSU's Logan Hoch pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to collect the win.

Northern Iowa 010 040 000 - 5 11 2

Wichita State 100 012 002 - 6 11 2

Nick Kirk, Derek Ott (6), Joe Gonzalez (9) and Eddie Almonte. Anthony Capra, Tyler Fleming (5), Khol Nanney (5), Logan Hoch (7) and Tyler Weber. WP - Hoch (1-1). LP - Gonzalez (1-2).

MVC standings

Conf. Overall

W L W L

Wichita State 14 4 36 11

Missouri State 16 5 33 14

Creighton 13 8 30 16

Northern Iowa 11 7 25 18

Bradley 9 9 25 21

Southern Illinois 7 11 26 20

Indiana State 6 12 13 29

Illinois State 5 13 21 24

Evansville 3 15 13 35

SUNDAY'S RESULTS

Wichita State 6, Northern Iowa 5

Missouri State 21, Indiana State 10

Southern Illinois 5, Creighton 4

Illinois State 5, Bradley 1

Evansville 8-15, Chicago State 3-6