Shockwaves

4-0 final. WSU vs. Creighton in Saturday’s final.

Sossamon is in to pitch. Read More »

Koeningstein no-hits the Shockers. First individual no-no in Jays history. First time WSU is no-hit since 1984. Read More »

I’m not 100 percent sure about the pitching for Thursday against Creighton. This new format is going to take some getting used to. It sounds like WSU will wait on the 3 p.m. battle of the ISUs. If Illinois State loses, WSU will likely go for the clincher that night against Creighton and pitch Jordan Cooper. A 2-1 record gets WSU into the title game if Illinois State is 0-2 on Thursday. That would free WSU to hold Charlie Lowell for Saturday.

Should Illinois State upset Indiana State, WSU will need to beat the Redbirds on Friday regardless of what happens against Creighton. In that scenario, Cooper starts on Friday. Thursday’s game against Creighton becomes less important.

We’ll see. But that’s the way I understand the plans now.

WSU 15, ISU 7 – Final

WSU 14, ISU 7 (bottom 8th) - Eight runs in the eighth for WSU. Flynn is in for relief, which must mean the Shockers will hold Cooper back tomorrow against Creighton because it’s an out-of-pod game.

WSU 11, ISU 7 (top 8th) - A bullpen meltdown the likes of which is rarely seen. The Shockers have scored five runs against two Sycamores reliever. Still nobody out.

ISU 7, WSU 6 (top 7th) – Engrav drives in Bascue with a single to right. Pitching change. Lassley lines into a double play to end the threat.  A well-hit ball right at the second baseman. Grimes had ventured way too far off first.

ISU 7, WSU 5 (top 7th) – Jones with his second home run. He has four in the past five games. WSU still batting.

ISU 7, WSU 4 (top 7th)

ISU is up 6-4, knocking Kelley out of the game in the sixth inning on Brady Shoemaker’s RBI double. Remington Johnson is in. Tim’s night started badly and never got much better. Like Missouri State, the Sycamores had a good plan – swinging early in the count – and enough skill and experience to pull it off. Tim needs to get ahead so he can get batters to chase pitches. He isn’t going to overpower many batters. He never got in a groove tonight.

ISU 5, WSU 4 (top 6th) - The Sycamores scratch out a run with a walk, wild pitch and groundout. Valdez has allowed one hit since the first inning.

WSU 4, ISU 4 (top fourth) - Umpire Dave Condon isn’t giving Kelley the edges and it is killing him. Hit batter. Two singles. Walk. The Sycamores tie it and Kelley’s pitch count almost guarantees he won’t finish this game. Meanwhile, Valdez is locked in and looking sharp.

WSU 4, ISU 2 (top third) - Kelley again struggles through an inning. He gave up a double, an infield single, a walk and hit a batter. A throwing error on Grimes allowed a run to score. WSU can’t get in a shootout.

WSU 4, ISU 0 (top second) – Ryan Jones hits an 0-2 pitch out to right for a grand slam. ISU starter Eric Valdez walked two. Tim Kelley almost gave some back. The Sycamores loaded the bases with two outs before a flyball ended the threat. ISU is using the smart strategy of swinging early against Kelley and it worked.

That is WSU’s first grand slam since McKeever’s against Oklahoma State in the regional in 2008.

Baez will DH. Chance Sossamon is at second base. Chris O’Brien returns to third. Sossamon is making his first start at second base. He started the past four at third and did well. Oddly, his ascension comes at the expense of WSU’s leading hitter, Taylor Brown. Brown is hitting .354, but hasn’t played since May 6 against Kansas. An 0-for-13 slump knocked him out of the lineup.

WSU 2B Will Baez is in uniform. He might DH. Stand by for a decision.

Earlier action:

Creighton 5, Southern Illinois 1 - Jays pitcher Jeremy Hauer throws his first complete game of the season. SIU lefties go 0 for 13.

Missouri State 9, Illinois State 6 - Game-winning grand slam by pinch-hitter Daniel Torrente. Strange game, because neither team threw any pitcher of real consequence. It was an out-of-pod game, so the teams saved their top arms for Thursday and Friday. With a one-run lead in the ninth, the Redbirds used Kenny Long instead of closer Jim Sajewich.

Northern Iowa outfielder Travis Bennett has told Wichita State coaches he will transfer to WSU and play for the Shockers next season. He will be a senior and be eligible to play right away because UNI is dropping the sport.

WSU coaches were interested in Bennett before a series at UNI in late April. They got a closer look in that two-game series and liked what they saw. Bennett went 4 for 10 with three RBI, batting third and playing left field. He talked with coach Gene Stephenson after the game.

Bennett, from Cedar Rapids, led the Panthers with 43 RBI, a .338 batting average and a .490 slugging percentage. He earned MVC Newcomer of the Year honors on Monday.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I know their fans are great. That kind of stuff gets me pumped up to play. Right now, I’m used to 50-100 fans on the weekend.”

WSU 11, CU 1 – Final. Shockers pick up their first run-rule. The game ends with fireworks between the two teams. Creighton was offended that Tyler Grimes stole third with a 10-1 lead and they let him know it. Words. Pushes. The dugouts emptied before umps and coaches cooled things off. Read More »