Shocker infielder Erik Harbutz went 6 for 9 with two walks in the series.
Scores: WSU 8, Northwestern 2; WSU 5, Northwestern 0; WSU 4, Northwestern 3 (10)
Records: WSU 34-25, NU 22-26
Key stats: The Shockers didn’t commit an error, the kind of defensive effort it will take to win the MVC Tournament. Nine Shockers pitched and and two allowed runs (Cale Elam and T.J. McGreevy). WSU hit .373, totaling 38 hits. Only four went for extra bases (two doubles, two home runs), which explains why the games were all close going into the late innings.
- The Shockers hit. 373 to Northwestern’s .250 and had to fight to win all three games. The largest margin entering the seventh was three runs. WSU doesn’t possess the extra-base power to blow teams out.
- While Illinois State, Missouri State and Creighton played crucial MVC series filled with close games. While WSU starters came out after 70-80 pitches, Illinois State pushed its pitchers to two complete games. Creighton and MSU spread out the innings, especially on Sunday. We’ll see if that affects this week’s tournament. The No. 1 pitchers who went Thursday will come back Tuesday, short rest for college arms used to weekly start.
- Wichita State catcher Tyler Baker made a fantastic defensive play in the 10th inning Saturday. With a runner on first on no outs, he barehanded a bunt bouncing about eye level and threw a rope to second baseman Tanner Dearman to cut down the lead runner. The inning went nowhere and Baker’s laser played a major role in keeping it tied 3-all. “It was just kind of an instinct thing,” he said. “Brandon (Peterson) was yelling ‘two, two, two’ the whole time. So I was going off of him and trusted what he had to say.”
- WSU RF Garrett Bayliff went 8 for 12 in the series. 3B Erik Harbutz went 6 for 9 and walked twice. CF Micah Green went 5 for 8 and drove in three runs. While 1B Casey Gillaspie went 3 for 13, he did homer for the second time in the week. He is the one guy who can give the Shockers some pop.
Next up: vs. Southern Illinois, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday (MVC Tournament)
Scores: WSU 3, MSU 2; WSU 11, MSU 9; WSU 3, MSU 0
Key stats: WSU’s pitching controlled two of the wins and kept the Shockers close in a third. While the Bears battered A.J. Ladwig and T.J. McGreevy in the second game, seven Shockers held them to two runs in the other 18 innings of the series. WSU’s defense played a major role, committing two errors to MSU’s four. The Bears handed WSU the go-ahead runs in the 11-9 win on a two-run throwing error. In the ninth inning of the 3-0 win, a throwing error Read More »
Scores: UE 5, WSU 4; WSU 8, UE 4; WSU 5, UE 2
Key stats: WSU’s bullpen filled a lot of innings after an injury to Friday starter Cale Elam limited him to three innings and Sunday starter Drew Palmer lasted the same amount. WSU pitching held SIU to six earned runs and their control decided the series. The Shockers walked two batters in 26 innings; SIU walked 10 and hit two. WSU took advantage of SIU’s free passes and fielding errors. It hit .252 and only got one RBI apiece from middle-of-the-order hitters Casey Gillaspie and Johnny Coy. Ten Shockers drove in runs, with OF Garrett Bayliff leading with three.
- A team can win the MVC Tournament with four starting pitchers. The Shockers possess one (Elam) that they have total confidence in. A.J. Ladwig is on the right track. Beyond that, WSU needs at least one starter to step up. The bullpen is so deep the Shockers can win Sunday’s game after pulling Palmer in a situation most teams let ride. He pitched well for two innings and then struggled in a third. WSU’s offense didn’t help by leaving runs on the table while forging a 2-all tie. Asking the bullpen to cover two short starts (or more in case of losers bracket) is dangerous. Getting Palmer, Kris Gardner or Garrett Brummett into shape to get deeper into games is important for the late May trip to Duffy Bass Field.
- Freshman third baseman Tanner Kirk, like second baseman Tanner Dearman, apparently didn’t waste time pouting when he didn’t play. When Kirk got a chance to start, he produced and it appears he isn’t coming out the lineup. He went 4 for 12 with a double against SIU and is 6 for 16 with two doubles and one strikeout in four games since starting against Oral Roberts. At SIU, he refused to let two errors (on the same play) in Friday’s game ruin his weekend. He learned to be more aggressive to take away hops and played good defense on Saturday and Sunday, handling a field made for bad-hops in wet conditions. “You’ve got to want the ball and be ready for it,” Kirk said. “I had two errors (Friday) and I know I can field. You’ve just got to fight through it and be ready for the next one.”
- The MVC race is headed for showdown weekend, with WSU and Missouri State, tied for second, meeting in Springfield. Fourth-place Creighton plays at Illinois State, which leads WSU and MSU by percentage points. The Redbirds are blessed with the best schedule _ home series against Creighton and Evansville and at struggling SIU. Creighton has the toughest road, playing at ISU and WSU before finishing with a home series against MSU. The Bluejays are in fourth place, but are the only team in the top four that hasn’t played another.
- This week: At Kansas, 6 p.m. Tuesday; vs. Kansas Wesleyan, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
Former Shocker Conor Gillaspie is playing for the Chicago White Sox (Associated Press photo)
Shockers playing in organized baseball. Email me at psuellentrop@wichitaeagle.com if I missed anybody.
3B Conor Gillaspie – Chicago White Sox
OF Andy Dirks – Detroit Tigers
P Mike Pelfrey – Minnesota Twins
C Koyie Hill – New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA)
C Cody Clark – Oklahoma City (AAA)
P Tommy Hottovy – New Hampshire (AA)
P Kris Johnson – Indianapolis (AAA)
P Travis Banwart – Sacramento (AAA)
SS Dusty Coleman – Midland (AA)
P Jordan Cooper – Carolina (A)
OF Ryan Jones – Inland Empire (A)
SS Tyler Grimes – Cedar Rapids (A)
P Brian Flynn - Jacksonville (AA)
C Chris O’Brien – Rancho Cucamonga (A)
P Josh Smith – West Virgina (A)
WSU first baseman Casey Gillaspie scored in the third inning of Friday’s win over Evansville.
Scores: WSU 5, UE 4; UE 6, WSU 3; WSU 6, UE 5
Records: WSU 23-18, 9-3 MVC; UE 15-25, 6-6
Key statistics: WSU pitchers struck out 19 and walked five in the three games, which kept the Aces from doing more damage. That was especially key on Sunday, when starter Drew Palmer gave up two solo home runs and a two-run shot. If Palmer walks a few batters, the story is quite different. Friday starter Cale Elam gave the bullpen a break with 7 2/3 good innings. Closer Brandon Peterson Read More »
From a Wichita State perspective, the empty spot in the Missouri Valley Conference offered a chance for geographic relief.
Shocker teams suffer the biggest travel disadvantage in the MVC and it gets worse with Creighton’s departure. WSU will have seven trips of 500 miles or more with the addition of Loyola. It is a competitive and budget hit that the Shockers deal with well enough to field the MVC’s strongest athletic program.
So did WSU push for Oral Roberts and the comfy-sounding road road trip of 177 miles to Tulsa? Read More »
Former Shocker Conor Gillaspie tripled and drove in four runs for the White Sox on Tuesday, a good start to his bid to win the job at third base. A Chicago Tribune story tells us an injury to Jeff Kepinger will give Gillaspie better odds.
”There’s always competition,” Gillaspie told the Tribune. “If you don’t have competition somewhere, it wouldn’t be normal. I’m just glad I got the chance to play today and contribute a little bit. It was a pretty good time.”
Andy Dirks, now a fan favorite in Detroit.
Get ready for the World Series. Or Halloween. Print out this life-sized Andy Dirks mask, courtesy of the Detroit Free-Press.
