WSU vs Utah Tech series

[Kung Wu]

Mar 1 (Fri) 3:00 P.M.
vs Utah Tech
Wichita, Kan. Eck Stadium

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Mar 2 (Sat) 12:00 P.M.
vs Utah Tech
Wichita, Kan. Eck Stadium

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Mar 3 (Sun) 1:00 P.M.
vs Utah Tech
Wichita, Kan. Eck Stadium
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Too early to make much sense of RPI, but ...

WSU's current RPI is 38.

Utah Tech's RPI is 251 and their only win so far was one game against Washington State who is 119 RPI. The rest of Utah Tech's losses have been to teams with a 164 RPI or better, so it's difficult to know how bad Utah Tech really is. They might be a 175ish team, or they might be a 250ish team.

Regardless, this is a series we _should_ do damage based on our performance the past two weeks.

[Cdizzle]

I think Utah Tech has played a tough schedule so far, so I'm not dumping on them. And maybe in year 1 it's too much to ask. But I'd really like to get back to handling the teams we should handle. If you do that then you just have to stack up series wins later instead of praying for some 9-game win streak in the meat of your schedule that isn't going to happen until we're a host-worthy program again.

[ShockerFever]

Sorry, but this needs to be a sweep. Period.

[WuDrWu]

Last season at their place, we were fortunate to get 3 of 4. They handed us our asses in game 1 and then we came back to tie late in game 2 then needed a double play to prevent a walk off before winning in extra. Game 3 and 4 were fairly easy. I don't think this year's team is as good (and to be honest, their 2023 team was pretty bad) so yeah, this needs to be a sweep. Fortunately, this team seems much more interested in the game at hand and doing whatever is needed to win a game.

Reverting back to the Little Rock rotation of Favors, Zang and LaPour. I'm a tiny bit surprised to see Tommy get the start Sunday, but, if you're going to get healthy, this is the team to get healthy against.

[WuDrWu]

Utah Tech finished 269 in the RPI last season and they were picked last, nearly unanimously, in the 11 team WAC. Frankly, and no offense to Utah Tech, they shouldn't be on our schedule (but we needed somebody last season and it fit so I hold no ill will) and I hope they aren't going forward.

I know we're going to Hawaii soon and Fullerton home and home is soon to happen, so an upgraded schedule seems to be on the way.

[1972Shocker]

RH: Rough Start Doesn't Deter Camden Johnson

Camden Johnson remembers getting two or three hits in a fall's worth of scrimmages for Wichita State. Coach Brian Green thinks Johnson recorded one hit in the roughly 22 scrimmages.

"One of them was a bunt," Johnson, a freshman from Boerne, TX, said. "It was pretty rough."

College life can be rough on a freshman, especially when there is a coaching change a few months before school. Johnson went home for the holiday break unsure how he fit in. He did, however, know how to start salvaging a tough fall. Green told him he needed to get stronger and stop trying to hit the ball in the air.

"Typical freshman," Green said. "I told him 'This is what you need to do: You're 160 pounds and you hit way too many fly balls in batting practice, and you pull everything. You've got to knock that off. You cannot pull the ball until you get stronger."

Johnson went home to Boerne over the semester break determined to eat plenty of chicken enchiladas – his mom's specialty – drink protein shakes and Gatorade, eat protein bars and work out regularly. He drilled on hitting the ball the opposite way in his comfortable high school batting cages.

Johnson, who has started three games at third and four at shortstop, said he went home for break weighing 180 pounds and returned in January at 191.

One mechanical adjustment opened the door for Johnson's early success by helping him hit line drives and work to the opposite field.

"Changed his career," Green said. "Completely different hitter. He stopped trying to pull the ball and he started getting his foot down earlier. Scrimmages in the spring, he hit .400, .500. Tough at-bats."

"I'm focusing on staying backside, hitting the ball down, hard line drives, base hits," he said. "Every now and then I might sneak one out. I almost did against Virginia. I've got to hit the weight room a little bit more."

"He changed his game," Green said. "A completely different hitter. He's been the most consistent player we have with approach. Same guy every day."

Johnson is hitting .379 with two doubles, six runs and seven batted in in the leadoff spot. His five walks are tied for the team lead, and he owns one strikeout in seven games.

[pogo]

JJ and I will be out today starting to work early on our mid summer tans. Shoxlax if you come by today wear something more than your running attire like you did a number of years ago, Yeah you know what I'm talking about.

[shoxlax]

JJ and I will be out today starting to work early on our mid summer tans. Shoxlax if you come by today wear something more than your running attire like you did a number of years ago, Yeah you know what I'm talking about.

If I come by today I will wear a coat in your honor.

[shoxlax]

Will Kung Wu be there?

[WuDrWu]

Will Kung Wu be there?

I'm hearing he's already there in his RV practicing The Cannibal for a 7th inning stretch party deck performance.

[Kung Wu]

Will Kung Wu be there?

If I can it would only be for an hour. On the fence. Favors is worth the price of admission and then some!

[Onegreatracer]

Haven’t been this excited for baseball in a long time. I will be there! Go Shox

[1972Shocker]

[1972Shocker]

Nice start for Caden on the mound.

I think Cam Johnson has this game kind of figure out.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks go up 2-0 on a gift 2-out, 3-base error on a misplay of a fly ball by Tech's centerfielder. But shows what can happen if you just put the ball in play (unlike Williams and Stroh with their strikeouts)