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This team is pretty gosh darn delightful
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Caleb with your routine striking out the side in the 9th.
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A follow up story on Thursday's 7-5 win
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They are the "hold your ground" Shockers and the bruises paid off again.
"I don't want to give away our approach too much," second baseman Jordan Rogers said. "We're told to not move. Hold your ground. Take your hit by pitch. That will win you games."
It did on Thursday. Wichita State batters held their ground to match a school record with six pitches off their hips, shoulders and backs in a 7-5 win over Rice at Eck Stadium. Three of those six hitters scored. Three Shockers drove in runs by taking a pitch to the body.
"It's a staple in our program," left fielder Derek Williams said. "We like to stand there and hold our ground."
Using HBP as a weapon is about more than simply getting on base. For the Shockers, standing solid is about winning the fight for the inside part of the plate by discouraging the pitcher from throwing too close. A hitter who is bailing out is likely not seeing the ball well out of the pitcher's hand. That rewards a pitcher and encourages them to throw inside again.
"If the feet are moving really early, you know (the hitter) is making early decisions out of the hand," Green said. "We really try to evaluate that and force our guys to see the ball as long as they can so we can have higher on-base and HBPs."​
"We found a way to win when we didn't play very well," WSU coach Brian Green said. "But the bullpen was really good."
The Shockers took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, helped by three straight hit by pitches, two of which drove in runs.
While the hit by pitches set WSU up, it had to hustle its way to a win in the seventh inning to break a 5-all tie.
Two walks and a hit by pitch brought Rogers up with two outs. His groundball forced Owls shortstop Jack Riedel to dive. Dayvin Johnson's speed forced Riedel to throw to first and Rogers beat the throw, a play upheld after a video review.
"Put the ball in play," Rogers said. "Good things happen. It was a close play, but I ran my hardest down there. Leave it all out there."
"The shortstop makes a great play, but if we're if not busting a tail to get to second he might flip it to second base," Green said. "That forced the long throw to first base. Aggressive baserunning was a big part of that."
Kam Durnin scored from third. Camden Johnson never hesitated to score, without drawing a throw, from second to give the Shockers a 7-5 lead.​
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No Camden Johnson in the lineup today. Hope his hand is ok after getting hit yesterday. Could be a real struggle today offensively. Seems like a real poor effort on the lineup card.Comment
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Gonna be a long day if that isn't a strikeout.Comment
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Spotting 'em a bang bang crooked RISP number is not the way to start.Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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Well at least La Pour ended that inning on a high note. Maybe he'll be confident from here out?Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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First Phil McCracken joke wins.Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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Boom!!!Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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Way to respond!!Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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DWill pounded McCracken.
.... wait for it ...Last edited by Kung Wu; March 30, 2024, 12:33 PM.Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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MOONSHOT.Comment
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