Shockers Host #29 Dallas Baptist

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks (20-33, 8-10) host#29 ranked and Valley leading Dallas Baptist (35-16, 14-4) on Thursday (6:30 on Cox/ESPN3), Friday (6:30 on ESPN3) and on Saturday (2:00 on ESPN3).

DBU leads the Valley in conference play with a team ERA of 3.01. The Shocks have a team ERA of 6.20 in Valley play. That pretty much tells the story of the Shocks chances in this series. Not very good to say the least.

Saturday will be Senior Day for Tanner Kirk, Mikel Mucha, Chase Rader, Ryan Tinkham, Zach Reding, John Hayes, and Chase Williams. There is an 8th player shown in the photo in the link below who I think is John Ferrendelli (who I don't think played any this year but did play as a Junior last year) although I am not positive about that. In any case, I would like to wish all those young men the best of luck in their future endeavors whatever that may be. I am sure their time at WSU has not been as successful on the field as they hoped but I have no doubt they gave us all they could and I hope they enjoyed their time at Wichita State overall. Good luck guys and thanks.

http://www.goshockers.com/news/2016/5/18/baseball-shockers-host-no-29-dallas-baptist.aspx

If the Shocks win 1 game against DBU that would be a big surprise, 2 games would be a miracle and 3 games would be a sure sign that Armageddon is upon us. But hey, the world has to come to an end sometime. One DBU win (or 1 loss by both INS and SIU) will clinch the regular season title for DBU.

The Shocks look most likely to finish in 6th or 7th place which at this point may be preferable to 4th or 5th. The 1, 4, 5 and 8 seeds are in one bracket and the 2, 3, 6 and 7 seeds are in the other bracket in the Valley tournament. Each bracket plays a double elimination with the winners of each bracket playing a single championship game. A 6th or 7th seed will avoid the #1 seed, which most likely will be DBU, until the championship game.

The Shocks and Evansville are tied for 5th one-half game behind 4th place Bradley and one-half game in front of 7th place Illinois State. Illinois State is at Missouri State this weekend. Evansville is at Indiana State. Bradley is at Southern Illinois.

Theoretically, the Shocks could still finish anywhere from the 4th seed to the 7th seed. As I mentioned before the Shocks are probably better off as a 6 or 7 seed.

[Cdizzle]

"Vickers, over the past month, is going more than any other Shocker. On April 10, he went 0 for 3 at Evansville to drop his average to .230, part of an eight-day stretch in which he also committed four errors in five games. After Tuesday’s 3-for-4 performance in a win over Kansas, he is hitting a team-leading .336 with three errors in the last 20 games. Over his past 10 games, he is hitting .447 with a home run and three doubles."

And hitting 9th. Still.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/sports/college...#storylink=cpy

[1972Shocker]

The only thing I can figure on why Trey Vickers is still in the 9-hole is because he is comfortable there and/or HCTB just doesn't want to mess with one of the few things working for the Shocks.

A couple of other players coming on per the notes at the bottom of the Eagle articled linked by @Cdizzle: In his past 6 appearances John Hayes has 3 saves with a 1.42 ERA in 6.1 innings and has not allowed a run since May 7th against Indiana State. Maybe Brent's finally been able to get through to John. Travis Young is getting more playing time and is hitting 0.500 over the past 10 games. Perhaps too little too late but nevertheless good to see.

I think Travis Young is perhaps the best option we have as lead-off hitter. I think Trey would make a good 2-hole hitter because he can handle the bat and he is the best on the team at hitting the ball where it's pitched and spraying the ball to all fields.

In any case the Shocks seem to be scoring enough runs. Clearly, their big issue is keeping the other teams off the scoreboard enough to win consistently.

[Cdizzle]

I was thinking the same thing, @1972Shocker:

1. Young
2. Vickers
3. Jenista

After that, do what you want.

[1972Shocker]

The Shockers conference-only statistics are pretty impressive.

Among those with enough AB's to qualify the Shocks have 5 of the top 11 hitters in Valley games only:

3. Dayton Dugas 0.367
5T. Greyson Jenista 0.357
5T. Alex Bohm 0.357
7. Trey Vickers 0.350
11. Gunnar Troutwine 0.333

Among those who don't have the requisite number of AB's:

Travis Young 0.360 (9-25)
Zach Reding 0.375 (6-16)
Keenan Eaton 0.375 (3-8)

Yet the Shocks are still looking at a probable 6th or 7th place finish.

[ShockerFever]

Wasn't there a lot of positive momentum building up at about this same time last year?

[Cdizzle]

Wasn't there a lot of positive momentum building up at about this same time last year?

No one is trying to blow smoke where there isn't any, Fev. Last year there were actually some wins behind the momentum, and it was only year 2. I wasn't even on board then. But at this point I think everybody is pretty much on the same page, they'd like to see a new coach, but they aren't writing a $1MM check themselves either. So, might as well talk about something. The pitching sucks. We've been through that about 1000 times also. Development of good young hitting is new. Something new to look at. Some stats people can look at without vomiting.

[1972Shocker]

Wasn't there a lot of positive momentum building up at about this same time last year?

I don't recall. While he young Shocker hitters seem to be improving I see no signs of any momentum building with this team overall. It was nice beating Creighton and KU in midweek games but of no real significance. Losing the last 3 series to Southern Illinois, Indiana State and especially to Illinois State destroyed any chance for late season momentum.

[shockfan89_]

I guess a series win against DBU would be late season momentum but does one series and a couple mid-week wins actually count for momentum? Even if we sweep DBU we will be 23-33. Meh

[1972Shocker]

I guess a series win against DBU would be late season momentum but does one series and a couple mid-week wins actually count for momentum? Even if we sweep DBU we will be 23-33. Meh

At this point it is hard to even envision a series win against DBU. The thing with baseball is that your momentum is only as good as the guy you can roll out to the mound the next game. The Shocks simply don't have the needed pitching depth to sustain any momentum. Still have not won more than 2 consecutive games this year. The Shocks have had many shortcomings this year and a lack of consistency and momentum are on the list. or perhaps just a symptom of all the other shortcomings.

[1972Shocker]

Zach Lewis looking sharp early retiring the 1st 6 DBU batters. Greyson Jenista and Gunnar Troutwine with back-to-back frozen rope doubles in the 2nd put the Shocks up 1-0. What I like about those hits is Greyson's was just left of center and Gunnar's short-hopped the wall in right.

That bad thing is Gunnar went to 3rd on a wild pitch and then was doubled up trying to score on a medium fly ball to RF. Dayton Dugas followed with a double into the LF corner.

The DBU shortstop mishandled a sharply hit grounder by Mucha that scored Dayton. Shocks up 2-0 after 2.

Looking good early but can they sustain it.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks load the bases in the 3rd with 1 out. 1 rund scores on balk and a 2nd run scores on wild pitch.

Shocks 4 - DBU 0 after 3.

[Play Angry]

Hard to figure but I will take it. Keep it rolling Shox.

[1972Shocker]

DBU gets a single, double and two sac flies to in the top of the 5th to make it 4-2.

[1972Shocker]

In the 6th DBU gets runner on 1st with 1 out. The Shocks guessed right when the runner attempted to steal but Troutwine threw wild and the runner advanced to 3rd and then scored on DBU's 3rd sac fly of the game.

Shocks 4 - DBU 3