March 17 - Wichita State (6-12) vs. Western Illinois (3-10), 3, 6 p.m.

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Date: March 17
First Pitch: 3, 6 p.m. CST
Location: Wichita, Kan.
Stadium: Eck Stadium
Radio: KNSS 1330 AM
Talent: Mike Kennedy
Series: Wichita State leads Western Illinois 4-0

Probable Pitching Matchups
March 17 (1) — Tyler Jones (RHP, 0-1, 9.39) vs. Colan Borchers (RHP, 0-0, 15.00)

March 17 (2) — Jeb Bargfeldt (LHP, 0-0, 3.18) vs. Carson Cheesman (LHP, 0-0, 0.00)

Quick Hits
• All five games this week will be broadcast on KNSS 1330 AM with Mike Kennedy calling the action on Tuesday and Shane Dennis this weekend.  The games will also be on www.goshockers.com.
• Wichita State leads the overall series with Western Illinois, 4-0.
• WSU is 5-7 in home games in 2015. In those 12 games, the Shockers are hitting .273 with a 4.08 team ERA and a .962 fielding percentage.
• In those 12 home games, Mikel Mucha is hitting .419, while Daniel Kihle is hitting .310 and Sam Hilliard is hitting .306.
• WSU is 3-7 in its last 10 games. In those 10 games, the Shockers are hitting .215 with a 4.70 ERA and a .961 fielding percentage.
• Mikel Mucha is hitting .333 in the last 10 games, while Daniel Kihle is hitting .257.
• Reagan Biechler has made four relief appearances in the last 10 games and is 0-0 with a 1.69 ERA with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
• Mikel Mucha leads the Shockers with six multiple-hit games, while Ryan Tinkham and Daniel Kihle lead the team with three multiple-RBI games.
• WSU is 587-208-2 all-time overall in the month of March.
• WSU is 24-7 on March 17 since 1978.
• Ryan Tinkham has been on base in 17 of 18 games this season.
• WSU is ranked 19th nationally in average attendance.
• WSU plays 37 games in 2015 against teams that were in the top-100 in the RPI in 2014. Nineteen of those are games against teams in the top-50.
• The Shocks were picked third in the MVC Preseason Poll.
• Junior outfielder Daniel Kihle and sophomore starting pitcher Sam Tewes were named to the preseason all-Valley team.
• WSU's recruiting class was ranked No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball.
• The Shockers welcome 24 newcomers in 2015.
• Six of the Shocker newcomers were drafted in 2014: Chase Rader (16th rd.), Isaac Anderson (19th rd.), Sam Hilliard (31st rd.), Chase Williams (37th rd.), Keenan Eaton (39th rd.) and Taylor Sanagorski (39th rd.)
• The Shocks set the school record for fewest home runs allowed in a season with 18 in 2014.
• WSU returns three starters and nine letterwinners from the 2014 team.
• The Shocker pitching staff returns one starting pitcher in Sam Tewes.
• WSU has ranked in the top 25 in attendance since 1999.
• Head Coach Todd Butler is in his second season as coach of the Shockers.
• Head Coach Todd Butler is the third base coach and Volunteer Assistant Coach Mike Sirianni is the first base coach.

Series Changed to a DH
The Wichita State baseball team will now play a doubleheader against Western Illinois on Tue., March 17 beginning at 3 p.m.
The two teams were originally scheduled to play a single game on Tue., March 17 and a single game on Wed., March 18, but the schedule has been changed due to the threat of rain on Wednesday.

Scouting Western Illinois
The Leathernecks are 3-10 on the season. Wins have come against Evansville twice and Fort Wayne. Losses have come against Middle Tennessee State three times, Oklahoma State twice, Jacksonville State, Evansville twice and Fort Wayne twice. WIU is hitting .221 as a team with a team ERA of 5.28. They also have a .924 fielding percentage. Leading the way offensively is Jake Moore who is hitting .371 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI. The Leathernecks are led by head coach Ryan Brownlee.

Series History vs. the Leathernecks
Wichita State leads the overall series with Western Illinois, 4-0. The Shockers won three meetings in Wichita in 1990 by scores of 11-1, 16-3 and 27-5. The Shockers also won in 2013 in Little Rock, Ark. 11-3.

Last Meeting vs. WIU
The last meeting between the two teams was a March 1, 2013, in Little Rock, Ark. Wichita State won the game 11-3. Casey Gillaspie went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a home run. Starter Kris Gardner earned the win.
 
Opening Weekend of Valley Play
The Shockers open Valley play this weekend with Southern Illinois.  Since 1979, Wichita State is 92-28 during the first series of Valley play.  In 36 seasons, WSU has lost just six Valley opening series and has also split three.  The Shockers went 0-2 against Illinois State in 1984, 1-3 against Bradley in both 1986 and 1987, 1-2 against Evansville in 2005, 1-2 against Southern Illinois in 2006 and 1-2 against Missouri State in 2011.  WSU split with Indiana State (2-2) in both 1988 and 1989 and split with Missouri State (1-1) in 1991. The Shockers have met Southern Illinois for their first Valley series five times. The Shocks went 4-0 against the Salukis in Wichita in 1998, 3-1 in Wichita in 2000, 3-1 in Carbondale in 2001, 1-2 in Wichita in 2006 and 2-1 in Wichita in 2012.

Walk-Off for Farris
Junior Jordan Farris had a walk-off single on Friday against No. 14 UC Santa Barbara. It was the first walk-off hit for the Shockers since Tanner Dearman had a walk-off single on May 2, 2014 against Bradley.
 
Arens With Career Day
Senior catcher Bob Arens had a career day in the win over Arkansas-Little Rock on Wednesday. He went 3-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and a double. The two runs, three hits, two RBI and one double were all career-highs for the senior.
 
Goshen Improving in Pen
Freshman pitcher Taylor Goshen has been a workhorse in the Shocker bullpen this season. In his last nine appearances, he is 2-1 with a 1.98 ERA. He has pitched 13.2 innings and has allowed three earned runs on 13 hits with five walks and 15 strikeouts. He leads the Shockers will 11 appearances overall.