March 20-22 - Wichita State (8-12, 0-0) at Southern Illinois (3-16, 0-0), 6:30, 2, 1 p.m.

Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes

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Date: March 20-22
First Pitch: 6:30, 2, 1 p.m. CST
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Stadium: Abe Martin Field
Radio: KNSS 1330 AM
Talent: Shane Dennis
Series: Wichita State leads 99-35

Probable Pitching Matchups
March 20 — Willie Schwanke (RHP, 0-2, 3.55) vs. Aaron Hauge (LHP, 2-2, 2.78)

March 21 — Sam Hilliard (LHP, 0-2, 4.64) vs. Bryce Sablotny (RHP, 0-0, 1.93)

March 22 — TBA vs. TBA

Quick Hits
• All three games this weekend will be broadcast on KNSS 1330 AM with Shane Dennis calling the action.  The games will also be on www.goshockers.com.
• Wichita State leads the overall series with Southern Illinois 99-35.
• WSU is 1-5 in road games in 2015. In those six games, the Shockers are hitting .200 with a 4.96 team ERA and a .947 fielding percentage.
• In those six road games, Ryan Tinkham is hitting .421, while Chase Rader is hitting .455.
• WSU is 5-5 in its last 10 games. In those 10 games, the Shockers are hitting .268 with a 4.70 ERA and a .969 fielding percentage.
• Mikel Mucha is hitting .387 in the last 10 games, while Daniel Kihle is hitting .342 and Jordan Farris is hitting .324.
• 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.
• Daniel Kihle leads the Shockers with seven multiple-hit games, while Ryan Tinkham and Chase Rader lead the team with four multiple-RBI games.
• WSU is 589-208-2 all-time overall in the month of March.
• WSU is 19-5 on March 20, 21-5 on March 21 and 22-8 on March 22 since 1978.
• Ryan Tinkham has been on base in 19 of 20 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.

Scouting Southern Illinois
The Salukis are 3-16 on the season. Wins have come against Eastern Kentucky, Northern Illinois and Illinois. Losses have come against TCU three times, Eastern Kentucky three times, Murray State, Western Kentucky three times, Northern Illinois twice, Belmont, Illinois twice and UT Martin. SIU is hitting .233 as a team with a team ERA of 6.09. They also have a .972 fielding percentage. Leading the way offensively is Greg Lambert who is hitting .299 with one double, one home run and nine RBI. The Salukis are led by head coach Ken Henderson.

Series History vs. the Salukis
Wichita State leads the overall series with Southern Illinois 99-35. The Shockers also lead the series in Carbondale, Ill., 38-14. WSU is 7-3 against SIU in the last 10 meetings. Head Coach Todd Butler is 4-0 in his career against the Salukis.

Last Meeting vs. SIU
The last meeting between the two teams was May 22, 2014 in the Valley Tournament in Terre Haute, Ind. Wichita State won the game 2-1 in 12 innings. Casey Gillaspie went 2-for-5 to lead the Shockers. Sam Tewes, Ray Ashford and Foster Vielock combined on a one-hitter.
 
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.