Shockers Finish Homestand Tuesday vs. Sooners

4/22/2019 3:28:00 PM

            SCENE SETTER: The Wichita State University baseball team (20-19) is scheduled to conclude an eight-game homestand with a midweek contest against the Oklahoma Sooners (27-14) Tuesday, April 23, at 6 p.m. at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.

            MEDIA COVERAGE: Television - Tuesday's game will be televised live on COX YurView Kansas (HD 2022) with Pizza Hut Shockers Sports Hall of Famer and former WSU standout pitcher Shane Dennis calling the action ... Radio - KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM will carry the contest live, with Pizza Hut Shockers Sports Hall of Famer and "The Voice of the Shockers" Mike Kennedy on the call ... Live video - Free live video will be available at YurView.com/Kansas ... Live audio - Complimentary live audio for the game will be available at GoShockers.com/listen ... Live stats - Live stats can be accessed at ShockerStats.com.

            SERIES RECORD: Tuesday's game against the Sooners will mark the 30th meeting in the all-time series that dates all the way back to 1970. Oklahoma leads the series, 16-13. Last season, the Shockers defeated OU at Eck Stadium, 2-1.

            WICHITA STATE UPDATE: The Shockers enter Tuesday with an overall record of 20-19 and an American Athletic Conference mark of 5-7 after winning two of three games against UCF April 18-20 at Eck Stadium ... Through 39 contests, WSU is paced at the plate by redshirt senior infielder Jordan Boyer (.368 avg., 27 R, 50 H, 11 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, .559 SLG%, 12 BB, 12 HP, .440 OB%, 3 SB) and senior infielder Luke Ritter (.364 avg., 35 R, 55 H, 13 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 29 RBI, .616 SLG%, 22 BB, 11 HP, .476 OB%, 9 SB) ... Boyer ranks fourth and Ritter is sixth in hitting in The American entering the week ... On the mound, Wichita State is led by sophomore right-handed starter Liam Eddy (4.73 ERA, 4-4, 51.1 IP, 47 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 20 BB, 27 SO) and junior closer Mitchell Walters (2.42 ERA, 1-2, 7 SV, 26.0 IP, 19 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 9 BB, 31 SO) ... Redshirt freshman right-hander Ryan Stuempfig is slated to start Tuesday's game against the Sooners ... As a team, WSU is hitting .284 with a 5.61 ERA and .965 fielding percentage.

            BREAKING DOWN OKLAHOMA: The University of Oklahoma Sooners enter the week at 27-14 overall and 6-6 in Big 12 Conference action after winning two of three games in a non-conference series at Minnesota April 19-21 ... Through 41 games, the Sooners are led offensively by sophomore infielder Tyler Hardman (.327 avg., 32 R, 54 H, 11 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 33 RBI, .497 SLG%, 18 BB, .405 OB%) and senior infielder Brylie Ware (.300 avg., 33 R, 45 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, .460 SLG%, 20 BB, .409 OB%) ... Freshman right-hander Ben Abram (2.68 ERA, 6-1, 50.1 IP, 45 H, 17 R, 15 ER, 9 BB, 46 SO) is scheduled to start Tuesday's contest for Oklahoma ... OU's top reliever is junior right-handed closer Jason Ruffcorn (1.86 ERA, 1-2, 10 SV, 29.0 IP, 21 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 11 BB, 22 SO) ... Ruffcorn currently leads the Big 12 in saves ... As a team, Oklahoma is hitting .266 (5th in Big 12) with a 3.24 ERA (2nd in Big 12) and .979 fielding percentage (2nd in Big 12) ... The Sooners are under the direction of second season head coach Skip Johnson.

            RETIRING THE KNIGHTS: The Wichita State pitching staff combined to strikeout 36 UCF batters in the series win against the Knights April 18-20. It's the most Ks in a three-game series for WSU this season. In the 8-6 game one triumph, Wichita State pitchers fanned 10, before striking out nine in the game two loss. In the 6-4 win in the series finale, the Shockers struck out 17 -- the second-most this season (WSU pitching had 20 strikeouts against Kansas March 20).

            SIGRIST STEPPING UP: Freshman outfielder Jack Sigrist hit a team-best .500 in Wichita State's three-game series vs. UCF. The Plano, Texas, native had five hits in 10 at bats to go along with two runs and two RBIs. He also posted a .500 on-base and slugging percentage. Sigrist was named to The American's Weekly Honor Roll for his performance in the series -- his first-career honor roll nod.

            WALTERS SLAMMING THE DOOR: Junior closer Mitchell Walters went a perfect 2-for-2 in save opportunities in WSU's series against UCF. Walters secured a six-out save in Thursday's 8-6 win in the series opener, before tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings for his second save in the 6-4 victory in the series finale Saturday. The Katy, Texas, native allowed just one earned run on four hits with only one walk and seven strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings vs. UCF. Walters leads the Shockers and is tied for third in The American with seven saves entering the Oklahoma contest.

            RITTER NAMED FINALIST FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD: Luke Ritter was named as one of 10 finalists for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award which honors student-athletes who excel both on and off the field. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: character, classroom, community and competition. A native of Overland Park, Kan., Ritter was a first team all-conference honoree in The American last season, and has been named to the conference's weekly honor roll three times so far this season. Ritter has a 3.24 cumulative grade-point average as a finance major. For more information and to vote, please visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

            NOTABLE STREAKS: Sophomore Garrett Kocis has reached base safely in a team-best 10 consecutive games, while junior Jacob Katzfey and Jack Sigrist have both reached base safely in seven straight contests.

            NOTABLE CAREER RANKINGS: Luke Ritter ranks third in hit by pitch (31), while Jordan Boyer is tied for 10th in hit by pitch (22) ... Clayton McGinness is 10th in pitching appearances (90).

            NOTABLE CONFERENCE RANKINGS: Luke Ritter - 6th in batting average (.364), tied for 2nd in hit by pitch (11), 3rd in on-base percentage (.476), tied for 4th in hits (55) and doubles (13), 5th in slugging percentage (.616), tied for 7th in homers (7); Jordan Boyer - 1st in hit by pitch (12) and sac flies (8), tied for 3rd in triples (3), 4th in batting average (.368), 10th in slugging percentage (.559); Jacob Katzfey - tied for 3rd in triples (3); Mitchell Walters - tied for 3rd in saves (7); Alex Segal - tied for 5th in appearances (20); Preston Snavely - 7th in innings pitched (53.0).

            TURNING TWO: Through 39 games, the Shockers are second in The American and 11th in the country in double plays turned with 36. Wichita State turned four double plays against Oklahoma State April 10 -- tying for third-most in program single-game history. Cincinnati leads the conference with 39 double plays.

            REACHING BASE...THE PAINFUL WAY: The Shockers lead The American and rank 18th nationally with 61 hit by pitches entering the week.

            NEW FACES: The Shockers have 21 newcomers to the program in 2019, including 19 freshmen and two junior college transfers. The freshmen on the active roster include Aaron Haase (RHP/UT), Calvin Marley (RHP/OF), Miller Pleimann (RHP), Connery Peters (RHP), Adam Stephenson (OF/LHP), Carson Cox (OF), David VanVooren (OF), Seth Morrow (OF), Ryan Koval (OF), Cal Carver (LHP), Brady Slavens (INF), Cooper Elliot (INF), Jack Sigrist (INF), Josh Killeen (C) and Jake Plastiak (3B). WSU's two junior college transfers are sophomore Tristan McCraw (RHP) and junior Mitchell Walters (RHP). Freshmen Jack Brimacombe (RHP), Reece Koon (LHP), Quinten Albrecht (C) and Mason Miller (C) are redshirting in 2019.

            PRESEASON HONORS: Senior infielder Luke Ritter was voted to the American Athletic Conference's preseason all-conference team. He is also ranked 31st on the D1 Baseball's list of 2019 Top Senior Prospects and 15th on the organization's preseason second base power rankings list. Fellow senior, right-hander Clayton McGinness, is ranked 65th on the D1 Baseball Top Senior Prospects list.

            UP NEXT: The Shockers travel to Cincinnati for a three-game American Athletic Conference series April 26-28.

            THE COACH: Todd Butler is in his sixth season as the head coach of the Wichita State University baseball team. He came to WSU in June 2013 after spending the previous eight seasons as the hitting instructor, outfield coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Arkansas. During Butler's 26-year tenure as a NCAA Division I assistant or head coach, he has guided his teams to five College World Series appearances and four NCAA super regionals. In addition, his teams have been ranked No. 1 five times in his career. He has coached a combined 35 All-Americans and Freshman All-Americans, 167 players drafted in the MLB Draft and 45 Major League players. In his tenure at WSU, Butler has coached 26 student-athletes who were drafted, and five players who combined for 10 All-American and Freshman All-American honors. He played his college ball at McNeese State (1985-86) and Oklahoma (1987-88). A team captain for the Sooners in 1988, Butler still holds the OU single-season record for stolen bases with 46 steals in 1988, including 26 consecutive successful stolen base attempts. Butler was a third-team All-American in 1988 and also earned All-Big Eight Conference honors and all-region honors. He played on two NCAA Tournament teams for the Sooners for legendary coach Enos Semore. Butler's coaching career began as a student-assistant coach at McNeese State, where he earned his bachelor's degree in liberal studies in 1991. He was born in Alexandria, La., and is married to the former Melissa Borrel. The couple has two daughters, Caitlyn and Kendyll.

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Shockers Finish Homestand Tuesday vs. Sooners