Game 1: Wichita State (20-20, 5-7 American) at Cincinnati (19-22, 8-7 American)
Friday, April 26 | 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET) | Cincinnati, Ohio (Marge Schott Stadium)
Radio: KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM (Mike Kennedy, pxp)
Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

Game 2: Wichita State at Cincinnati
Saturday, April 27 | 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET) | Cincinnati, Ohio (Marge Schott Stadium)
Radio: KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM (Mike Kennedy, pxp)
Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

Game 3: Wichita State at Cincinnati
Sunday, April 28 | 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) | Cincinnati, Ohio (Marge Schott Stadium)
Radio: KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM (Mike Kennedy, pxp)
Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

Game Notes | 2019 Fact Book | @GoShockersBSB

---

            SCENE SETTER: American Athletic Conference play rolls on for the Wichita State University baseball team (20-20, 5-7 American) with a three-game series at Cincinnati (19-22, 8-7 American) April 26-28 at Marge Schott Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The series opener is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET) Friday, April 26, with game two slated for 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET) Saturday, April 27. The series finale is scheduled for an 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) first pitch Sunday, April 28.
 
            MEDIA COVERAGE: Radio - KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM will carry the series 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 GoBearcats.com/watch ... Live audio - Complimentary live audio for the game will be available at GoShockers.com/listen ... Live stats - Live stats can be accessed at GoBearcats.com. 
 
            SERIES RECORD: The weekend series in the Queen City will be just the fourth, fifth and sixth meetings in the all-time series against the Bearcats. In the inaugural series against Cincinnati last season in Wichita, UC won two of three games, taking the opener, 8-2, and series finale, 5-1, while the Shockers won the middle game, 9-1.
 
            WICHITA STATE UPDATE: The Shockers enter the weekend at 20-20 overall and 5-7 in The American after losing to Oklahoma, 9-4, Tuesday night at Eck Stadium ... The Oklahoma contest wrapped up an eight-game homestand for WSU ... The Shockers will play eight of their next nine games on the road ... WSU is ranked 87th in the most recent NCAA RPI rankings ... Through 40 games, Wichita State is paced at the plate by redshirt senior infielder Jordan Boyer (.364 avg., 27 R, 51 H, 12 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, .557 SLG%, 12 BB, 12 HP, .436 OB%, 8 SF, 3 SB) and senior infielder Luke Ritter (.357 avg., 35 R, 55 H, 13 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 29 RBI, .604 SLG%, 23 BB, 11 HP, .471 OB%, 9 SB) ... Boyer is fifth and Ritter is ninth in individual hitting in The American entering the series at Cincinnati ... On the mound, WSU is led by sophomore right-hander Liam Eddy (4.73 ERA, 4-4, 51.1 IP, 47 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 20 BB, 27 SO) and junior, right-handed closer Mitchell Walters (2.42 ERA, 1-2, 7 SV, 26.0 IP, 19 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 9 BB, 31 SO) ... Walters is fourth in the conference in saves going into the weekend in Cincy ... The Shockers are slated to throw Eddy Friday and right-hander Preston Snavely Saturday. Sunday's starting pitcher is to be determined ... As a team, Wichita State is hitting .281 with a 5.67 ERA and .965 fielding percentage.
 
            ANALYZING THE BEARCATS: The University of Cincinnati Bearcats enter the weekend with an overall record of 19-22 and are 8-7 in The American after defeating Eastern Kentucky in a non-conference contest Wednesday at home, 5-2 ... The Bearcats are 111th in the most recent NCAA RPI rankings ... Through 41 games, Cincinnati is led at the plate by junior infielder Joey Bellini (.333 avg., 20 R, 44 H, 7 2B, 13 RBI, 11 BB, .413 OB%, 2 SB) and sophomore infielder Wyatt Stapp (.300 avg., 20 R, 45 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 13 BB, 1 SB) ... Redshirt junior outfielder Jeremy Johnson and junior infielder Jace Mercer are tied for second in the conference with 17 stolen bases each, while sophomore outfielder Joey Wiemer is third with 16 swiped bases ... The Bearcats are second in The American to UCF in stolen bases with 65 ... Cincinnati is scheduled to start redshirt senior right-hander David Orndorff (4.50 ERA, 2-1, 28.0 IP, 26 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 4 BB, 18 SO) Friday, freshman left-hander Evan Shawver (4.50 ERA, 2-5, 42.0 IP, 33 H, 22 R, 21 ER, 23 BB, 49 SO) Saturday, and sophomore left-hander Garrett Schoenle (5.83 ERA, 2-1, 41.2 IP, 33 H, 28 R, 27 ER, 39 BB, 47 SO) Sunday ... The Bearcats' closer is junior left-hander Korren Thompson (5.59 ERA, 1-0, 6 SV, 19.1 IP, 19 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 11 BB, 28 SO) ... As a team, Cincinnati is hitting .244 (9th in American) with a 5.31 ERA (7th in American) and .979 fielding percentage (1st in American) ... The Bearcats are under the leadership of second season head coach Scott Googins.
 
            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 fourth in The American with seven saves entering WSU's series at Cincinnati.
 
            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 eight straight contests, and Luke Ritter has reached in his last seven games ... Katzfey is riding a team-best five-game hitting streak.
 
            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 - 9th in batting average (.357), tied for 2nd in hit by pitch (11), 5th in on-base percentage (.471), tied for 5th in doubles (13), tied for 6th in hits (55) and slugging percentage (.604), tied for 8th in homers (7); Jordan Boyer - 1st in hit by pitch (12) and sac flies (8), tied for 3rd in triples (3), 5th in batting average (.364), 10th in slugging percentage (.557); Jacob Katzfey - tied for 3rd in triples (3); Mitchell Walters - 4th in saves (7); Alex Segal - tied for 4th in appearances (21); Preston Snavely - 8th in innings pitched (53.0).
 
            TURNING TWO: Through 40 games, the Shockers are second in The American and 23rd 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 41 double plays.
 
            REACHING BASE...THE PAINFUL WAY: The Shockers lead The American and rank 28th nationally with 61 hit by pitches entering the weekend.
 
            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: Wichita State returns home briefly for midweek game against Missouri State Tuesday, April 30, at 6 p.m., before traveling to Manhattan, Kan., to battle Kansas State Wednesday, May 1, at 6 p.m.
 
            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.