Game 1: Wichita State (24-28, 7-14 American) at USF (25-25, 7-14 American)
Thursday, May 16 | 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) | Tampa, Fla. (USF Baseball Stadium)
Radio: KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM (Mike Kennedy, pxp)
Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

Game 2: Wichita State at USF
Friday, May 17 | 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET) | Tampa, Fla. (USF Baseball Stadium)
Radio: KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM (Mike Kennedy, pxp)
Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

Game 3: Wichita State at USF
Saturday, May 18 | Noon CT (1 p.m. ET) | Tampa, Fla. (USF Baseball Stadium)
Radio: KNSS 98.7 FM/1330 AM (Mike Kennedy, pxp)
Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

Game Notes | 2019 Fact Book | @GoShockersBSB

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            SCENE SETTER: The Wichita State University baseball team (24-28, 7-14 American) will take on the USF Bulls (25-25, 7-14 American) in a key American Athletic Conference series May 16-18 in Tampa, Fla., to conclude the 2019 regular season. The Shockers must win at least two games in the three-game series to secure a spot in the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship, scheduled for May 21-26 in Clearwater, Fla. The top eight teams in the final conference standings qualify for the championship. The series opener with the Bulls is slated for 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) Thursday, May 16, with game two scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET) Friday, May 17. The series finale is slated for a noon CT (1 p.m. ET) first pitch Saturday, May 18.
 
            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 - A video webcast will be available for the series at GoUSFBulls.com ... Live audio - Complimentary live audio will be available at GoShockers.com/listen ... Live stats - Live stats will be available at GoUSFBulls.com.
 
            SERIES RECORD: The three-game series at USF will mark meetings 9-11 in the all-time series that dates back to 1985. The Shockers lead the series, 5-2-1. Last season in Wichita, WSU went 1-1-1 against the Bulls, winning the series opener, 17-2 in eight innings, before dropping game two, 9-6, and playing to a 9-9 tie in 11 innings in the series finale. The Shockers also faced the Bulls in the American Athletic Conference tournament in Clearwater, winning 4-2 before dropping a 7-2 decision in an elimination game.
 
            WICHITA STATE UPDATE: The Shockers enters their final series of the regular season with an overall record of 24-28 and an American Athletic Conference mark of 7-14 after winning a non-conference contest at Oral Roberts Tuesday, 4-2 ... Through 52 games, Wichita State is led at the plate by senior infielder Luke Ritter (.330 avg., 42 R, 65 H, 13 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 32 RBI, 109 TB, .553 SLG%, 30 BB, 13 HP, .448 OB%, 10 SB) and redshirt senior infielder Jordan Boyer (.319 avg., 32 R, 60 H, 13 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 36 RBI, 94 TB, .500 SLG%, 20 BB, 12 HP, .404 OB%, 8 SF, 5 SB) ... On the mound, the Shockers are slated to start senior right-hander Clayton McGinness (4.30 ERA, 5-4, 1 CG, 60.2 IP, 67 H, 31 R, 29 ER, 21 BB, 46 SO) Thursday and sophomore right-hander Liam Eddy (5.12 ERA, 4-7, 70.1 IP, 74 H, 43 R, 40 ER, 27 BB, 35 SO) Friday. Saturday's pitcher is to be announced ... Out of the bullpen, Wichita State is paced by freshman right-hander Aaron Haase (3.94 ERA, 3-2, 32.0 IP, 30 H, 16 R, 14 ER, 20 BB, 37 SO), junior right-hander Mitchell Walters (4.31 ERA, 2-3, 7 SV, 31.1 IP, 29 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 15 BB, 39 SO) and sophomore left-hander Alex Segal (5.90 ERA, 0-1, 2 SV, 29.0 IP, 22 H, 26 R, 19 ER, 24 BB, 39 SO) ... As a team, the Shockers are hitting .270 with a 5.47 ERA and .967 fielding percentage.
 
            ANALYZING THE BULLS: The USF Bulls enter the weekend with an overall record of 25-25 and a 7-14 tally in The American after winning two of three games at UConn (L, 4-2; W, 3-2; W, 3-1) May 10-11 ... Through 50 games, the Bulls are paced offensively by senior infielder Joe Genord (.347 avg., 35 R, 61 H, 14 2B, 13 HR, 52 RBI, 114 TB, .648 SLG%, 31 BB, .454 OB%, 4 SB) and senior outfielder Kyle Phillips (.315 avg., 38 R, 67 H, 11 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 26 RBI, 93 TB, .437 SLG%, 12 BB, .369 OB%, 8 SB) ... Genord ranks third in The American in both slugging percentage and home runs ... On the mound, USF is scheduled to start sophomore right-hander Baron Stuart (5.02 ERA, 4-2, 43.0 IP, 40 H, 24 R, 24 ER, 24 BB, 30 SO) Thursday, junior right-hander Collin Sullivan (4.33 ERA, 3-5, 1 CG, 72.2 IP, 61 H, 38 R, 35 ER, 37 BB, 66 SO) Friday and senior right-hander Alex Wisely (4.91 ERA, 3-4, 69.2 IP, 67 H, 41 R, 38 ER, 25 BB, 52 SO) Saturday ... The Bulls primary closer out of the bullpen is junior right-hander Nelson Alverez (3.58 ERA, 4-2, 8 SV, 32.2 IP, 19 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 20 BB, 38 SO) ... Alvarez ranks fifth in the conference in saves ... As a team, USF is hitting .265 with a 4.55 ERA and .965 fielding percentage ... The Bulls are under the direction of second season head coach Billy Mohl.
 
            MCGINNESS GOES THE DISTANCE: Clayton McGinness fired his first-career complete game to lead Wichita State to a 3-1 win over No. 8 ECU Saturday, May 11, on Senior Day at Eck Stadium. McGinness pitched the full nine innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits with only one walk and four strikeouts in 103 total pitches, lifting the Shockers to their first victory over a top-10 opponent since 2014.  He also turned two 1-6-3 double plays in the contest.
 
            WEEKLY HONORS: Clayton McGinness was named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday, May 13. McGinness became Wichita State's first-ever Pitcher of the Week in The American. The senior right-hander from Amazonia, Mo., fired his first-career complete game May 11 to lead the Shockers to a 3-1 victory over No. 8 ECU.
 
            HAASE, SEGAL LOCKING DOWN OPPONENTS: Relievers Aaron Haase and Alex Segal have allowed just one combined earned run in their last 10 1/3 innings and eight appearances out of the bullpen. Segal has given up no earned runs on just one hit with seven strikeouts and four walks in his last four innings and three appearances, while Haase has surrendered just one earned run on five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in his last 6 1/3 innings and five appearances.
 
            LATE-INNING SUCCESS: As a team, the Shockers are an impressive 21-0 when leading after eight innings, 20-0 when in front after seven and 21-1 when leading through six.
 
            O'BRIEN ON POINT AT THE PLATE: Redshirt senior Mason O'Brien hit a team-best .355 in his last eight games. The Owasso, Okla., native has four runs, 11 hits, two homers, three RBI, a .548 slugging and .412 on-base percentage during that span.
 
            WALLACE DELIVERS: Sophomore Paxton Wallace delivered Wichita State's first grand slam of the season when he launched a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall in the third inning in the Shockers' win at UConn in game two of a doubleheader Saturday, May 4.
 
            KATZFEY CRUISING AT THE PLATE: Jacob Katzfey hit a team-best .500 in Wichita State's three-game series against No. 8 ECU May 10-12. In the series, the junior had six hits and two stolen bases, and posted identical .500 slugging and on-base percentages. The Lee's Summit, Mo., native leads the team in hitting in conference play with a .289 batting average.
 
            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.
 
            BOYER AMONG NATION'S BEST IN SAC FLIES: Jordan Boyer ranks third in the country in sacrifice flies going into the weekend with eight.
 
            NOTABLE STREAKS: Mason O'Brien is on a team-high eight-game hitting streak ... Ross Cadena has gotten on-base successfully in nine consecutive games, while O'Brien has reached in eight straight and Luke Ritter and Brady Slavens have each reached base in seven consecutive contests.
 
            NOTABLE CAREER RANKINGS: Luke Ritter ranks third in hit by pitch (33), while Jordan Boyer is tied for 10th in hit by pitch (22) ... Clayton McGinness is tied for seventh in pitching appearances (93).
 
            NOTABLE CONFERENCE RANKINGS: Luke Ritter - 1st in hit by pitch (13), 9th in hits (65), 8th in on-base percentage (.448) and total bases (109), tied for 9th in homers (9); Jordan Boyer - tied for 2nd in hit by pitch (12), tied for 1st in sac flies (8), tied for 6th in triples (3); Jacob Katzfey - tied for 6th in triples (3); Mitchell Walters - 6th in saves (7); Alex Segal - 6th in appearances (26); Liam Eddy - 9th in innings pitched (70.1).
 
            TURNING TWO: Through 52 games, the Shockers are tied for second in The American and rank 29th in the country in double plays turned with 45. 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 55 double plays.
 
            REACHING BASE...THE PAINFUL WAY: The Shockers lead The American and rank 37th nationally with 72 hit by pitches entering the weekend.
 
            UP NEXT: If the Shockers win at least two of three games at USF, they will head to Clearwater, Fla., to take part in the 2019 American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship, slated to run May 21-26 at Spectrum Field.
 
            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.