The RoundHouse | 2/21/2021 8:43:00 AM
Five questions for the Shockers:
How do the Shockers keep that vibe going?
We reached the day when last season's 13-2 record and 12-game win streak no longer matter. What matters is how the Shockers did that in 2020 and how that style of play produces wins in 2021.
They played smart, crisp baseball. They played solid defense and pitched well. Timely hitting and speed helped. It was a pleasure to watch in coach
Eric Wedge's first season.
"We're not necessarily feeding off the past," outfielder
Hunter Gibson said. "The hard work, the mind-set, the hours spent trying to get better, competing against each other, that is what is going to lead us to success."
The Shockers are convinced the key to winning is playing focused baseball in the late innings. Last season, they outscored opponents 32-23 over the final four innings, including 9-2 in the eighth and 5-3 in the ninth. Those numbers could indicate pitching depth, physical conditioning and a bit of luck.
The Shockers say that is all part of the plan.
"It's in those late innings when everybody is tired and worn down that you still compete and you don't take a single pitch off, offensively or defensively," third baseman
Paxton Wallace said. "We're well-prepared for that. That's when you beat the good teams."
Wedge is 18 months into his tenure and hasn't coached a conference game.
We don't know how the Shockers are going to react to a weekend series at Tulane, a rowdy Eck Stadium against East Carolina, travel disruptions or their first losing streak. Their adversity last season happened on opening day – an 11-0 loss at Northwestern State. After that, they won 13 of 14 with a one-run loss mixed in.
"I'm a huge believer in competing," Wedge said. "These guys are going to stick their nose in there. They're going to compete."
Who is back?
Almost everyone. The Shockers return seven position players and 10 pitchers from 2020.
That is the norm around college baseball after last season's disruption. COVID-19 extended eligibility for seniors and many talented players returned to school with the professional draft limited to five rounds.
Headlining that group for Wichita State is the weekend rotation of
Liam Eddy, who will throw on in the opener against Oklahoma State,
Jake Hamilton and
Preston Snavely. Eddy, who went 2-0 with a 1.73 earned run average in 2020, is on the preseason All-American Athletic Conference team.
Outfielder
Couper Cornblum, also on the preseason team, hit .354 last season to lead the Shockers. Gibson, who enters the season on a nine-game hitting streak, hit .316 with two home runs in 2020.
Ross Cadena returns for a third season at catcher. Infielder
Jack Sigrist carries a 24-game on-base streak dating to 2019 into the opener.
Junior closer
Foster Gifford recorded four saves in 2020 and didn't allow a run or an extra-base hit in eight innings.
Who are the newcomers to watch?
Most prominent is lefty
Spencer Hynes, a transfer from Houston, who will start Monday's game against Oklahoma State.
"He came here looking for an opportunity and he's taken advantage," Wedge said. "He's a guy that pounds the zone. His secondary stuff, his changeup is real. His breaking ball has gotten so much better."
Hynes saw limited work at Houston in 2019 and 2020 after spending two years at Grayson (Texas) College.
"He'll be one of our main dudes," Gibson said. "He can spot the fastball. He mixes up with a sinker, he's got a slider, changeup."
Outfielder
Corrigan Bartlett, a transfer from Saint Louis University, figures prominently in the plans and is expected to add an experienced bat. In 2019, Bartlett hit .310 with 12 doubles and four triples and earned All-Atlantic 10 honors. Shortstop
Andrew Stewart, a transfer from Barton Community College, is an excellent defender.
Freshman outfielder
Seth Stroh blossomed last fall and his speed and power make him an intriguing figure.
"He can fly," Wallace said. "He can cover some serious ground."
Four-game weekend series will likely make catching depth important. Freshman
Cooper Harris is making a good impression.
"He is amazing behind the dish, he's a good-sized kid and he can hit," outfielder
Cade Clemons said. "He's a stud."
How is Wallace feeling?
Great.
Wallace sat out last season with a back injury. In 2019, he hit nine home runs. He spent 2020 working on his core strength and flexibility and the results are encouraging.
"It's huge for us," Wedge said. "He's moving around the best I've ever seen defensively. Offensively, he's a weapon. He's done a very good job of listening and learning and going out there an applying it."
What does the American look like?
The American was off to a fine start in 2020 and it wasn't just the Shockers. Six of the nine schools recorded winning records when the season ended in March. UCF, Tulane and East Carolina appeared in national polls.
ECU is the preseason favorite, a unanimous choice by coaches, after running away with the conference title in 2019. Like most teams, the Pirates return significant numbers after the abbreviated 2020 season.
UCF, which swept No. 8 Auburn in 2020, is picked second with Tulane third. The Shockers are picked fifth.
The American schedule will feature four-game weekend series this season, an attempt to protect the number of games against COVID-19 cancellations. Each opponent will play a second series against a travel partner – Wichita State opens conference play with eight games against Houston.
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
