The RoundHouse | 5/15/2022 6:34:00 PM

 
 
The fans waved brooms as the Shockers celebrated on the Eck Stadium infield. Lots of smiles and high fives. Then the fun moved to the locker room, where the Shockers cranked the music and hustled to get out to meet family and friends on a lovely afternoon.
 
Good vibes after a 4-3 win on Sunday completed a sweep of Tulane in which the Shockers showed enough well-rounded facets that demonstrate they are, while not surging, improving.
 
The win snapped a six-game losing streak to the Green Wave (30-22-1, 10-11 American Athletic Conference) and produced Wichita State's second sweep of a conference opponent in four American seasons. The Shockers (19-32, 8-13) have won six of their past 10 games to move out of last place in the conference and can move a little more with a weekend trip to last-place USF.
 
"You can hear the music – everyone is excited," said freshman first baseman Xavier Casserilla, standing outside the locker room and explaining what a sweep does for the mood. "Momentum is rolling."
 
In all areas. The Shockers put together crisp defense, hitting and pitching against Tulane in ways they have not most of the season.
 
 

Guess we're gonna have to start calling @StrohSeth The Fridge, bc he just saved our bacon 🥓

📺: https://t.co/lKBqkMlSdr pic.twitter.com/9J76DjOr3O

— Wichita State Baseball (@GoShockersBSB) May 15, 2022

"Guys have come together, and we've been more of a team," left fielder Jordan Rogers said. "Everybody is pulling for each other. That's been carrying us."
 
Over the weekend, the Shockers didn't commit an error, continuing a trend of defensive improvement (they are fielding .983 with eight errors in their past 13 games).
 
Caden Favors, Jace Kaminska and Connor Holden combined to shut out the Wave 2-0 on six hits Friday. The Shocker hitters took over in an 18-8 win Saturday in eight innings with Casserilla homering twice to drive in seven runs. They nailed down the sweep with Payton Tolle and Holden holding Tulane to six hits and Rogers driving in three runs.
 
"We've been talking about trying to ramp up for the conference tournament," coach Eric Wedge said. "Their attitude and energy has been outstanding, and you can feel it. We just have to keep it rolling."
 
The Shockers threw out new looks out this weekend with success. They started relievers on Friday (Favors) and Saturday (Adam Ketelson) before inserting their usual starters. On Sunday, Holden, the closer, threw four innings for the second time this season, with the first during a 14-inning loss to Cincinnati.
 
Rogers, a redshirt freshman, is one of the Shockers grinding through a difficult season and finding his way. He is hitting .352 over his past 13 games to raise his season average to .294.
 
"Jordan is an aggressive young man and he's really worked hard," Wedge said. "He is hitting with runners in scoring position and he's getting big hits."
 
Since a 2-for-15 stretch ended in early April, Rogers steadily built his average, helped by a 10-game hitting streak.
 
"I'll have a good day and then I've got to put it away, and try to do the same thing next day, always keeping a positive mindset," he said. "The biggest thing, for me, is confidence. Having confidence makes me have good energy going up to the plate."
 
Rogers is one of several Shockers with an injection of confidence over the past two weeks. Second baseman Brock Rodden is hitting .431 with six home runs and nine walks over the past 13 games. Center fielder Chuck Ingram is hitting .345 with a team-leading 17 runs batted in over the stretch. The right field combination of Seth Stroh (.385 with three doubles and two home runs in seven games) and Couper Cornblum (.333 with five doubles in 10 games) is solid. Catcher Ross Cadena is hitting .306 with three homers over his past 10 games and his defense remains valuable.
 
Over those 13 games, the Shockers are hitting .303 with 30 doubles and 21 home runs.
 
"They've been more patient, and they've been tracking the baseball better," Wedge said. "Because of that, they're getting better pitches to hit. Being more strategic up there, I think it's helped."

The Shockers have more work to do before the conference tournament to keep this music playing. Oklahoma visits on Monday for the home finale. Then the Shockers depart for Florida to play at USF and in the American tournament beginning May 24 in Clearwater.

 

This baseball just disrupted the flight schedule of several major airlines @XCasserilla 😳 pic.twitter.com/oL3YU8BFH6

— Wichita State Baseball (@GoShockersBSB) May 14, 2022

Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.