Wichita State (6-5, 0-0 American) vs. Kansas (6-4, 0-0 Big 12)
Wednesday, March 8 | 3:00 pm CT | Lawrence, Kansas (Hoglund Ballpark)
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ | Radio: KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM
RHP Cameron Bye (0-1, 14.73) vs. LHP Ethan Bradford (0-1, 13.50)

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SCENE SETTER: Wichita State makes the short trip north to Lawrence on Wednesday for the first road midweek game of the season against in-state foe Kansas. Wednesday's game is the 2023 home opener for Kansas. The Shockers are coming off a heartbreaking 6-5 loss at home against Oral Roberts on Tuesday; WSU trailed 5-0 into the bottom of the sixth but rallied, scoring twice in the bottom of the ninth and loading the bases with one out before ORU escaped with the victory. Wichita State enters play on Wednesday with a 6-5 record despite a run differential of +33. Midweek contests represent an opportunity for significant improvement after Wichita State went just 3-10 in Tuesday/Wednesday games in 2022.

SHOCKER BASEBALL ON THE RADIO AND ESPN PLUS: KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM will once again serve as the radio home for Wichita State baseball broadcasts in 2023. Former Shocker pitcher (1991-94) and Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Famer Shane Dennis will have the call of the action on Wednesday alongside Denning Gerig. Wednesday's game will also be streamed live on ESPN+ ($); Steven Davis (play-by-play) and Kevin Wheeler (analyst) will have the call. Live audio, in addition to live statistics, will be available for all games at GoShockers.com/listen and ShockerStats.com. 

SERIES HISTORY:  The Shockers and Jayhawks have met 85 times, with Wichita State holding 51-34 lead in the all-time series. Kansas snapped WSU's six-game series winning streak last season with a 14-2 victory in Lawrence after Garrett Kocis launched a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the tenth inning for a 7-5 WSU victory earlier in year. Lawrence was the site of one of the longest games in program history, a 16-inning affair on April 10, 2012 that lasted nearly four and a half hours. Wichita State was down to their final out in the ninth when Kansas centerfielder Dakota Smith lost a ball in the lights, allowing the tying run to score. Lawrence native Aaron Rea came off the bench to drive in the winning run with an RBI double in the top of the 16th, and another Lawrence native, Albert Minnis, closed out the win with four scoreless innings in relief. From 2013-2016, Kansas won seven consecutive games in the series.

SCOUTING KANSAS: Kansas enters play on Wednesday with a record of 6-4 following a series loss on the road at Belmont. The Jayhawks have not played a midweek game yet this season, taking two of three against Valparaiso in Corpus Christi and three of four from common opponent Oakland in Cleburne, Texas. Kansas boasts a roster loaded with Division I transfers, including expected starter Ethan Bradford, who pitched three seasons at Nebraska before coming to Lawrence. Impact transfers Luke Leto (LSU), Sam Ireland (Minnesota), Cole Elvis (Cal) and Collin Baumgartner (SIU Edwardsville) have all made immediate contributions in their first season with the program. Outfielder Janson Reeder was a member of the Shocker program in the fall of 2022 before transferring back to Cowley College. The Jayhawks boast a stellar defensive unit that has committed only four errors all season, good for a .989 fielding percentage that ranks top-10 nationally. Head coach Dan Fitzgerald is in his first season with the Jayhawks after one season as the recruiting coordinator at LSU. The Shockers are familiar with Fitzgerald, who previously spent nine seasons in the same capacity at Dallas Baptist, former Missouri Valley Conference foes. Former Wichita State volunteer assistant coach Jon Coyne is a member of Fitzgerald's staff.

CHARITY DECLINED: Wichita State drew a season-high seven walks and were hit twice on Tuesday against Oral Roberts. Combined with an ORU error, WSU received 10 baserunners from the Golden Eagles, but were only able to turn two of those free passes into runs.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE: It took 46 plate appearances before Wichita State slugger Garrett Pennington earned his first walk of the season on Tuesday, a free pass that was aided by a pitch clock violation on Oral Roberts starter Joshua Caravalho. It was the first such violation in a Wichita State game this season. With just four strikeouts, Pennington has now put the ball in play in 47 of his 53 plate appearance thus far (89%).

BOMBS AWAY: Dating back to Wichita State's road series at Utah Tech, the Shockers have homered in seven consecutive games, totaling 15 home runs during that stretch. WSU has not homered in eight straight since March 18-30, 2018.

THREE TRUE OUTCOMES: WSU outfielder Seth Stroh had an interesting homestand statistically. In 19 plate appearances, the junior drew six walks, struck out five times, and three extra-base hits (two home runs). Only 4/19 trips to the plate produced a single or a putout on a ball in play.

BIG WEEK FOR THE BIG MAN: Wichita State sophomore sensation Payton Tolle had an impressive weekend series against Oakland, highlighted by one of the best individual performances in school history on Saturday. Starting on the mound and batting cleanup, Tolle fired six innings of two-hit ball with a career-high 10 strikeouts, allowing only a single unearned run. At the plate, the 6'6 slugger went 5-for-5 with a double, a home run, and six RBI as Wichita State rolled to a 17-5 victory. For the series, Tolle finished 9-for-14 with two home runs and nine runs batted in, earning AAC Player of the Week honors.

RED (HOT) HERRING: After a slow start on the season-opening road trip, Wichita State infielder David Herring looked right at home in his Eck Stadium debut. The Cowley College transfer blistered opposing pitching for nine hits in 19 at-bats, including three doubles and his first home run as a Shocker. Herring entered the weekend with two RBI through his first six games, then drove in nine runs over the next four.

DOUBLE VISION: In the third inning of Sunday's game against Oakland, the Shockers strung together four consecutive doubles (David Herring, Kyte McDonald, Brock Rodden, Sawyre Thornhill) the first time the Shockers have hit four straight two-baggers in a game since the 2018 season against Kansas. Wichita State finished the 16-2 win with six doubles, two shy of the program record set in the same game against the Jayhawks. WSU entered play on Tuesday 21st nationally with 2.70 doubles per game, led individually by Mauricio Millan with five.