The RoundHouse | 4/29/2023 6:27:00 PM
By Paul Suellentrop
After Friday's win, Wichita State interim coach
Loren Hibbs wrapped it up in the locker room with the standard admonishment to get to bed and come to Eck Stadium ready on Saturday.
Standard, yes, but with a sense of urgency. The Shockers are in a championship race and Memphis' top starting pitcher loomed.
"We came right at them last night, in terms of what we were going to be up against," Hibbs said. "Being good today starts last night."
The Shockers paid attention and played like a mature, focused team in Saturday's 8-1 win over Memphis. The win moved them into sole possession of first place in the American Athletic Conference, a game ahead of Houston. Wichita State (26-16, 10-4) won its fourth conference series and can record its second sweep on Sunday (noon).
Memphis lefty Dalton Fowler and his 1.08 earned run average in conference play added to the stakes. The Tigers are 4-0 in the second game of conference series with Fowler starting all four.
"That caliber of pitcher is what we'll see in (NCAA) regionals," right fielder
Chuck Ingram said. "That shows we're not messing around, because no one else has been able to get past him."
The Shockers, ranked No. 25 in Collegiate Baseball, won their seventh straight conference game and eighth in the past nine overall with another superb start from
Payton Tolle and an offensive attack sparked by the bottom of the order.
Tolle shelved his hitting duties for a second straight weekend start and held the Tigers (21-22, 4-10) to five hits with nine strikeouts over seven innings.
The Shockers trailed 1-0 entering the third. No. 7 hitter
Kyte McDonald hit the first of his three doubles, two off Fowler, to start the inning.
Seth Stroh and No. 9 hitter
Jack Little followed with singles. Ingram reached on a fielder's choice and the Shockers took a 2-1 lead.
"(Fowler's) a pro," Hibbs said. "Our guys accepted the challenge. Stick with the plan. When you have guys at the bottom of the lineup that are really athletic and put the ball in play – we only struck out four times – that's getting back to Shocker baseball."
The Shockers dented Fowler for seven hits by rarely over-swinging and being patient enough to get a good look at his breaking pitches. Memphis committed four errors, leading to three unearned runs against Fowler.
McDonald went 3 for 3 and scored twice. Ingram went 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI. Little singled, walked and drove in two runs.
"He's got a good fastball, with a hard slider," McDonald said. "We were trying to stay above that fastball, because he likes to throw it up in the zone. A lot of guys we were seeing on video were missing under it."
McDonald also doubled in the fourth to score
David Herring and in the eighth off reliever Jackson Lyons. After sharing center field with Ingram early in the season, McDonald took over that job in late March and rewarded Hibbs with good defense.
"Really good athlete that listens and works," Hibbs said. "He can bunt. We decided several weeks ago we were going to play him on a regular basis. We felt he was the best athlete we could put in center field. Keep giving him consistent at-bats."
That regular spot in the lineup helps McDonald, who is hitting .306 with eight doubles and 10 steals.
"I had a pretty slow start, slower than I expected," McDonald said. "Getting back in the lineup every day, it definitely helps getting in the flow of things."
Saturday's sunny skies and temperatures in the 70's added to the atmosphere, with a season-high announced attendance of 2,215. The combination of the crowd, the business-like win and the spot atop the standings reminded Hibbs of past standards for Shocker baseball.
"It felt like Shocker baseball to me," he said. "People are starting to get back to really getting into the game, which is great to see. This group is really representing Wichita State baseball the right way. Our kids deserve it, they deserve to be in this situation."
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
