Wichita State (16-11, 2-1 American) vs. #16 Oklahoma State (22-7, 6-3 Big 12)

Tuesday, April 4 | 6:00 pm CT | Stillwater, Oklahoma (O'Brate Stadium)
TV: ESPN+ | Radio: KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM
RHP Matt Boyer (0-0, 10.12) vs. TBA

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SCENE SETTER: Wichita State hits the road for a midweek battle against #16 Oklahoma State on Tuesday evening at O'Brate Stadium. The Shockers are coming off their first-ever series win against Cincinnati over the weekend, going 2-1 in the Queen City after previously having just two wins in 13 tries against the Bearcats. Wichita State nearly completed the sweep on Sunday, but let an 8-1 lead slip away over the late innings as Cincinnati scored two runs in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings to walk off the Shockers and end WSU's six-game winning streak. The loss was the largest lead Wichita State has squandered in a defeat since the 2017 season, when Bradley rallied from six down to defeat the Shockers.

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. "The Voice of the Shockers" and Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Famer Mike Kennedy will handle the play-by-play duties against Oklahoma State, with Denning Gerig joining the broadcast on color. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+ ($). 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 Cowboys will be meeting for the 104th time on Tuesday, with Oklahoma State holding a 66-37 lead in the all-time series. The Cowboys have won 12 of the last 14 matchups, including a 10-1 midweek victory earlier this season on March 22 at Eck Stadium. Wichita State last triumphed over the Cowboys in 2018, when the Shockers swept the season series with a 7-5 win in Wichita and a 10-7 victory in Stillwater. Prior to the WSU program's rebirth in 1978, the Shockers were just 2-25 against the Cowboys. The two programs have battled 15 times in NCAA postseason play, including a pair of matchups in the College World Series. Wichita State defeated the Cowboys in Omaha in 1982 and 1993.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE: Oklahoma State heads into play on Tuesday riding high after a series win against Texas in Stillwater, improving their record to 22-7 and 6-3 in Big 12 play. The Cowboys are ranked unanimously in the top 20 across all the national polls, checking in at 18 in the latest edition of the RPI rankings. The highlight of that record is a 12-game winning streak that spanned from February 26-March 14. Oklahoma State is 6-1 in midweek games so far this season, with wins against California Baptist, Missouri State, Arizona State (2x), Dallas Baptist and Wichita State, though DBU got their revenge last Tuesday with an 8-0 win. The Cowboys boast a powerful lineup that comes into play on Tuesday in the top-20 nationally in both doubles per game (2.52, 13th) and home runs per game (1.83, 18th). Defensively, Oklahoma State has compiled a team fielding percentage of .981 that ranks 15th in the country. The lineup is led by true freshman Nolan Schubart (.400/.538/.778) second baseman Roc Riggio, and two-way talents Nolan McLean and Carson Benge. The Cowboys are coming off a 42-22 season a year ago, hosting a regional before falling in the final to Arkansas. Head coach Josh Holliday is in his 11th season at the helm, with a 384-206-2 record to his credit.

OFF AND RUNNING: Wichita State stole just 36 bases in 57 attempts last season, an average of 0.6 swipes per contest. First-year head coach Loren Hibbs made it a point of emphasis for the Shockers to be more aggressive on the bases, and the numbers bear out that focus. In 2023, WSU is 39-for-52 in stolen base attempts through 27 games (1.4 per game), and have improved their success rate from 63.1% to 75.0%. In Sunday's game at Cincinnati, the Shockers stole a season high six bases, including two apiece from Kyte McDonald and Brock Rodden.

CLOSER COMMITTEE: By slamming the door with three scoreless innings in Friday's win against Cincinnati, Wichita State reliever Caden Favors joined the growing list of Shocker bullpen arms with a save in 2023. The Shockers now have five saves as a team this season from five different players, all five of which entered the season with no prior saves in their career (Cameron Bye, Robert Cranz, Jace Miner and Nate Snead).

MOTIVATED MAN: In his two seasons at Wichita State, Oklahoma native Brock Rodden has tortured opponents from the Sooner State. In 12 total games against Oral Roberts, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Rodden is hitting .365 (19-for-52) with four home runs, 13 RBI and 14 runs scored. The switch-hitter has at least one hit in all 12 games played.

WE GOT ICE: The Shockers were hit by a pitch seven times over the final two games of the series against Cincinnati, including a program record-tying five HBPs in Saturday's win. Redshirt sophomore outfielder Jordan Rogers wore three of the pitches, giving him a team-best six in just 54 plate appearances.

GET 'EM ON, GET 'EM OVER, GET 'EM IN: One major contributing factor to Wichita State's offensive resurgence in 2023 is the Shockers ability to get the leadoff man on base. When opening an inning this season, WSU hitters are 97-for-230, an incredible .422 batting average. The Shockers then score runners from third with less than two outs 67.4% of the time.

SOUTHPAW SWISS ARMY KNIFE: Left-hander Caden Favors has showcased his versatility this season by handling a variety of different roles. In 14 appearances, Favors has finished eight games and started three others, pitching to a 2.67 ERA in 33.2 total innings. Five of his eleven relief outings have lasted at least two innings.

WORKING ON THE WEEKEND: The Wichita State weekend rotation of Clark Candiotti, Payton Tolle and Grant Adler has been remarkably consistent through the first seven weekends of the 2023 season. The trio has combined for a 12-3 record, a 3.06 ERA, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 139:31 (4.5:1). The Shockers have had just two games in which a weekend starter has walked more than two batters.

WHO NEEDS A DH?: Two-way sophomore Payton Tolle is off to a phenomenal start to 2023, with a 6-0 record on the mound and a team-best .366 batting average. His numbers go to another level on days in which the lefty is pitching; on his seven start days, Tolle is hitting .500 (14-for-28) with three of his five home runs and 13 runs batted in. Tolle did not hit and pitch on the same day last season in an effort to manage his workload.

BACK IN THE SADDLE: Interim head coach Loren Hibbs is in his first season leading the Shockers after taking over for Eric Wedge in December of 2022. Hibbs starred as a record-setting outfielder for the Shockers, helping WSU to the program's first-ever CWS appearance in 1982, and still holds the NCAA record for single-season runs scored with 125. He then served as an assistant under legendary Shocker head coach Gene Stephenson before moving on to Charlotte, where Hibbs guided the 49ers for 27 seasons and more than 800 wins. He returned to the Wichita State program following the 2019 season, joining the staff as Director of Baseball Operations.

HIGH PRAISE: The Shockers landed four players on the American Athletic Conference preseason all-conference team, most of any club in the league. Infielder Brock Rodden, outfielder Chuck Ingram, designated hitter Payton Tolle and right-handed pitcher Cameron Bye were all selected, with Rodden tabbed as the conference's Preseason Player of the Year. Despite the league-best four honorees, Wichita State was picked fifth in the eight-team American Athletic Conference preseason poll.

RODDEN RETURN:  Infielder Brock Rodden burst on to the scene as one of college baseball's most impactful players in 2022. The Seminole State transfer led the Shockers in batting average (.338), on-base percentage (.441) and slugging percentage (.653) while launching 17 home runs, the most by a Shocker since Drew Moffitt hit 26 long balls in 2004. He was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 10th Round of the 2022 MLB Draft (pick 304 overall) but elected not to sign, one of just three players chosen in the top ten rounds to do so.

JUCO INFLUX: The Wichita State 2023 roster features eight junior college transfers, several of which have stepped in as immediate contributors. Former Mississippi State outfielder Kyte McDonald brings elite speed out in centerfield, and former St. Mary's righty Clark Candiotti has entrenched himself at the front of the weekend rotation. Two members of Cowley College's NJCAA runner-up team play major roles, as infielder David Herring is the everyday starter at shortstop and right-handed pitcher Grant Adler has grabbed the Sunday starter role. Righties Matt Wilkinson, Colton Vercoe and Carter Rost were added to solidify the bullpen, and catcher Mauricio Millan is off to a strong start offensively.