The RoundHouse | 3/28/2024 10:59:00 PM
By Paul Suellentrop
They are the "hold your ground" Shockers and the bruises paid off again.
"I don't want to give away our approach too much," second baseman
Jordan Rogers said. "We're told to not move. Hold your ground. Take your hit by pitch. That will win you games."
It did on Thursday. Wichita State batters held their ground to match a school record with six pitches off their hips, shoulders and backs in a 7-5 win over Rice at Eck Stadium. Three of those six hitters scored. Three Shockers drove in runs by taking a pitch to the body.
"It's a staple in our program," left fielder
Derek Williams said. "We like to stand there and hold our ground."
Add in seven walks, a sacrifice fly and a two-run infield single and WSU (16-9, 3-1 American Athletic Conference) won a game in which it stranded 14 runners and grounded into four double plays. Rice (9-17, 1-3) hit two home runs and benefited from two three-base errors by WSU center fielder
Dayvin Johnson. But the Owls managed only one runner in scoring position over the final five innings.
"We found a way to win when we didn't play very well," WSU coach
Brian Green said. "But the bullpen was really good."
The Shockers took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, helped by three straight hit by pitches, two of which drove in runs.
While the hit by pitches set WSU up, it had to hustle its way to a win in the seventh inning to break a 5-all tie.
Two walks and a hit by pitch brought Rogers up with two outs. His groundball forced Owls shortstop Jack Riedel to dive.
Dayvin Johnson's speed forced Riedel to throw to first and Rogers beat the throw, a play upheld after a video review.
"Put the ball in play," Rogers said. "Good things happen. It was a close play, but I ran my hardest down there. Leave it all out there."
Kam Durnin scored from third.
Camden Johnson never hesitated to score, without drawing a throw, from second to give the Shockers a 7-5 lead.
"The shortstop makes a great play, but if we're if not busting a tail to get to second he might flip it to second base," Green said. "That forced the long throw to first base. Aggressive baserunning was a big part of that."
Wichita State, now with 60 hit by pitches this season, entered the weekend series ranked No. 15 nationally and first in the AAC. Their 54 before Thursday was 10 more than Memphis' total, in three fewer games.
The Shockers also recorded six HBP in a win over Iowa earlier this season.
Using HBP as a weapon is about more than simply getting on base. For the Shockers, standing solid is about winning the fight for the inside part of the plate by discouraging the pitcher from throwing too close. A hitter who is bailing out is likely not seeing the ball well out of the pitcher's hand. That rewards a pitcher and encourages them to throw inside again.
"If the feet are moving really early, you know (the hitter) is making early decisions out of the hand," Green said. "We really try to evaluate that and force our guys to see the ball as long as they can so we can have higher on-base and HBPs."
Rogers moved into the team lead with 12 hit by pitches, one up on
Mauricio Millan, after taking two on Thursday. Williams walked twice and got hit twice with the bases loade to drive in two runs.
"We're going to stay tough with our approach," Williams said. "If a pitcher keeps throwing inside, we're going to hold our ground. Moving out of the way leaves the pitcher where he feels comfortable."
The series continues at 11 a.m. Friday (ESPN+) at Eck Stadium.
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
