Wichita State (17-34, 8-16 American) vs. Memphis (22-30, 8-16 American)

Thursday, May 15 | 6:00 pm CT | Wichita, Kan. (Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field at Gene Stephenson Park)
TV: ESPN+ | Radio: KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM
RHP Grant Adler (4-5, 6.06) vs. RHP Seth Garner (3-7, 4.11)

Friday, May 16 | 6:00 pm CT | Wichita, Kan. (Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field at Gene Stephenson Park)
TV: ESPN+ | Radio: KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM
RHP Brady Hamilton (2-7, 5.78) vs. LHP David Case (1-7, 5.47)

Sunday, May 17 | 1:00 pm CT | Wichita, Kan. (Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field at Gene Stephenson Park)
TV: ESPN+ | Radio: KFH 97.5 FM/1240 AM
TBA vs. TBA

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SCENE SETTER: Wichita State hosts Memphis in the final series of the regular season, a three-game set at Eck Stadium that will decide which team advances to the American Athletic Conference tournament. There is no scenario where both teams can qualify, while the outcome of other series around the conference could vault the Shockers or Tigers as high as the #7 seed in the bracket. The Shockers posted a 13-9 win over Oral Roberts on Tuesday night, WSU's first midweek win of the season. Wichita State is coming off a 32-29 season in 2024 that included a 15-12 mark in American Athletic Conference play, tying for third in the final conference standings. WSU went on to reach the championship game of the AAC Tournament for the first time in program history, falling to Tulane, 11-10. Wichita State is hunting their first appearance in the NCAA tournament since the 2013 season, a regional bid that was later vacated by the NCAA.

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 2025. "The Voice of the Shockers" Mike Kennedy will have the call of the series against Memphis. The games will also be streamed on ESPN+ ($), with Shocker Sports Hall of Famer Shane Dennis on play-by-play and former Wichita State outfielder Corrigan Bartlett joining the broadcast as color commentator. Live audio, in addition to live statistics, will be available at GoShockers.com/listen and ShockerStats.com. 

SERIES HISTORY: The Shockers and Tigers have met 20 times in the all-time series history, with every game taking place after Wichita State joined the American Athletic Conference in 2017. The Shockers hold a 13-7 lead in the series, winning all six series but never sweeping the Tigers. Memphis won the only meeting in the conference tournament in 2023. Last season, Wichita State and Memphis played a wild series at FedExPark; WSU won the series 2-1 thanks to a five-hour, 57-minute game two that the Shockers claimed 12-10 in 13 innings to eliminate Memphis from postseason contention. The Tigers salvaged the series finale 11-10 on the strength of a late rally, relegating the Shockers to the #4 seed in the conference tournament.

SCOUTING MEMPHIS: The Tigers bring an overall record of 22-30 into play on Thursday, including an 8-16 mark in American Athletic Conference play. Memphis is coming off an 11-8 win over Central Arkansas on Tuesday in their final midweek contest of the season. The Tigers have struggled offensively, ranking 286th nationally in batting average (.247) and 254th in scoring (5.7 runs per game), but combined for 26 runs over their last two games. Thursday night starter Seth Garner has been one of the conference's most consistent arms, logging seven quality starts while walking three or fewer batters in each of his 13 outings. Flame-throwing closer Brayden Sanders has five saves and has allowed just one run over his last six appearances. Head coach Matt Riser is in his second season with the Tigers after 10 years at Southeastern Louisiana, combining for a 365-286 (.561) record.

SETTING THE SCENE: With just one conference weekend remaining in the regular season schedule, the American Athletic Conference race is nearly finalized. The top eight teams in the conference standings qualify for the AAC Championship in Clearwater, Florida; for Wichita State to clinch a spot, the Shockers need to win at least two games this weekend against Memphis plus one win from either Rice or Florida Atlantic. Even if WSU wins two of three, the Shockers would still be on the outside looking in if UTSA sweeps Rice and UAB sweeps Florida Atlantic, which would prompt a three-team tiebreaker between Wichita State, Rice and UAB. UTSA (20-4) has already clinched the league title outright and will be the #1 seed.

OFFENSIVE BREAKOUT: Wichita State has put together their best offensive stretch of the season over the last two games, combining for 31 runs in just 16 offensive innings. That's the most runs the Shockers have scored in consecutive games this season and only the second time all year WSU has posted double-digit runs in back-to-back contests (3/14 and 3/15 vs. Louisiana Tech). Big innings have been the catalyst, as Wichita State has posted a seven-run inning in each of the last two games (5th inning vs. Rice, 2nd inning vs. Oral Roberts).

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE: For much of the season, Wichita State has struggled mightily in high-leverage offensive situations, hitting just above .200 with both the bases loaded and with runners in scoring position and two outs. The Shockers have four bases-loaded hits in their last two games after recording just 13 for the entire season, and scored a season-high nine two-out runs in Tuesday's win over Oral Roberts.

GOING STREAKING: The recent offensive outburst can be largely attributed to surges from Jaden Gustafson and Cole Dillon, the Shockers two hottest hitters over the last 10 games by nearly 150 points. Dillon is currently riding a 12-game hitting streak, tied for the longest by any Shocker this season, and is 11-for-24 with six walks and just one strikeout over the last 10 games. Gustafson is coming off a career-best six RBI in Tuesday's win against Oral Roberts and has gone 12-for-20 on the heels of a 4-for-40 slump.

YOU'RE A WIZARD, POTTER: WSU closer Nick Potter has put together his best stretch of the season over the last two weeks, combining for 8.1 consecutive scoreless innings over his last four appearances. The best outing of the stretch came on Friday night at Rice, when Potter worked a season-high 4.0 shutout innings and struck out a season-high six batters, allowing just one baserunner on a walk.

WALK-OFF WINNERS: Jaden Gustafson delivered Wichita State's latest walk-off on May 4 against East Carolina, punching an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to cap an 8-7 win. The Shockers have already logged four walk-off wins this season: Lane Haworth's two-run homer against Cal State Fullerton on February 28, Mauricio Millan's RBI single against Missouri State on March 9, and Kaleb Duncan's two-run homer vs. UAB on March 28 (run-rule). Wichita State had just one walk-off among their 19 home wins last season.

POWER OF THE PLUNK: Wichita State shattered the program record for hit by pitches in 2024, drawing 116 HBPs to best the previous mark (84 in 2019) by 32. The Shockers have already been hit 99 times this season, including a program-record eight on April 15 at Kansas. WSU finished 16th nationally in team HBPs last season, led by Mauricio Millan's new program and conference record 24. Jordan Rogers set the program's career HBP record over the weekend against Rice, wearing three baseballs to give him 53 hit by pitches for his career.

BULLPEN STRUGGLES: Wichita State relievers have combined for a 7.12 ERA this season in 231.1 innings, a figure that is exacerbated by an inability to limit extra-base hits. The bullpen has allowed 37 home runs and 57 doubles, nearly twice as many (14 and 34, respectively) as opponents in the same amount of innings.

NO RUNNING: Wichita State has managed just one stolen base in their last 15 games (Jordan Rogers vs. South Florida, 4/26) and have attempted only one steal in the last nine contests. The Shockers are just 21-for-28 in stolen base attempts this season, ranking 292nd out of 299 teams nationally in stolen bases per game (0.42).

TRIPLE THREAT: The Shockers have hit 14 triples this season, ranking 47th nationally and tops in the American Athletic Conference. The pace has slowed, however, as Wichita State has just one three-bagger in their last 11 games (Jaden Gustafson - Friday at Rice).

SMALL BALL: With just 32 home runs through the first 51 games of the season, the Shockers are on pace for their fewest homers in a season since the BBCOR era (24 homers in 2013). Of the 32 home runs, 28 of them have been either solo or two-run homers. Wichita State has hit 50 or more long balls in each of the last four seasons, including 74 last year.

REVERSE SPLITS: Sophomore infielder Camden Johnson has defied all the conventional wisdom of left-on-left matchups so far this season. When facing same-side pitching, Johnson has 30 hits in 69 at-bats for a staggering .435 average, while hitting a more modest .271 against righties. 

PORTAL POWER: Wichita State turned to the portal for seven D1 transfers: Grant Adler (Kansas), Cole Dillon (Arizona), Jace Miner (Oklahoma), Arnad Mulamekic (Siena), Owen Reynolds (Oral Roberts), MJ Seo (LSU) and Owen Washburn (Texas Tech). Adler and Miner both began their D1 careers at Wichita State before transferring during the coaching change, with Adler named the AAC Newcomer Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and Miner earning Second Team All-Conference honors as a reliever.

TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE: With a program record of 2,359 wins, 1,310 losses and nine ties, Wichita State ranks in the top ten of all college baseball programs with a .642 winning percentage. The Shockers have won 20 regular season conference championships and 18 conference tournament championships, earning a trip to Omaha for the College World Series on seven different occasions. WSU claimed the 1989 national championship and finished as national runner-up in 1982, 1991 and 1993.