Baseball | 10/8/2026 7:48:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Filling up the strike zone is both an individual and a collective effort for Wichita State pitchers.
 
As a team, the Shockers focus on the reminders listed on the sheet of paper that outlines the practice plan daily. Those reminders put it on the individual to stay sharp and execute on the mound.
 

"One of our goals is 'Two out of three,'" said pitcher Maddox Meyer. "Of the first three pitches, two of them are strikes. It's hard to walk somebody when you're up 1-2."
 
The Shockers also lock in on keeping the leadoff hitter off base and throwing their first pitch for a strike. Those are standard pitching instructions, but the constant teaching is working this fall.
 
"They drill us with competitiveness over and over and over again," pitcher Kaden Longman said.
 
In three scrimmages, Wichita State pitchers total 39 strikeouts and seven walks in 29 innings in wins over Cowley College, Nebraska and Kansas City Kansas Community College. The Black & Yellow Fall World Series started Wednesday with a 5-0 victory by Black. The series continues Thursday (5 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m.).
 
"After the games, we'll go over the stats and the majority of time we've had success," Meyer said. "There's a reason. It's because of those few rules we had. If we don't meet our goals, it's usually not quite so good."
 
Last season's pitching staff needed a significant rebuild after departures by transfer or eligibility. Caleb Reed and Reese Kortum are the only returners who threw more than 20 innings last spring. Coaches targeted walk-to-strikeout ratio in transfer pitchers.
 
"We don't have a bunch of guys going 94, 95 mph," coach Brian Green said. "We have a bunch of guys going 90, 91. We've got guys who run it up to 94, 95, but they're not striking out guys because they're throwing 95. They're striking guys out because they're throwing three pitches for strikes."
 

Thirteen Shockers threw in the three scrimmages and six didn't walk a batter. Only one pitcher walked more than one. While those performances came mostly in one- and two-inning outings, Green is encouraged by the depth.
 
"We didn't chase velocity," he said. "We chased guys who had experience, had a breaking ball, had a clean delivery."
 
Meyer, a transfer from Omaha, symbolizes that approach. He went 5-5 with a 4.98 ERA last season for the Mavericks to earn second team All-Summit League honors. He walked nine batters in 68 2/3 innings.

His goal on the mound is to take the unearned successes away from hitters. Don't walk them. Don't hit them.

"If I throw strikes a lot of the time, they're going to probably get themselves out," he said. "It's really hard to hit. The easiest 90 (feet) you get in a baseball game is a walk. So, if you don't let them get those, it gets pretty hard on them."

Longman, a freshman from Newcastle, Okla., struck out six in three innings in the scrimmages and didn't walk a batter. In an inning vs. Kansas City Kansas, he threw 11 pitches, eight for strikes. Against Nebraska, he threw 16 pitches, 12 for strikes, in an inning.

"He doesn't look like a freshman on the mound," Meyer said. "He gets baseball and I think he knows he gets baseball, and that helps him."

Solid defense also helps the pitching staff and Green likes what he has seen this fall.  WSU is charged with three errors in the three scrimmages.

"It's the best outfield defense we've had since I've been here in terms of arm strength, athleticism," he said. "There's five guys that can go out there and throw it."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
 
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.