Nebraska Baseball at Wichita St: Series Preview and Game Thread

Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-4) at Wichita State Shockers (9-5)

Location: Eck Stadium – Home of Tyler Field, Wichita, KS

Date/Time: March 12th & 13th @ 6pm CDT

Head Coaches: Will Bolt (5th season, 106-79-1) & Brian Green (1st season, 258-203-1)

TV/Stream: ESPN+

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

Probable Pitchers: Game 1: LHP Will Walsh (0-0, 6.00 ERA) vs RHP Brady Hamilton (0-1, 2.00 ERA)

Game 2: RHP Ryan Harrahill (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs TBA

What’s up at Wichita State

If you’ll recall, Wichita State had quite the offseason, electing not to retain their interim coach, Loren Hibbs. Not only was HIbbs a former Gene Stephenson player and assistant, but he had just won the AAC Coach of the Year. He and his staff were so well liked that half of the Shockers roster entered the transfer portal, and many ended up leaving to “power 5” (to borrow a football term) teams. Not only that, but they lost numerous recruits, including a few who followed former assistant Mike Sirianni to Nebraska.

What about the current team?

WSU ended up hiring Washington St head coach Brian Green. He was charged with rebuilding a decimated roster and seems to want to do so from the ground up. 18 freshman are on the roster (including Drew Iverson from Plattsmouth, NE), along with a handful of JUCO transfers.

You’d think that would mean Wichita is trying to find itself with its of new faces, but they are off to good start to the year with a 9-5 record. They are coming off an impressive series win over a good Long Beach State team, and also boast a win over a team most of its fans are convinced is going to the CWS, Iowa.

The Shocker offense is powered by JUCO All American Derek Williams. He is hitting .326 with 5 home runs and 12 RBIs, with an OPS of 1.187. Freshman Camden Johnson is off to a hot start and leading the team with a .389 batting avg, and 12 RBIs. As far as on the mound, closer Nate Adler is back and better than ever. He has already amassed 4 saves and not allowed a run in 5 appearances. Expect to see lefty Hunter Holmes at least once from the pen, their best strikeout pitcher, as well as RHP Caleb Anderson, who leads the team in appearances with 8 and has 15 Ks in 10.2 innings.

Series History

Nebraska leads the all time series 26-25. Wichita won the last series 2-1 in 2018.