Speaker 1 00:00:12 Hello, this is Paul Saul and Trop of Wichita state university strategic communications. Thank you for listening to the roundhouse podcast today, we're going to talk about shocker baseball with junior sire. Thornhill SOLUR is an infielder and outfielder. He is from Huntington, Texas. He is off to a hot start hitting 3 54. He's got four doubles, three home runs for the shockers team leading 11 RBI, and he is on a 12 game hit streak. Saw yer is in his first season at Wichita state and transferring from Northeast Texas community college. You can get in, get out and check out the shockers this weekend at X stadium, they are six and seven. They're on a four game winning streak after Tuesday's six four win over oral Roberts. They play South Dakota state this weekend starting at 3:00 PM Friday. So sire shockers have won six out of seven. Uh, have some nice victories in that span down in Texas. Uh, what changed for this team after the, uh, five to win over Pepperdine?
Speaker 2 00:01:08 Oh man. I just think that we, I mean, we've competed with every game we'd been in except Texas state. Uh, but I just think we came closer as a team. We learned how to win instead of trying not to lose, uh, that was a big step for us. I think getting everybody in a lineup to click was a big thing, getting our pitching to, to throw it over to, to basically give us a good chance to score runs all we could. So I think that was a big deal for us. I mean, going on this, the streak, I mean, we re we easily could be nine and four or whatever, but, uh, we we've clicked. And I think right now we're, we're going at a steady pace, not thinking it could do really great things. So
Speaker 1 00:01:49 You started out with a whole bunch of road games. Coaches, athletes will often say going on the road can be beneficial because you're forced to get to know each other. You gotta, you gotta be together. You're on the bus, you're eating together. You got to know other people. Do you see that happening for this
Speaker 2 00:02:04 Oh 100%. And I think, uh, us being all together making, uh, making us closer as a team for one, it's just the biggest thing and baseball or any other sports, just being close as a team to me. And, uh, I just think this, this road trip could really help us. And now that we're on this, this street that we're on, I think that it just carried on the home games and I know the shockers have been really good at home. I mean, Eric wedge has done a really good job with being at home and winning games at home. So I feel like the road really helped us come together. And for sure it could help us in the end.
Speaker 1 00:02:40 So you mentioned a phrase that I think fans hear a lot playing to win, not playing, not to lose. Give us an example. What's the, what's the difference there?
Speaker 2 00:02:49 So like instead of going in a game where we, we go up, I think in LA tag, we're winning almost every single game we were, we had to lead. And, uh, we basically kind of just tried not to lose instead of putting the foot on the gas and just keep going in swarm or runs and pitchers, thrown it over the plate, getting more strike outs and stuff like that. So,
Speaker 1 00:03:11 So the shocker start Owens six. Describe how things stayed together. Did anybody say anything? Was there a dramatic moment? Was there a sense of calm? How did, how did things stay on track?
Speaker 2 00:03:23 So after our, we went over into we're in, uh, Louisiana tech. Uh, we got the whole team together and basically just talked about because there was some back and forth going between hitters and pitchers. And we, we got the whole team together and we win and lose as Wichita state. We don't win and lose us hitters and pitchers. We we're we're together. We're not singling anybody out. Like if we lose it's on us, it's not just one fall to the other. So it was, it was a big deal to have that, that talk. And even though we went, oh, and four after that, yeah, I think that was a big step. And recognizing that we could be attained that like could eventually get to the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 1 00:04:02 So fans coming out this weekend, um, we're going to get a look at some new shockers people. They probably have not seen a whole lot. Give us a couple of your teammates that, uh, maybe have impressed you early and that fans should pay particular attention to.
Speaker 2 00:04:15 I mean, there's, I mean, there's all kinds of guys. I mean, we got returners that have done their job. Uh, I mean like Brock and me coming from a Juco, we were expected to come in here and play every single day and, uh, to help us win in any way we can. Uh, I mean, we'll start a cat, a really good start, uh, against, uh, ORU, uh, Tuesday. And, um, let's see, we got, we got eggs. That's made up. I mean, he's struggled at the beginning, but like this dude is probably one of the best freshmen I've ever seen, like in college, like he he's got tools that could put them in the pros one day. And like, I would say X Brock. I mean, you got a will stark. Uh, I mean, Jack is he's struggling, but you could see where he he's starting to come back and his swings looking better and everything like that. And Peyton's totally just an absolute dog. Like he's a dog on the mound. He just wants to go out. And when he pitches with so much compassion, when he gets into plate, he has, he doesn't overthink. He likes to just have fun. And I think those guys are gonna help us win. And I think those are the guys that we should be looking for coming this season. X's
Speaker 1 00:05:26 Your castle Rhea playing third base. Uh, we'll start. Cause he, the fastest kid on this team, he is
Speaker 2 00:05:32 Got the fastest feet for sure. But, uh, we do have some guys that I mean can compete with them. He's just, I think he's got the quickest couple steps out of the box that just make it so much easier for him to get down the line and everything.
Speaker 1 00:05:46 So tell us how you got to Wichita state.
Speaker 2 00:05:48 Well, that's a long story. So I started out at Angelina college, uh, played there my freshman year and then the COVID year, the code year only played 20 games. Uh, so after that year I was signed with South Carolina, uh, going into, I signed October, 2019. So before we even played the COVID year, uh, I was signed there. They called me in may and was like, there's only five rounds of the draft. We're having a bunch of seniors come back. Like you can come, but you're not going to be on scholarship. And I was just like, oh, that bummed me out because I was just like my dream school. That's where I've always wanted to go. So when they called me, I was like, okay, I'm just going to go on the transport report, the transfer portal. And, uh, when that happened, a bunch of schools called me nothing.
Speaker 2 00:06:35 I was just like wanting to just take and everything like that, the money wasn't there. So I decided to go back to Angelina college. Well, after I went back to Angelina college, two weeks later, the Dean of Angelina college came out and said, they're just going to do away with all sports, like every sport for the 20, 21 season. And so that really bummed me out. So I had to go through another recruiting process. And the first school I called them, it was north central, Texas, or Northeast central Texas. And, uh, when they called me, they made me feel at home. I knew the coaches. I mean, they were in my conference, so I kind of knew the players. Uh, so I kinda went through that. And then I decided to just go there because I knew for one I'd play, uh, to give me a time to become better improve and what I needed to improve in, uh, played there. And Sirianni called me in the fall of 2021. Uh, he offered me, um, some stuff went down and ended up not taking the offer. And he stayed in touch with me until like April and they had made another offer. It was great offer. And I decided that this is where I need to be. I can, he was a really good infield coach has helped me tremendously. And so I just felt like this would be the place that I can strive at and I could be successful.
Speaker 1 00:07:53 Interesting. So I think everybody that follows college athletics is trying to figure out how that COVID year and all the stuff that went on around it is going to affect people. And so you are an example, you got squeezed out because the extra eligibility for the four year players there just, wasn't a spot for you. Interesting.
Speaker 3 00:08:23 Hi, this is Rick I'm president of Wichita state university. Check out the latest episode of the forward together podcast. Each episode, I sit down with different guests from Shakur nations and celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita state university. Listen, wherever you get your podcasts,
Speaker 1 00:08:51 Uh, tell us about your life in baseball. Was it always your sport? Were there other sports that, that you were
Speaker 2 00:08:56 Intrigued by? So, I mean, I've played basketball and baseball my whole life. Um, I got a high school and I was, I mean, I always knew that I was better in baseball and then I had a future in baseball, but I was always playing to have fun. I was never really thinking about going, like going to college when I was a freshman, sophomore, I wasn't a big time, like, uh, prospect of this, that and the other. But, uh, so I got to my junior year and I asked my basketball coach. I was like, do you think that I should just do away with basketball? And he was like, you do what like you need to do, like, I'm not gonna persuade you one way or the other. You do what makes you happy? And, uh, I feel like basketball helped me be as athletic as I am now. So I, I decided to stay, um, got to my senior year. Uh, it was probably the most fun I ever had playing both sports. Uh, made me who I am. I think, uh, towards the end of basketball season, I just started noticing that I could, I could potentially go wherever I want to for baseball. So I decided to take the Juco route and go to Angelina college.
Speaker 1 00:10:03 We play much pickup basketball with theater, with your teammates here and give us some scattered reports if you have.
Speaker 2 00:10:09 I mean, we, we played in the fall. We had like this competition day where we like everybody had to pick teams and we played basketball and that was really fun to get back out there. But you always have that, that urge to just go out there and do like as hard as you can, but you got to think about injury and stuff like that. So we couldn't really just push it as hard as we could, but it was still fun. Who was
Speaker 1 00:10:28 The best shooter in the, in the competition probably
Speaker 2 00:10:31 Says stro that, I mean, he can dunk it whenever he wants. He's just, he's a guy like me that played basketball, baseball. He played, I think he played football track. He's just an athletic guy, but he was definitely the best out there. I think he looks like
Speaker 1 00:10:46 The basketball player. I could see that, you know, who's a big pickup basketball fan. I don't think he plays anymore, but for years and years he did his Mike.
Speaker 2 00:10:52 Oh yeah. He was out there. He was, yeah, he was at the end. Uh, there was, uh, the team that won it all or whatever that went three and oh, and the little pickup games got to play all the coaches and Pelfrey was out there and he was, he was locking them down and it was, it was falling. It was fun to watch what was like
Speaker 1 00:11:10 Playing the coaches. Did they call a bunch of files
Speaker 2 00:11:12 And kind of stuff? They were rough. They were, they were really rough. They didn't call any fouls. They, if you call it a fell on them, they would just be like, quit being like that and all that. So it was fun to watch.
Speaker 1 00:11:21 Did Eric wedge take all the shots out
Speaker 2 00:11:24 There? He didn't play. He didn't even get out there.
Speaker 1 00:11:27 All right. I would have liked to have seen a little pickup basketball from shocker baseball. Uh, you started a second base. You've started in left field. I'm trying to think of, it's kind of an odd combination. I'm trying to think of other shockers who have done that. Nothing pops to mind. There's probably some w do you consider yourself infielder, outfielder? How do you think about that?
Speaker 2 00:11:46 So, I mean, I mean, I've always been an infielder. I haven't played outfield since I was probably 12. And, uh, uh, Syriani came up to me and was like, dude, like, we're going to have to find ways for you to be in line of like, can you play left field? I was like, I mean, I don't know. I mean, I haven't played since a long time ago and he was just like, well, just go out there and try it. And if you don't like it, we'll see what we can do. And I mean, I, I told him I was, my exact words is coach. I can play anywhere. I can, anywhere you put me, I can play anywhere. And as long as I can get in the line up, I, I really don't care. And he was like, okay. And so I started there and, uh, I've always been an infielder. So it's kind of been back and forth there. I mean, I've been segregated shortstop third base, the whole full. So it's like, whatever the team needs is basically what I'll do, like whatever I can do to help. So that was a, that was a big deal to get me a lineup, but even if it was left field. So
Speaker 1 00:12:41 Take us back to the fall. What were your early impressions of shocker baseball?
Speaker 2 00:12:46 Uh, always knew wedge was, uh, basically it was just going to be hard. Uh, but I, I like to have that strict coach. Uh, I got here and the guys are just welcoming. They, they knew that I came from another college junior college and it was just welcoming to get in there and, uh, basically do what I needed to do to, to perform and to get closer with guys and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 00:13:10 We're sitting in a room. I always have to ask this question. We've got all the uniforms up on the wall. Do you have a favorite?
Speaker 2 00:13:15 Uh, I mean, I like personally, I really liked the grays and the pinstripes and then it would go probably if I had to guess it would probably go pinstripe gray and then the black with the curse of shockers on it. Haven't got to where the Digi Kamow yet. So that'll be fun to do. And yeah, but also like the creams and creams or
Speaker 1 00:13:40 A lot of quiet, quite a variety that's for sure. The 12 game hitting streak. Do you have superstitions?
Speaker 2 00:13:46 Basically, the only stupid superstition I have is probably my batting gloves. Uh, until I go again where I don't have a hit, I probably won't use them, but I've got two ribs and both, or just my left hand. I have a rib right here by my ring finger and my pinky finger, but I'm going to keep using them until they don't produce that's about it.
Speaker 1 00:14:07 Adding gloves are the superstition. Okay. Anybody on this team got interesting superstitions?
Speaker 2 00:14:13 Uh, not that I've not that I haven't like could hear. See, but, uh, I'm sure guys have kind of got the same thing, but not that I can see
Speaker 1 00:14:24 You are from, or you're from Texas big Houston Astros fan. Who's your favorite Astros player?
Speaker 2 00:14:30 Carlos Korea. Okay. For
Speaker 1 00:14:32 Sure. What do you like about his game?
Speaker 2 00:14:34 He's just, he kind of reminds me of myself, even though he's two inches taller, but, uh, he, he's just kind of a long guy that really athletic, uh, can come up and clutch situations. I mean, with this mob lockout, like he was looked at to get a really big extension from somebody and it was kind of hurt my feelings if he would've went somewhere else, but hopefully he stays with Astros. I can be even more of an Astros fan, but, uh, he, he's just, he reminds me so much of myself, even from the ride, the ride batter's box. That's just, he's just a dog. Like he just gets out there and grinds. And he's just one of my favorite players.
Speaker 1 00:15:11 Thoughts on the lockout? Are you disappointed? I'm
Speaker 2 00:15:14 Pretty, I'm pretty disappointed at some owners are kind of selfish about it. Like, I don't think anybody likes rod Manfred, but uh, kinda disappointed, kind of want to watch baseball, but same time that it's just making college baseball even more enjoyable to watch because everybody now is talking about college baseball. They don't really care about the lockout. And I mean, Texas stages being number one, Texas last night. And I mean, it's just, it's a big atmosphere to be in right now. And I think that's why everybody enjoys it.
Speaker 1 00:15:44 I've been to several games at the Astros ballpark. Do you have a favorite ballpark treat that you like to get when you go?
Speaker 2 00:15:50 Oh man, probably the nachos. They come in the, the baseball helmet. That's probably that and like probably an IC to go with it. Oh, that just hits a spot.
Speaker 1 00:16:04 The batting practice helmet. You can't go. You can't go wrong with that. Whether it's ice cream or nachos, it's always a, that's a, that's a good, good treat at the ballpark. How about the DH DH or no DH and major league baseball?
Speaker 2 00:16:15 I think it's a bunch of controversial stuff, but I think if it's either going to be put one way or the other, I think either both leaks shouldn't have it or both leaks should have it. It just shouldn't go back and forth. Where if you go to nationally park your pitcher as the head, and if you go to American league park, then you have a DH. I think it should be one way or the other.
Speaker 1 00:16:37 You were number three. Is there a significance
Speaker 2 00:16:40 Number three? So, I mean, I got here and basically they picked my number, but three like three and 27. That's my birthday, March 27th. So it's kinda, it was kinda good to get three because month of March and then 27th, my birthday and I used to be five all the way up until, I mean my senior year. And then I wore it once in junior college. So five, three and 27 where my favorite numbers
Speaker 1 00:17:03 Probably was five for George Brett
Speaker 2 00:17:05 Now, like, so I used to have 55 when I was like younger. And when I got into like actual school sports, 55 was like a triple XL. It's like the biggest Jersey, like there was, so I just had to go with five and we kind of wore that, uh, from then on out and then 27 Mike trout, probably my second favorite player. Uh, and then it just kind of goes on my birthday. So
Speaker 1 00:17:29 From now on tell people you were five for George Brett, uh, your first name S a w Y R E not the, uh, I guess not the traditional spelling of SOLUR. Is there a story behind the spelling? So
Speaker 2 00:17:41 When I was born, uh, my mom and dad were just going back and forth between my mom wanted me to be named Dylan. And so, uh, my dad was like, no, I want him to be Sawyer. And then my mom was like, well, if it's going to be Sawyer, we're going to spell it different. And so she switched the R and the E and now I'm saw you're doing Darnella so like that they both got what they wanted and it was, it was a good deal. So yeah,
Speaker 1 00:18:06 Unique. I like it. Perfect hunting weekend. Describe what that would look like.
Speaker 2 00:18:12 Perfect hunting weekend. It'd be below freezing. Uh, I mean it probably, if it was opening day of deer season and it's below freezing and where I can just turn on the heater and the deer stand and just sit there and as long as possible, that would be my perfect set. And then duck hunting the same way. I'd want it to be really, really cold. Uh, I do not want to duck hunt in Texas because it's absolutely horrible. It is not fun. Uh, but if I had to pick a perfect duck hunting spot to be somewhere in Kansas, some probably snowing because I've never hunted in the snow. So that'd be, that'd be kind of cool to do, but yeah, I think those would be the perfect like scenarios. Why is the
Speaker 1 00:18:55 Cold so important to
Speaker 2 00:18:56 You? Uh, for one deer hunting when it's cold, uh, they're more likely to, to get up and to go feed and stuff like that. If it, if it's hot, they can, they can just lay down and then wait for the night. And then you can't really hunt. You can't hunt at night. So, uh, it being cold gets him up, gets him trying to get warm and get some food, stuff like that. So that'd be more time, you'll see them
Speaker 1 00:19:18 Strategic thing that you can stay on the discomfort because you're more likely to be a hundred percent and they're likely to be successful. Have you gotten a chance to get out and hunt hunt much in Kansas?
Speaker 2 00:19:27 Uh, I haven't hunted in Kansas yet, but, uh, me and my, like me Brock drew, uh, we, we went out to a couple public land spots to see, and we, we went out there and just to kind of scout and stuff, and we saw a couple of deer, but never got a chance to go and get my, my license or anything like that. But, um, Thanksgiving break, I got to go home and hunt. And so that was fine. I got to go home for the whole month of December and high. So that was, that was a big deal to me.
Speaker 1 00:19:56 What is the most, I guess, impressive hunting success.
Speaker 2 00:20:00 Yes, you've had, so, I mean, my let's see my, it would have been 20, 21 fall. Uh, no, it'd been 20, 24. I, I was at Northeast, Texas and we went, uh, let's see, it would've been October, so it was still kind of warm. Uh, I got to go home for the weekend because we didn't have practice for the weekend. I got to go home and on Sunday, uh, the last hunt before I got to go back to, to college, uh, I had sat there and it was kind of a warm day. So I didn't figure that I was going to see much. And the deer that I'd been hunting for the past two or three weeks stepped out at nine 30 and I did my to do my due diligence. And, uh, I got him and that was probably the most, that was probably the happiest I've been in a long time hunting wise. And, uh, it was a nine point score to 140 inches. It was, it was a big deal to me. And if you have
Speaker 1 00:20:56 Favorite meal, a favorite cut, favorite thing you do with the, with the, with the venison or?
Speaker 2 00:21:01 Yeah. So definitely the back Straus Freido back straps are the best thing you can have to me, but
Speaker 1 00:21:07 Yeah, I'm fascinated by the wild hogs in Texas and Oklahoma. Do you ever hunt them?
Speaker 2 00:21:13 Yeah. Like anytime they come out, I try to, to get rid of them because they're, they're an invasive species. Like they just tear up everything, they take all the, like, if you have corn or anything like that, they just eat all of it. So it kind of makes it hard for the deer to come around because they don't have anything to eat because the hogs eat at all. So,
Speaker 1 00:21:31 Yeah. That's an interesting, interesting situation. All right. Saw your, thank you very much for your time again. We've got the shockers playing this weekend at X stadium. The series starts against South Dakota state at 3:00 PM Friday. Thank you for listening to the roundhouse podcast, courtesy of Wichita state university, strategic communications. We appreciate your time. We encourage you to rate review, subscribe, wherever you get your podcasts, such as on iTunes or Google play. You can find more roundhouse
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Speaker 4 00:22:17 And let him pass it up court. And then it gets picked off a long free by PENGOS no good. One second. It's over. It is over. And what your task has beaten. The number one team in the nation to go to the sweet 16, go crazy. What Utah.
