Speaker 1 00:00:12 Hello, this is Paul Soro of Wichita state university's strategic communications. Thank you for listening to the roundhouse podcast, where today we have Steve strain. Steve is in his sixth season calling shocker softball. He is the voice of shocker softball, and he's gonna help us preview a big weekend series against UCF. Let's set the stage a little bit. UCF they're ranked 15th overall they're 42 and 11. They are 14 and one in the American athletic conference. One game up over the shockers and the shockers moved into some top 20 fives. This week. They are number 25 Wichita state 31 and 13. They are 13 and two overall. So we will decide a lot. This weekend. American athletic conference title is on the line. Shockers need to win two outta three. Uh, shockers could also help their NCAA at large resume. Cuz UCF has a, uh, uh, an RPI that is in the, in the top 20. So Steve let's start by breaking down the nights. This is a contrast in styles. What should fans know about UCF and how they win softball
Speaker 2 00:01:15 Largely by their pitching? Uh, a collective 2.2 earned run average Paul. So this is the old, uh, imovable object versus irresistible force. You have one of the best offenses in all of the nation in Wichita state 3 50 14, batting average, a collective 6 93 slugging percentage against a pitching step or central Florida. That's really good. Again, 2.2 is their, uh, combined team E a they've also got two pictures, uh, Gianna, Mancha, and Woodall who have combined for 33 of their 41 wins. Whereas you look at Wichita state, they've spread it around a lot more amongst pretty much, uh, three players, uh, central Florida has two really good ones that are 33 and six combined between those two. I just mentioned. So something's gotta give this weekend. Will it be the great central Florida pitching that gives way to the shocker bats or, uh, vice versa. It's gonna be a fun series. I'm really excited.
Speaker 1 00:02:15 So UCF is more of a speed team. They hit doubles. They have, I think 13 triples, few home runs. So it's not like they have no power, but, uh, different than Wichita state. What's the challenge for, for shocker pitching to, you know, to keep Wichita state in the game.
Speaker 2 00:02:31 I think one of the things will be not to be distracted by their speed because you touched on that 80 stolen bases for central Florida in 93 attempts. So they are very aggressive on the base paths, contrast that to Wichita state of course, great power numbers. Uh, they've got 46 stolen bases this season. So central Florida steals bases almost at a two to one rate to which Utah state. And that can be a distraction. I think if you're a pitcher knowing that at any time, you know, they might be trying to, to put the steel on or something like that, especially young ones like Allison Cooper. So, uh, don't be attend, uh, don't get distracted by the base runners, uh, just do your thing, which she has done a tremendous job of they all have in the last month or so. Um, and then, uh, rely on your defense behind you, which has been pretty good and obviously, uh, hope that you get, uh, those 6, 7, 8 runs again that they've been putting up.
Speaker 1 00:03:21 And that's been an interesting thing to think about and talk with pitching coach Presley bell about this a little bit is the pitching staff has improved getting pitchers to, you know, the phrase they always use is trust your stuff. From the standpoint, you can give up four runs. You can give up five runs with which with this offense behind you, what you can't do is give up eight runs. So you kind of have to be in the mindset. All right. I, I don't have to be perfect. I can give up a couple runs, but I can't give up four runs in an inning. How difficult is that for a pitcher to kind of get to that spot where giving up runs is okay, as long as it doesn't get too out of control.
Speaker 2 00:04:00 Yeah. And I think the thing that it can do when you do give up some runs, especially again, if you're a young pitcher like Cooper is, is that can rattle your psyche a little bit. So just stay composed and, and know that you're, uh, first of all, even before we get to your offense, it's probably going to support you, your defense. Um, WITA state 34 errors of season, Paul, their opponents have committed 63. Uh, so they're doing a great job defensively less than an era per game. Even central Florida, really good team. They've committed 50 errors of season. That's 16 more than Wichita state. So this is a very good defensive team. So not only do you have an offense that can back you up, you've got some good defense behind you. So, so yeah, if you do give up a few runs, uh, stay composed, don't get rattled and just, uh, continue to focus on, uh, the, the task at hand. And, uh, they've done a good job of that again in the last month or so
Speaker 1 00:04:53 This has been an interesting series, uh, over the last four years as Wichita states become a member of the American athletic conference. Uh, very two teams that are generally at the top of the conference contending for the title. Both of them were in NCAA, regional teams last year, made it to the final, final round there. So Wichita state leads its series ten one and one over the last. We're now entering the fourth season that they've played softball because they didn't play last year. Uh, but it feels a little bit closer than that the shockers have dominated, but there's been a lot of, there's been, I think, two walk off games, maybe more, a lot of one run games. Tell us about the series. Why has it been so interesting and closely contested in many cases?
Speaker 2 00:05:37 Well, I think it's a lot like what we're seeing with, with these two teams because central Florida has had some teams that, that have pitched so well. They're always going to be in games and then that's, what's kept them in over the last few years. It's funny because you think about south Florida, when you think of pitching and Geor one of the best in the nation. In fact, she's on that, uh, finalist, uh, the top 10 finalists now they've narrowed it down to like Sydney McKinney is for the division one player of the year. She's on that list from south Florida. And so that's instantly who you think of, but actually as a team, uh, Centra, Florida's been getting it done now for a few years. And of course, Wichita state is known for their further offense. So I I'm excited about Friday. Uh, can't wait for that first pitch at six. Weather's gonna be great. It's just going to be a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 00:06:26 What's at stake for Wichita state, from an NCAA at large perspective.
Speaker 2 00:06:31 Um, I think quite a bit, because I had just read, uh, some reports where maybe they've crept in on the inside of the bubble, uh, with what they've done recently, 11 game winning streak. Um, but if they say maybe you only win one of these three games, uh, I certainly can't see them getting swept, although it's possible then, then yeah. That could get them from the inside of the fence to the outside. Uh, conversely, um, if they win at least two, um, then I think that they, uh, they probably have solidified themselves inside of it. Of course there's still the conference tournament. So there's still some opportunities to help or hurt yourself even after this series. But I think if they get two wins here, that will go a long way towards increasing their already good chances of, of being a bubble team if they don't win the tournament.
Speaker 1 00:07:20 So if we're looking at the NCAA RPI today, UCF is number 16. So this is really a good chance for Wichita state, as you said, to pick up, uh, uh, a couple wins that would really help Wichita state is number 40 in the RPI, which is kind of where it's been the last few weeks kind of hanging around there, winning games, but haven't been playing great opponents, so they really haven't have not moved up a lot. And if we start to look at who is Wichita state beaten, uh, Illinois is number 30. Uh, Charlotte is number 34. Uh, so a, a couple wins over UCF would really help that would really help the, that, that strength of strength of, of power ranking.
Speaker 2 00:07:59 Yeah, I mean, two wins think about it. Uh, it gives them the regular season conference championship and it probably solidifies their position, uh, as an at large team. So, so that's definitely, I know the magic number that, uh, Christie bread Benner has in mind. You wanna win three, maybe they will. They're certainly capable of doing it, but if they can look at Sunday night or Mondays, look back and, and see that they, they won two games. I think they'd have to feel really good about their chances of, uh, moving on into the tournament.
Speaker 3 00:08:43 Hi, this is Rick Neuma president of Wichita state university check out the latest episode of the forward together podcast. Each episode, I sit down with different guests from shocker nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita state university. Listen, wherever you get your podcast,
Speaker 1 00:09:11 You mentioned Allison Cooper. She's one of the pitchers that have really picked it up here in recent weeks for, uh, for Wichita state Caitlin Bingham and Aaron McDonald has also have also had some really nice outings. What have you seen from that pitching group over the last two or three weeks? That has been, uh, been a big improvement,
Speaker 2 00:09:28 Just their location. My first look at them in person was the Tulsa series at the start of conference play. And it didn't matter who it was. I mean, and I saw them all. I saw Cooper, I saw Bingham. Uh, I saw, um, Aaron McDonald and, and Paul, they were, they were falling behind hitters time. After time, after time, they were having to throw, throw strikes and they were either walking hitters or they were having to throw strikes and giving up, uh, you know, balls right out over the plate. And, and no Tulsa was taking advantage of there really erratic, uh, or you might see, um, you know, the shockers offensively go put up three or four runs and then they would come out defensively and walk the lead off hitter. Just things that, that I know drives coaches crazy. Well, that's all turned around now. Um, they're, they're getting ahead in the count. They're throwing first pitch strikes a lot more often and, and they're giving themselves, they're putting themselves in good leverage positions as pitchers where they don't have to throw that strike. They can get ahead. Oh, and two or one and two where they can maybe waste a pitch and try to get a team to fish for something, uh, nibble a little bit. Um, and so I think that's been, the main thing is, is they've been getting ahead in the count and they've been in high leverage positions instead of putting the hitters in that.
Speaker 1 00:10:47 So the 11 game winning streak, which coincides with a lot of this pitching improvement, started with a two, one win down at south Florida. Allison Cooper, uh, pitched a four hitter, uh, and they beat significantly Georgina Corick who is the, uh, probably the best pitcher in the American athletic conferences. As you mentioned, uh, what stands out of that game? Why did it turn into such a turning point for the shockers?
Speaker 2 00:11:11 Because they didn't have the offense behind them because COIC was, was so good. I mean, uh, they only scored two runs in that game and they only got five hits. Now when Wichita state, uh, only scores two runs in five hits, you know, you're gonna instantly think that's doom and gloom for that game, but it wasn't because she was so good. Uh, and here's something else that we talked about. Also, she only struck out to, in that game, she gave it four hits, but only struck out two. So she was allowing south Florida to put the ball and play, but she trusted her defense behind her. But that to me, yeah, that was the turning point for her. I think that was that's the first game of this 11 game winning streak. Um, so I think, think that also helped turn this, this team around from having a really good season to a great season. Um, but I think it also rubbed off on the entire staff because McDonald has been really good since then as well. And she was a little erratic prior to that. I don't know if it maybe was a case of not wanting a freshman to come in and, and show you up or what, but, but Erin McDonald has been a different pitcher since then. It's kind of the same thing. I mean, she's just had much better command, uh, getting ahead in counts and, uh, doing a better job of getting people out.
Speaker 1 00:12:23 Yeah. She has pitched well pitched well, even in the, in the loss, uh, against Oklahoma against a very good Oklahoma state game. And that has been good since let's look through some of these 11 wins. Uh, they swept Houston, uh, won a game 10 to one, uh, run ruled. Kansas only gave up a run, uh, that believe that was Aaron McDonald again against Kansas. And then, uh, Memphis came to town. They swept them 10 to one, 14 to three and 19 to nothing. Uh, and then this weekend or last weekend at ECU gave up one run, four runs and one runs. So the pitching staff has really, really clicked into, into place here the last three weeks for the
Speaker 2 00:13:00 Shockers. Yeah, no question about it. And I think also a big game, Paul was that final game of the Houston series down there. They had to play catch up and come from behind to win that game seven to six. And that was the last game of that series, cuz it was Easter weekend. But, uh, we wouldn't be talking about an 11 game winning streak had they, uh, had they not come from behind late and uh, and won that game. And so I think that was also something that's been a positive for this team, you know, cuz they haven't been in that situation much because they've been blowing people out at such a high level, but they had to play, uh, come from behind there and they did. And I thought that was another nice little shot in the arm for this team to not that they didn't know that they could do that, but they proved it to themselves that, Hey, even if we're down late, we can, we can overcome this and uh, turn it into a
Speaker 1 00:13:46 Win. And in that Houston game, Erin McDonald started, she struggled, Allison Cooper came in, she struggled and then Caitlin Bingham came in and pitched really well in relief for, in a third innings, which brings up something. I know the, the coaches have talked about all going back to the fall, kind of the mixing and matching the contrasting styles. What have you noticed about that? How do those pitchers compliment each other where you can get into a game like that and use them in relief, use them over a weekend in relief to, you know, to disrupt the hitters?
Speaker 2 00:14:17 Well, I think that it, it's great. Not just their styles might contrast a little bit, but their experience because Cooper is the freshman. Whereas you look at Bingham and McDonald and of course they've been around for, for a little while. Erin McDonald in fact started playing in 2018. She started her career at Louisiana tech only appeared I think in three games and one, all three of them. But nonetheless, you've got a lot of experience with McDonald and Bingham. So that was a case where they were able to pick up somebody like, uh, or at least Bingham to pick up Allison Cooper, who struggles. I think that experience. And then they've pitched in big games too. Uh, McDonald and, and Bingham have, you know, you look at some of the postseason runs that this team has been on. So I, I think that as much as anything, uh, is, is something that helps them is if one of them is struggling because of the experience that McDonald and Bingham have, especially, you know, they could be there to pick the others up if, uh, if things don't go right, because their experience.
Speaker 1 00:15:11 So shocker offense of course will be very important this weekend against a, an excellent UCF pitching staff shockers have hit 109 home runs, uh, they're batting 3 54 they're slugging percentage is 6 93. So this is once again, just a great offensive team. And I don't know if everyone expected that after, you know, last season was a great hitting team, but lost, uh, some significant contributors, Madison Paragon, Riley buck, Bailey, Nickerson, Kaylee Hecker. Uh, why has the offense maintained at such a high level replacing those, those prominent people?
Speaker 2 00:15:48 Well, I think that it that's part of the leadership O of a SI McKinney understanding, uh, what they lost and it was gonna be up to her to try to, to try to get, keep this team afloat, offensively. And boy, has she done that? And you know, one thing that, uh, you know, Christie bread Benner has done with a four 90 hitter is, is she's got her in the lead off position. A lot of times you might see the, the best average hitter per average is, is hit out of the three spot. And then the power hitter is behind her. Well, she's got McKinney one and Barner two. And I think that to answer question that just tremendously sets the table for this team offensively when you've got those two starting off the first inning and maybe, you know, more after that, just, just an incredible way to, to get an inning started, uh, with, with her. And so I think putting her at the lead off spot has helped a lot and barned right behind her with her 30 home runs, um, out of the two hole. Um, not something you see a lot of at any level, but, uh, but having those 2, 1, 2, I think has just been an incredible table setter for this team to, to start off first innings and, and some beyond that as well.
Speaker 1 00:16:54 So you've had a front row seat to watch those two SI McKinney who plays short stop, add Barner who plays right field. And they are well on their way to two of the greatest softball careers. Wichita state has had two of the greatest careers, you know, in the, in the conference, whatever there's almost no limits. You can put on the numbers that they're putting up. What have you noticed about them? How would you describe Sid and Addison to maybe a fan who is gonna come and check them out for the first time this weekend? What, what makes them tick?
Speaker 2 00:17:24 One of the things that well, McKinney is just so steady. First of all, one thing I've noticed about her though, Paul, she's only struck out 11 times all season long. She has 77 hits and she's struck out only 11 times. So that's 157 at bats and only in 11 of them, she struck out. And I think she's a great two strike hitter too. Uh, because when she gets two strikes, I'll always update myself on where she's at in the season for strikeouts, but she hardly ever does it because she protects the plate really well. She's able to go the other way. So she shortens up even with two strikes and still does a good job of protecting the plate, maybe sends it to, to left field. So, um, she doesn't seem to panic with two strikes. Um, and she puts, uh, the bat on the ball and, um, hits it hard.
Speaker 2 00:18:11 Um, and usually it's not at somebody, uh, but, but I think she's a great two strike hitter and she doesn't get phased by being down in the count. And, uh, she can hit the ball to all fields with a little bit of pop too. I mean, we don't talk a lot about her home runs, but she's got 12 and that's about fourth on the team. Um, so just, just a very good steady presence. And then again, a great table setter for Barnard to, to hit 30 home runs. She's gonna drive home some too as well, because there's a good chance that McKinney is going to, to be on base as, uh, as well. Uh, Barnard. Uh, one thing that we don't talk a lot about is her batting average is 4 27. I mean, 30 homers and 75 RBIS and a slugging percentage above a thousand. It's just ridiculous. But if she's sitting above 400, well above 400, just a tremendous one, two punch up at the top of the line.
Speaker 1 00:18:59 And I know in the fall, when you would talk with the coaches, they would say Addison needs to be prepared for, you know, a, a, a challenging season pitches, pitchers were not going to give her good pitches to hit. She no longer had great home run hitter like Madison Paragon behind her, you know, and there was some tough moments in the fall, from what I understand, she's just been excellent, even, you know, even all those circumstances. Why, what has she been able to adjust to, to, to continue to hit at such a high level?
Speaker 2 00:19:28 Well, um, she's just a tremendous talent, first of all. But one thing that I think also can answer that question, Paula is something that we probably don't talk enough about and that's, who's behind her. Um, the, the Lauren Lucas is the Neely herrings, the Zoe Jones, um, I mean, Jones is hitting 3 36 herring, 3 39, and Lucas is a 400 hitter as well. And they've got about 37 home runs combined between those three. So I think one of the thing that's helping Barnard in, in addition to being a tremendous hitter, you can't pitch around her because they're stacked behind her as well. I mean, this team is loaded one through nine. So, you know, a lot of teams might have a hitter like that, but then all of a sudden there's a significant drop off. You might send up a kid that's hit in 300 with a few home runs.
Speaker 2 00:20:12 You can't do that with this team. Uh, you've got to continue to pound the strike zone. Uh, and because, you know, if you put her on base, there's a good chance the person behind her, one of them is going to hurt you as well. So, so I think the supporting cast, uh, helps a lot in her case, but she's just a tremendous talent. She doesn't only hit home runs Paul, she hits long home runs. I've seen her clear the scoreboard. Uh, she's gone to straightaway center and, and cleared that, uh, by plenty. Uh, I thought she was gonna get one into the street one day and then send it over into the parking lot in the baseball stadium. I mean, she just has tremendous power. Um, so just what a, what a phenomenal talent she is.
Speaker 1 00:20:53 The foam run that I really enjoyed was one of the two she hit against Kansas where it did not appear. She got really a good swing on it at all. She was kind of fooled or was, you know, swinging at a pitch that was not, not a great home run pitch. And she was just able to kind of flick it, muscle it, uh, and it was, it was a no doubt or just things like that are just so much been so entertaining to watch.
Speaker 2 00:21:15 Yeah. I, I think I remember the one you're talking about and the outfielder, um, started to look like it, like she was gonna have a play on it and then it just kept caring. And, uh, that, that's just, again, going back to that power though, that she has, she may not get all of one, but she's strong enough still to, to, to hit home runs. And I, I think it's a travesty that she was not on the top 25 finalist list for D one softball. And, uh, of course now they've narrowed that down to 10 and I even think you would make a really, really good argument that she should be a finalist for the top 10, but, but for her to not even make the, the top 25 is really baffling. And, uh, I think that whoever did all that, if they had to look at all over and do it again, they would put her at least in the top 25, but she is just a, a tremendous, tremendous player. 30 homers, 75 runs batted in a slugging percentage, above a thousand. And she's hitting above 400.
Speaker 1 00:22:12 And with her, and with, I guess with Wichita state, with all these crazy offensive numbers, I keep going back to, and then they proved it. They've proven it over the years, but especially last year, they proved it. Wasn't the case of, you know, beating up on mediocre opponents or pitching. I mean, they have proven it at a pretty high level that these offensive numbers are, are significant against other, other good teams, which is why I would, I would agree with you Addison Barnard boy, her number seemed to speak for herself as far as, you know, being a, a top 25 type of player.
Speaker 2 00:22:44 Well, you know, we all know that every year, this team hardly plays any home games until conference play. And the reason is because Christie bread Benner is taking them to different parts of the country and playing some very high caliber teams. Now they were supposed to play Arkansas back in mid February. That game got canceled due to weather, but, you know, they played big 10 teams like Illinois. They didn't end up playing Arkansas later on, uh, down there in Arkansas. I believe that was, um, they played Minnesota from the big 10. They play Nebraska. Of course, they get Oklahoma, they'll play every year, the home and home, Oklahoma state, uh, they're not afraid to play anybody. And I think that pays off this time of year, um, that they've played such high caliber competition and, and done it on the road too, where it's maybe not as easy, those things pay dividends this time of year.
Speaker 2 00:23:35 And it makes you less afraid of any situation. It makes you more ready for the, the post season. I think coach bread, Benner's done a great job sending this team, the places she has playing the teams that they have Iowa comes to mind a big 10 team that they beat rather Handly, by the way, um, credit her for building a tough schedule for this team every year. It's hard, they're away from home a lot, but I think year in and year out, it's one of the reasons this team is so good this time of year is because they've, they've played so many tough teams.
Speaker 1 00:24:06 Another good opponent, uh, of interest is Charlotte, uh, which is top 35 or top 40 RPI. And they will be, um, coming into the American athletic conference at some point, shockers and Charlotte split, uh, two games in a, in a tournament earlier this season reminds me a lot of Chris lamb and volleyball as the way he schedules. Yeah, very aggressive. He's not afraid to go on the road, uh, has brought in some fabulous teams here to play in tournaments, uh, at Coke arena, much like, you know, shock or softball. You will get Oklahoma that will come in Oklahoma state, some other schools like that. So, and I think it is paid off, you know, paid off in 2018 Wichita state softball got an out large bid, and that's not always easy to do in, in this situation. So I, I would, I would say you are, you are correct. You mentioned Neely Harring, who should be a, I guess, kind of a fan favorite by now, you know, she's, uh, one of the more experienced people on this team has just been an excellent hitter going, going back many years. Tell us a little bit about Neely and what she has contributed to the, the whole arc of shocker softball success.
Speaker 2 00:25:08 One of the top 10 hitters, uh, all time in program history, very steady, uh, you know, she doesn't, uh, put up gaudy numbers like the McKinneys or the Barnards are, and batting average are home runs, but you just look at her, her numbers. And it just shows, I think Paul steadiness 3 39, 13 homers and, and 36 runs batted in, uh, seven, 12 slugging percentage as well. So, so I think just, just steady and same thing goes for her defense. She's only committed three errors. So just, just a player that, that Christie bread Benner can throw out there game in and game out and, and know that she's, she's going to produce. Um, and somebody that, like you said, has been around here for a while too. So she's got that experience. I think that, uh, you know, that will obviously pay dividends for this team, uh, as we move toward the end of the regular season on, into the post season as well, just, just incredibly steady, I think is the thing that comes to mind with
Speaker 1 00:26:06 Her. Yeah. Really had a nice career. I think she and Caitlin Bingham are the two left from the 2018 team that went down to went down to Fayetteville, beat Oklahoma state, twice Neely was a freshman, then played some in that regional. And then since then has largely been in the lineup almost, almost every game and has, has really been a, uh, a nice hitter, a nice player for this team. Uh, we should talk about Laura Lucas who was kind of a, was a reserve last year and has really jumped into, uh, a, a big role this season playing in, uh, playing in the outfield.
Speaker 2 00:26:40 Yeah. Um, you know, the first thing that comes to mind is how she ended one of the Memphis games on a throw to home plate. And by the way, a tremendous job, uh, scooping that one out and applying the tag as well for Laney brown, who's thrown into the, the line up a few days earlier, but, uh, but what a, what a play that was. And, and again, she's another one that I don't know if I touched much on her hitting, but she's hitting four 11 Paul. So we don't talk much about her, uh, because of the other two that we've talked so much about, but four 11, um, she's got, uh, a good glove. Obviously she's only got one error in center field, and she's proven to have a strong and accurate arm. Another one that, uh, that is just very steady, solid all around. And, uh, somebody that, uh, coach Brenner bread Benner can count on whether it's with her bat or their glove that she's gonna, she's gonna produce. And what, in addition to this program, she's been,
Speaker 1 00:27:41 Lauren is a sophomore. She played in 13 games as a, as a freshman. And as you said, she's hitting four 11, she's got nine home runs, she's got 12 doubles. And when you start talking about, who's gonna replace Bailey Nickerson, who's gonna replace the production from a Paragon, a Kaylee Hecker, Riley buck, uh, boy, Lauren Lucas, and Zoe Jones at second base have really done a nice job with both of those.
Speaker 2 00:28:04 If, if you took McKinney and Barnard off this team and, and took the other seven in the lineup and put two other players in off your bench, that would be a really good team. That would be a really good offensive team, um, because the supporting cats behind McKinney and Barnard is really, really good. They're just highly unheralded, but, but the rest of them are, are really, really good as well.
Speaker 1 00:28:34 And Laura Mills with 12 home runs has played a, played a big role, too. Yeah. You start listing off all these names and you see how, how deep that lineup goes, where you've got threats, stretching way back into it.
Speaker 2 00:28:46 And I like Wiley Glover out of the nine spot because there's another one with a lot of experience been around here for a few years. And, uh, you put her down at the nine spot and, uh, there's somebody that, you know, coach Brad Benner can, can help give you a good chance to, to get on base, flip it back to the top of the order where you've got the McKinney's and the Barnards that can, uh, that can bring her home. So I think she's a nice player to put down at the, uh, the bottom of the lineup hitting around 300 on base percentage about 3 33. So one out of every three times she's gonna be on base for city McKinney or Barnard.
Speaker 1 00:29:19 Yeah. That's really important to get base runners on when with, with those two people coming up, let's wrap it up by zooming out a little bit. Uh, as you said, the shockers routinely go on the road a lot early in the season, they're gonna track down good competition in, in warm weather. Uh, when early in the season, did you start to get a, a feel for this team? When did you begin to think that you liked the direction that they were going in?
Speaker 2 00:29:44 You know, it's kind of a funny season, uh, because they started off ranked, um, you know, perhaps because of that difficult competition, perhaps because they might have dropped a game or two here that coach bread Benner would, would like to have back. They, uh, they fell out of the top 25 and, and they, I think they tried to, to really find themselves for a while. Um, but, but you just kind of know that come conference time because of who they play, they're gonna start to put it together. And, and, and this thing, you know, really obviously turned around with, uh, uh, with that south Florida series when Allison Cooper knocked off George, Janet cork. And, and I even made the comment after she had two great starts that this team is probably just one really good picture away from, from going from a very good team to a great team.
Speaker 2 00:30:34 And, and that's what we've seen happen. And it was with that game when the pitching started to come around, this team has been, has been another team, uh, because you know, against the Oklahoma states and Oklahoma, those games did not go their way. Um, and Oklahoma state handled them decisively. I'd like to see them play now, though, because I think with this pitching, this is a, this is a different team. They didn't get great pitching against Oklahoma state the first time. Um, then April 6th, they lost four to one, but, uh, I'd like to see them play now because I think the pitching of this team has, uh, they would be a much more competitive team against them and Oklahoma for that matter. Why not see if they can be pitted against the best, maybe that'll still happen.
Speaker 1 00:31:19 Okay. We've got Wichita state and UCF this weekend at Wilkins stadium conference tournament, uh, is, is on the line. They start the series Friday at six, and then they get back together. 1:00 PM, Saturday noon on Sunday. Steve strain will be there. Thank you very much, Steve. Appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 00:31:37 Hey, enjoy it. Hope to see a packed house at Wilkins. If not, we'll have it on ESPN. Plus
Speaker 1 00:31:54 Thank you for listening to the roundhouse podcast, courtesy of Wichita state university's strategic communications. We appreciate your time. We encourage you to rate reviews, subscribe wherever you get your podcast, such as on iTunes or Google play. You can find more roundhouse
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Speaker 4 00:32:16 And they let him pass it up court. And then he gets picked off along three by Pango. No good. One second. It's over. It is over and Wichita state has beaten the number one team in the nation to go to the sweet go crazy. What I know you.
