Baseball | 2/19/2015 12:17:00 PM

SAN MARCOS – The Bobcats take their first road trip of the season to face Wichita State in a three-game set. Due to weather in the area, Texas State and the Shockers have altered their schedule to play a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Friday followed by a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.
 
Game Info: Texas State at Wichita State
Site: Eck Stadium – Wichita, Kansas
Date: Friday-Saturday, February 20-21
Time: Friday (Doubleheader) – 12 p.m. | Saturday – 1 p.m.
 
Probable Pitching Matchups*
Friday (1): #21 RHP Lucas Humpal (0-0, 2.84) at #3 RHP Sam Tewes (0-0, 3.60)
Friday (2): TBA at #25 RHP Isaac Anderson (1-0, 4.50)
Saturday: TBA at TBA
 
The Series                                                                                                  
Texas State and Wichita State have only gone head-to-head once in their histories, resulting in a 7-4 victory for Texas State in San Marcos on opening weekend in 2012. The Bobcats scored five runs in the second inning and finished with a run each in the seventh and eighth innings to hold off the Shockers. Morgan Mickan led the team in hits with two while Casey Kalenkosky knocked in two RBI on a hit and a walk. Travis Ballew struck out eight in six innings while Austen Williams finished the Shockers off with four strikeouts in the final three innings.
 
On the Shockers
Wichita State has only played one series this season with the team's first midweek game being cancelled due to weather. In the team's opening series against Sam Houston State, the Shockers went 1-2, winning the Saturday game by a score of 4-3 behind the pitching of Isaac Anderson. The Bearkats, however, won Friday's game, 8-5, and answered Wichita State's win with a 9-3 victory to finish the series with 20 runs compared to Wichita State's 12.
 
The Shockers are hitting .280 as a team led by Jordan Farris (.556). He has a home run and two RBI on five hits in nine at bats. Chase Rader (.455) and Ryan Tinkham (.417) aren't far behind with 10 combined hits and six runs scored between them. Rader and Tinkham will be threats around the bases with three steals. The only other Shocker above .300 at the plate is Tanner Kirk, starting the season 4-for-11 with a double and an RBI.
 
For opening weekend, Wichita State finished with a 5.76 ERA with only two pitchers going five innings or more. Sam Houston State hit .337 against the Shockers, and Wichita State walked one more batter than the team struck out (13-12). Wichita State gave up 34 hits and 20 runs, 16 of which were earned.
 
On the Bobcats
With 18 newcomers on the Texas State squad, the Bobcats are still finding out what they have. They've seen early contributions from newcomers Cedric Vallieres, Theodore Hoffman, Luke Sherley, Jaylen Hubbard, Derek Scheible and Jared Huber in the field and at the plate. On the mound, Montana Parsons, Tyler Giovanoni, Braden Pearson, Pasquale Mazzoccoli, Keith Brenner, Joe Powell and Bryson Mitchell have introduced themselves to Bobcat fans.
 
Cory Geisler currently leads the team at the plate with a .417 batting average, knocking five hits on 12 at bats. Cody Lovejoy has taken early hold of the designated hitter position, batting .333 in 12 at bats with a walk. Vallieres joins Geisler as the top Bobcats in on-base percentage, both over .400. Vallieres and Hoffman have each knocked a home run for Texas State while David Paiz leads the squad in RBI with three.
 
In addition to Geisler leading the team in batting average, he also leads the squad in ERA at 0.00. He did not give up an earned run in 5.1 innings of work last Sunday and struck out five. Lucas Humpal also made a good showing in 6.1 innings of work while Scott Grist went deep into the game, pitching for 7.2 innings. All three starters accounted well for themselves on opening weekend.
 
A Look Ahead
After Wichita State, the Bobcats will host Houston, a team ranked as high as third nationally right now. Once past the midweek, Texas State will prepare for a four-game set with Central Michigan from Friday through Sunday with a doubleheader on Saturday.