Print edition: 
Wichita State baseball coach Gene Stephenson said pitcher Zach Beringer will not play this season due to injuries suffered in a November car accident in Oklahoma.
Beringer, a sophomore, sustained back and knee injuries after the car he was driving ran off a gravel road in Kay County on Nov. 21. He underwent operations to stabilize and repair eight fractured vertabrae and knee injuries. Beringer is rehabbing his injuries and is unable to practice.
“It will be probably five or six months before we’ll know about Zach Beringer and whether he’ll be able to pitch at this level again,” Stephenson said. “So there’s no rushing that deal.”
Sophomore pitcher Tobin Mateychick was a passenger in the car. He sustained a concussion and scrapes and bruises. He is not expected to pitch this season, largely because of elbow surgery in April. Rehab time for ligament reconstruction surgery, also known as Tommy John surgery, is usually one year. Mateychick is doing conditioning work with the team while he recovers from elbow surgery.
Beringer went 3-3 with a 4.01 ERA in seven starts as a freshman. He was expected to challenge for a spot in WSU's rotation this season. Mateychick pitched in two games last season before the injury sidelined him.
“Both are making good progress in rehab,” Stephenson said.
According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Clayton Fredrickson, alcohol was involved in the accident. No charges have been field, according to the Kay County district attorney’s office.
According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol report, a 1997 Blue Toyota four-wheel drive driven by Beringer traveled at a high rate of speed on a gravel road. Beringer lost control and ran off the road. The car rolled three-and-a-half times before coming to rest on the drivers side. Beringer was ejected 27 feet. The accident threw Mateychick 43 feet, the report said. Neither wore a seat belt, according to the report.
Stephenson said any punishment would wait until the players are healthy, a position backed by athletic director Eric Sexton.
“Every player understands the importance of his actions on and off the field and how important they are to everyone who follows Wichita State,” Stephenson said. “Any suspensions that we have related to injured people … will be handed out after the players are healthy. It does no good to suspend anyone when they’re not healthy and not able to participate.”
Sexton said the department’s priority is seeing that Beringer and Mateychick are healthy. WSU coaches and administrators regularly talk, normally in team meetings, to athletes about issues such as drinking and driving.
“We want to make sure they are healthy and on the mend,” Sexton said. “This makes us continue to focus on helping our youg men and young women think about making good decisions.”
The Shockers begin practice on Friday.
