Two-way players add versatility to Wichita State’s lineup

NCAA baseball coaches must split up 11.7 scholarships over a 35-man roster, a limit that makes two-way players prized. A coach who can land a hitter and a pitcher in one scholarship package enjoys a bonus.

Wichita State coach Todd Butler first recruited Sam Hilliard and Willie Schwanke as hitters. Both added pitching to their resume and Butler is pleased to let them contribute in both ways as Shockers.

“Two-way players just make your team so much deeper,” Butler said. “(Hilliard’s) still not sure what he’s best at. I recruited Willie as a hitter, also, out of high school. Here he is kind of gravitating toward the pitching, but he can still hit.”

WSU (1-2) opens its home schedule at noon Friday with doubleheader against Texas State (0-3-1). Both games are scheduled for nine innings. The series ends with a single game at 1 p.m. Saturday.

One of Butler’s jobs is to keep Hilliard and Schwanke, both junior transfers, rested while doing two jobs. Hilliard started at first base and served as the DH in two and threw in relief. Schwanke started Sunday’s 9-3 loss on the mound. While he did not hit, Butler plans to get him in the lineup at first base. This weekend, he expects to use both of them in relief.

To keep them fresh, Hilliard and Schwanke don’t throw during defensive drills on the infield. They usually run after practice with the pitchers instead of the infielders.

“We’re making sure we don’t over-run them,” Butler said. “We’re monitoring everything they do in the weight room.”

Hilliard enjoys double duty.

“I can’t imagine having to give up one,” he said. “I don’t know which one I’m going to be doing at the next level. It depends on how my years goes. I’m not scared to do either one.”

Despite the 1-2 start, Butler liked much of how the Shockers played opening weekend. WSU hit .280 with four home home runs and six doubles. However, 30 strikeouts and four walks kept it from scoring enough runs to keep up with Sam Houston State. Butler also liked his defense outside of three errors made by pitchers.

“I really liked the way they competed,” Butler said. “This is a very aggressive group. So aggressive last weekend, offensively, that we were a little bit out of control. Our plan this week is aggressive, but in control of the strike zone. Calm it down a little bit.”

WSU’s over-eager approach showed up most with two strikes, when the Shockers chased pitches out of the strike zone.

“The biggest improvement will be made from the first series to the second series,” Butler said. “We struck out a lot last weekend and we still hit .280 and hit with some power. If we can control the strike zone a bit better, our average will climb and our power numbers will climb.”

This story was originally published February 19, 2015 at 8:24 PM with the headline "Two-way players add versatility to Wichita State’s lineup."