Shocker bullpen works toward consistency

Wichita State relief pitcher Taylor Goshen struck out the first batter he faced against UC Santa Barbara on Sunday and didn’t regress until his second inning, allowing an infield single and a run-scoring triple.

Goshen was still better than most of WSU’s five other relievers, who didn’t give the Shockers much of a chance to stay in the game after UCSB scored twice in the fourth inning against starter Sam Hilliard.

Only one other WSU reliever, Tyler Jones, retired the first batter he faced and Jeb Bargfeldt, Chandler Sanburn and John Ferrendelli each walked or hit the first man they faced.

WSU pitchers combined for eight walks and two hit batters in the 8-0 loss, never building from positive momentum or rescuing themselves from danger. The Shockers host Western Illinois at Eck Stadium on Tuesday afternoon in a doubleheader. Wednesday’s game was moved up due to the threat of rain.

“Free bases,” WSU coach Todd Butler said. “Especially leadoff walks in the inning, they score a high percentage of the time. In the fourth inning, (Hilliard) walked the first two batters, and they have an inning and score two.”

Walks have been a staff-wide problem for WSU. Of the 10 Shockers who have pitched at least six innings, only Sam Tewes, Reagan Biechler and Isaac Anderson have walked a rate of fewer than three per nine innings, and Anderson’s rate is 2.93.

Butler stocked his first full recruiting class with power bullpen arms, but so far most of the pitchers have had difficulties harnessing what can be overpowering arsenals, since many of them also possess strong strikeout numbers.

That’s how outings that appear promising at the beginning can quickly turn ugly, and those that start off poorly with walks can go even faster downhill. Williams recorded one out on Sunday, a three-pitch strikeout, but issued three walks and allowed three hits as UCSB broke it open with a five-run seventh.

WSU starters often experience similar highs and lows. Hilliard worked around four hits and a walk during three scoreless innings on Sunday. Instead of using those escapes as a springboard to reaching the middle and later innings, Hilliard was out of the game before the fourth was over.

Hilliard, a junior left-hander, never fully recovered from the two walks to start the fourth, and Butler took him out after Hilliard allowed an RBI double to UCSB’s No. 9 hitter, Ryan Clark.

“He needs to attack the zone,” said Ryan Tinkham, who was Sunday’s designated hitter but is WSU’s primary catcher. “All fall he was really attacking the zone, that’s when he was at his best, when doesn’t fall behind hitters and puts balls on the black (edges of home plate).

“When he doesn’t leave balls over the plate, he’s a lot better.”

This story was originally published March 16, 2015 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Shocker bullpen works toward consistency."