Tanner Kirk tries to solidify Wichita State’s infield

The left side of Tanner Kirk’s face remains slightly puffy and red with a small cut marking where a pitch broke the orbital bones in his cheek on March 27. He wears a faceguard on his batting helmet to protect the injury.

Beyond that, Kirk is trying to keep the rest of his baseball life normal after missing three weeks with the injury. He returned to Wichita State’s infield in mid-April, playing second base, shortstop and third for a team that needs all the experience and versatility it can find.

The Shockers (18-29) will try to stop a three-game losing streak when they face Kansas State (23-24) on Tuesday at Eck Stadium.

Returning to the batter’s box didn’t bother Kirk, a junior from Lincoln, Neb.

“I had some butterflies at first, because I was real excited to play,” he said. “I know it’s not going to happen very much, getting hit in the face. At the end of the day, it’s just a baseball game.”

Kirk was faking a bunt in the opener of the series against TCU when he took the pitch to the face.

“I saw the ball right at the last second,” he said. “I don’t even think it hit the helmet.”

Kirk didn’t suffer a concussion.

“The day he was hit, it was very scary,” WSU coach Todd Butler said. “He was ready to play the next day. He wanted to be in the lineup.”

Butler, of course, couldn’t allow that and Kirk spent three weeks healing. He expects to wear the faceguard on his batting helmet for another week or two.

Kirk returned against Bradley last month and has started 10 of 11 games since, five at second base. His defense at second is solid, although a tendency to overswing contributes to his offensive struggles. Kirk is 6 for 31 at the plate since returning from the injury. A 4-for-11 stretch during WSU’s recent four-game win streak included three doubles. Like most of the Shockers, he struggled against Missouri State’s pitchers in last weekend’s three losses to the Bears.

Butler keeps Kirk in the lineup for his experience and his toughness. He is WSU’s lone infielder with significant NCAA Division I experience. Last season, mental lapses on pick-off plays and other defensive assignments frustrated Butler. On an infield with freshman Trey Vickers at shortstop and junior-college transfers at other positions, Kirk needs to lead.

“He would make mistakes, not being into every pitch and knowing what was going on,” Butler said. “He’s played past that. He lives to play every pitch and he really has bought in.”

The weekend series at No. 14 Missouri State derailed the Shockers after an encouraging week that included a sweep of New Mexico and a come-from-behind win over Oklahoma. Missouri State stopped WSU’s offensive momentum by striking out 35 Shockers and holding them to a .186 batting average with four extra-base hits. The Bears outscored WSU 20-6 in the three-game series.

The losses dropped the Shockers into a tie for fifth-place in the MissourI Valley Conference.

Kansas State won two of three games over Arkansas State over the weekend and showed considerable offensive punch in winning 16-5 and 12-6. Catcher Tyler Moore was named co-player of the week in the Big 12 after hitting .529 with two home runs in five games. Shortstop Tyler Wolfe earned newcomer of the week honors after driving in seven runs in five games and recording a .560 on-base percentage.

The Wildcats have won six straight against WSU, including a 5-4 win in 10 innings last month.

This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Tanner Kirk tries to solidify Wichita State’s infield."