Wichita State pitching returns in good health for fall practices

Wichita State’s starting rotation begins fall practices intact, a luxury the Shockers rarely enjoyed last season.

Willie Schwanke, who missed most of 2015 with a torn back muscle, is healthy. Same with Sam Tewes, who made five starts before shoulder inflammation sidelined him. Chase Williams, who started the season in the bullpen and finished throwing WSU’s lone complete game, is also back.

Neither Schwanke nor Tewes threw over the summer. Both focused on rest and rehab. They are throwing with no limits this fall and Schwanke will start Monday’s scrimmage when the Shockers start fall practices.

“I’m back, in my mind, to where I was when I was healthy,” Schwanke said. “My body feels good.”

The report on Tewes is the same.

“Everything feels normal,” he said. “No pain. No struggles.”

That starting rotation, should it hold up until the spring, is the crucial piece for coach Todd Butler’s plan to change course after last season’s 26-33 record. Tewes, a redshirt sophomore, earned Freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball in 2014 before injuries derailed him. Schwanke, a redshirt junior, made three starts last season before injuring his back during his best outing of the season.

“Both of those guys, their bullpens have gone well,” coach Todd Butler said. “They both kind of picked up where they left off.”

Schwanke, drafted by Milwaukee in the 22nd round, turned down the Brewers at the draft deadline. Williams, drafted in the 25th round by San Diego, also chose to return.

“They both have something to prove,” Butler said. “They wanted to come back one more season, and that speaks volumes about our program.”

WSU, Butler said, continues to appeal to the NCAA to get an additional season of eligibility for Williams, who is listed as a redshirt senior. He started his college career in 2012 at Eastern Oklahoma State. He didn’t pitch until two seasons later, thanks to elbow surgery that wiped out the 2012 season.

Butler’s third fall practice at WSU starts with a roster featuring 22 returners and 16 newcomers. He must find replacements for pitchers Isaac Anderson and Jeb Bargfeldt, both of whom finished the season in the rotation. The lineup returns largely intact. Outfielder/pitcher Sam Hilliard, who hit a team-leading .335 with eight home runs, and centerfielder Daniel Kihle are both in the minor leagues.

Butler plans to scrimmage around 23 times this fall, up three or four from last fall.

“They should know how to do the pop-ups and rundowns and bunt defenses, so I’d like to play as much as we can,” he said. “The more at-bats and the more competitive situations we can be, game-like, will benefit our team.”

Richards leaves WSU — Freshman third baseman Clay Richards is no longer at WSU, Butler said.

Richards, from Cashion, Okla., opted to leave school and rehab his right knee at home. Richards had surgery in the spring to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

“It’s disappointing,” Butler said. “He was a very good player. Never did pick up a ball or bat in the fall, because he would not be cleared (for practice) until November.”

Freshman pitcher Connor Lungwitz underwent minor shoulder surgery in late August.

“He’s doing a great job of rehabbing and he’s ahead of schedule,” Butler said. “He’ll be throwing, probably, at the end of the fall.”

On the way in 2017 — Pitcher R.J. Dabovich, from Pueblo (Colo.) West, and catcher Ross Cadena, from Southlake (Texas) Carroll, recently gave WSU’s baseball team non-binding commitments. They are both entering their junior years in high school and are WSU’s first commitments from the class of 2017.

Dabovich (6-foot-4, 195) said he also considered Arizona, Hawaii, Missouri and Kansas State. He said his fastball sits in the high 80s. He also throws a slider, curve and changeup.

“My main goal is to get developed and get better,” he said. “My best pitch is my four-seam fastball. Not many people catch up to it at my level. I hope to come to Wichita State sitting in the low 90s.”

Cadena (5-9, 190) said he likes the prospect of immediate playing time when he arrives in the fall of 2017 to prepare for the 2018 season. He also looks forward to working with assistant coach Brian Walker, who caught in college and the minor leagues.

With him being drafted, he would have a big role in me being a catcher and work with me every day,” Cadena said. “I like being involved in every pitch, every inning.”

Cadena said he also visited Arkansas, Texas A&M and TCU.

“I was just waiting to see what my gut told me to pick,” he said. “I chose Wichita State because when I met coach (Todd) Butler and (Walker) they were really nice guys and really cared about me. They’re the right guys and this is the right fit.”

This story was originally published September 14, 2015 at 8:21 AM with the headline "Wichita State pitching returns in good health for fall practices."