Slumping Wichita State plays host to Cal Poly

Wichita State’s baseball team begins a three-game series wit Cal Poly on Thursday looking to erase the sting of the worst home loss in the modern era of the program.

The Shockers (6-14) lost 17-0 to No. 19 Oklahoma State on Tuesday night, recording the program’s worst home defeat since 1954. WSU has lost three straight, including two shutouts, after scoring a combined 33 runs in mid-March wins over North Dakota and Nebraska.

It was the sixth time in 11 years that Wichita State was shut out in a game by an opponent scoring more than 10 runs. Two of those were home losses – a 12-0 defeat to Oral Roberts in 2008 and a 15-0 loss to Oklahoma in 2009.

Right-hander Willie Schwanke (3-2, 4.18 ERA) is scheduled to start for WSU on Thursday, followed by right-hander Zach Lewis (0-3, 3.20) on Friday night. WSU hasn’t announced a starter for Saturday’s finale.

Cal Poly (13-6) has wins over then-No. 14 UCLA and then-No. 19 Michigan. The Mustangs will go left-handers Justin Bruihl (0-0, 4.72) and Kyle Smith (3-1, 2.72) in the first two games, followed by right-hander Erich Uelmen (3-0, 2.02) in Saturday’s noon game.

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Slumping Wichita State plays host to Cal Poly."