Wright State hopes weather doesn't delay season opener

Feb. 17—If plans were to go right for Wright State's baseball team, there would a luau, a hike, beach time and, maybe, a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial.

If plans were to go right for Wright State's baseball team, there would a luau, a hike, beach time and, maybe, a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial.

But Mother Nature is threatening to douse a trip centering on a planned four-game series against Hawaii to open the 2023 season at Les Murakami Stadium. Heavy rainfall is forecast for this weekend, putting in peril today's game.

"At the end of the day, we want to get in four games if we can, " Wright State coach Alex Sogard said. "I know sometimes weather won't allow for that."

If today's game is postponed, alternatives being discussed are doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, or a single game on Saturday, doubleheader on Sunday and game on Monday. The Raiders depart Monday night for the 4, 435-mile journey to Dayton, Ohio.

"With us, " Sogard mused, "it may be snow (delays ). We're used to having to shuffle."

What remains steady are the Raiders' imposing lineup, strong pitching and consistency in contending for Horizon League titles.

Dayton and surrounding areas are rich with football talent, and about half Wright State's roster has gridiron backgrounds. The intent is to take some physical athletes and develop them into skilled baseball players.

While Nischwitz Stadium has an artificial surface, the Raiders often will work out in an on-campus, multi-purpose gym or at MVP, a facility that features several indoor batting cages.

Under the guidance of hitting coach Chase Slone, a former WSU shortstop, the Raiders embrace an approach emphasizing on-base percentage, plate discipline and aggressive base-running.

"We're not going to sac bunt much, " Sogard said. "I like to bunt for a hit. I like to drag bunt, especially if a team shifts you. We like to run from a stolen-base standpoint. We like to be aggressive. We swing the bats. Our guys know we're trying to drive the ball even if it's with two outs."

Sogard said a value is placed on walk-to-strikeout ratio. "I basically tell our guys, 'You're not going to get into the lineup if you strike out too much, '" Sogard said.

The exception is Gehrig Anglin—named after the Yankees great—who hit.297 and smacked 16 home runs but struck out 68 times in 209 at-bats last season.

Jay Luikart, who moves from center to right field this year, doubles as the Raiders' closer. The junior was recruited as a pitcher. "Our guys can come to our field and hit whenever they like, " Sogard said. "All the pitchers think they can hit, This was a few years ago, but some of our main hitters texted me, 'Hey, Jay can really hit.'

I threw him in batting practice the next day and sure enough, man, he looked good, "

Sogard added : "Now he's one of our best hitters."

Right-hander Jake Shirk is scheduled to pitch the opener for the Raiders. Shirk's fastball tops at 92 mph. He also has command of a changeup.

Sebastian Gongora, a 6-foot-5 lefty, will follow Shirk in the rotation, His velocity jumped to 96 mph this year from 89-92 mph in 2022.

Gongora is considered the Raiders' top pitching prospect.

UH is replacing its three main starting pitchers from a year ago. Left-handers Harry Gustin and Randy Abshier, a transfer from Arizona, will start except when the'Bows go with an ensemble approach.

UH coach Rich Hill said the'Bows are solid up the middle with catcher DallasJ Duarte, shortstop Jordan Donahue, second baseman Stone Miyao and center fielder Matt Wong.

"In college baseball, there's a lot of time of training, " Hill said, "You've got eight-hour weeks. You've got 20-hour weeks. There's a 51 /2-week window, and then we come back, and we've got another three-week window. So, it's time to play games."