Northwestern at Wichita St.

• PREVIEW
• BOXSCORE
• VIDEOS

Game Time... The Red Raiders will take on Wichita State in one, nine-inning non-conference game this afternoon in Wichita, Kan. First pitch will be around 3:00 pm and the game can be heard via the Shockers web-cast at the following link: listen live.

Scouting Report... The Shockers from the Missouri Valley Conference are ranked 10th in the preseason poll and are 1-0 so far this season. Like the Red Raiders, Wichita State's schedule has been hampered by the weather having several games called off via the weather. In 2007, the Shockers finished with a 53-22 record, 20-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. They will be led by junior infielder, Conor Gillaspie, who hit .325 last season with six home runs and a team best 63 RBIs. He earned first team all-league honors. Senior outfielder Andy Dirks returns to the Shocker outfield and hit .320 with 11 doubles and 31 RBIs. Senior catcher Tyler Weber batted .297 with a team-high 11 home runs and 49 RBIs. He earned honorable mention all-league honors.

Leading the pitching staff will be led by senior lefthander Rob Musgrave who earned honorable mention all-league honors with a 10-2 record and 2.59 ERA. In 111 1/3 innings, Musgrave struck out 85 hitters and walked just 17. Junior righthander Aaron Shafer returns after an 8-2 record with a 2.23 ERA, fourth best in the conference. Junior lefty Anthony Capra ranked in the top 10 nationally with a 1.76 ERA and posted a 7-1 mark.

Last Time Out...The Wichita State baseball team won its season opener, 4-3, over Fordham last Friday night. Sophomore Dusty Coleman led the offense, going 2-for-2, scoring one run and collecting two RBI. Tyler Weber was 2-for-4 with two runs and Andy Dirks had one hit and two RBI.  Tyler Fleming came in to face six consecutive batters in the last two innings to earn the save. Rob Musgrave allowed three runs in all, but only one was earned. The senior gave up two hits, two walks and one hit batter, while striking out four in 5.1 innings of work. Khol Nanney got the win and moved to 1-0 on the season with one walk and one strikeout in 1.2 innings.

Northwestern split a season opening doubleheader with Mount Mercy back on Feb. 2, winning game one 4-2 but falling in the nightcap, 8-4. The game were played in the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn. Austin Malone led the offense with two hits in three at-bats. The junior also drove in three runs. Mike Zoellner added three hits and three RBIs while Joe Heitritter added two hits. Mihai Burlea picked up the win in game one as the senior pitched three innings and gave up two hits and one earned run. He struck out six and walked just one.

Next up... Weather permitting, the Red Raiders will return to action this Saturday, March 1, against Peru State in Peru, Neb.