Shocker Report: No. 17 WSU 19, Bethany 2 by Kirk Seminoff, The Wichita Eagle The Wichita Eagle:  Thursday, April 2, 1998-  Page 3C

Stable condition
    Wichita State's starting middle infielders played Wednesday night despite nagging injuries.
    Second baseman Kevin Hooper suffered a slight sprain of his left thumb but still had three hits in his first three at-bats against Bethany.  SS Zach Sorensen eschewed a second night of rest for his lower back and had doubles in his first two trips.
    Hooper made two more highlight-reel defensive plays Wednesday.  First, he dived to his left to snare Mike Jackson's grounder, getting up to throw him out.  In the sixth, Hooper ranged behind second base to field a bouncer, throwing across his body to first to get Bobby Richardson.

Worth noting
    Hooper also had the best hitting night, going 3 for 4 with three runs....  WSU had a 1.50 ERA against Kansas Newman and Bethany, compared to 18.56 for the opposition....  WSU recorded its 13th straight double-digit hit game.  It has happened in 17 of 19 games....  Erich Bryan will open WSU's conference series with Southern Illinois on Friday, followed by Steve Foral in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.  The final two starters haven't been determined.

The numbers game
41- WSU runs the last two days
5- Opponent runs the last two days
320- Games since WSU lost to an NAIA team (Oklahoma City, 1993)
 

Wichita State starting pitcher Trip Humphrey delivers a strike during Wednesday night's game against Bethany.

[Compiler's Note: The Records, Box Score, and Up Next sections from the regular print paper were not included on this page.]

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