WSU Baseball
Record: 24-12
HL: 8-3 (second)
Coming up: Hosts UIC in doubleheader today
Key hitter: Junior Jake Hibberd (.388 batting average)
Key pitcher: Junior right-hander Michael Schum is 6-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 33 innings
FAIRBORN — As a full-time third baseman for the first time in his baseball career, Wright State junior Zach Tanner has faced a few blips.
“I’ve missed a sign or two,” Tanner smirked Thursday afternoon in the office of coach Rob Cooper.
But Cooper has embraced such head-scratchers, because the younger Raiders with high expectations have found ways to win.
Picked to win the Horizon League regular-season title in the preseason, the Raiders continued a strong stretch by sweeping then-first place Wisconsin-Milwaukee last weekend to improve to second place in the league at 8-3 (24-12 overall). It was WSU’s first road sweep at UW-Milwaukee since 1994.
WSU enters a home doubleheader today against Illinois-Chicago on a four-game winning streak, overcoming a slow start that caused Cooper to remind his players of their strengths.
They are now “Team Toad.”
“I said to them, ‘We all have our warts, but we’re gonna accept those, try to get better, accentuate what we do well,’ ” Cooper said. “I joke with our guys, we’re like Team Toad.”
Tanner is part of that group. After arriving at WSU from Lincoln Trail Community College in the fall, he adjusted to a higher level, including cards for pick-off plays worn on the wrists.
He, like WSU, has overcome an iffy fall practice session to rank second on the team in hitting (.364) and play solid defense at his new spot.
“We believe in each other,” Tanner said. “If you respect the guy next to you on the field, you’ll play harder.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 620-7517 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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