Some 250 Shockers of all ages came out to the annual Baseball Alumni Tailgate (BAT) Party on May 6 before heading over to Eck Stadium to watch the Wichita State baseball team take on Kansas State.
"It was a hot and sunny day – great weather for baseball and for a big, pre-game tent party. Everybody had a great time," says Ashlee Baysinger '12, who is assistant director of student and young alumni relations at the WSU Alumni Association. "On the food side of things, we had hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and potato salad. Also, our event sponsors House of Schwan and QuikTrip provided beverages, and Hiland Dairy provided ice cream."
Party for food, drink and fun before WSU took the field
against the K-State Wildcats on May 6.
In addition to the food and drink, the highlight of the BAT Party, Baysinger adds, was the attendance of head baseball coach Todd Butler. "Our guests enjoyed talking with Coach Bulter," she says. "For some of the baseball fans who joined us, it was their first time to get to speak with him directly." Butler addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support of Shocker baseball, talking about his players and answering questions from the BAT Party's assembled group of baseball fans.
"Voice of the Shockers" Mike Kennedy '71 and alumni association president and CEO Debbie Kennedy '94 also addressed the fans and thanked them for coming.Other Shockers at the BAT Party included alumni association board members Derek Keller '92/93, Kim Hartwell '78 and Chad Green '93. Association members and their guests, as well as members of Women United for the Shockers, who all came out to campus to join the fun and enjoy Shocker-time under the big top included Dot McNicol, Bruce '64 and Marjorie '61 Walton, Laura Calhoun '12, Sherry Phillips, Dan and Mary Kay Blasi, Hope Patterson '12, Henry Donaldson '71/74, Doug '72 and Jill Foss, Cliff Simmons, Lois Hubbard '56, Dan '73 and Rosemary Slater, Rudy Rodriguez '87/96, Ed '88 and Dana Pavey, Stan Miller, Dustin Kuhn '11, Bob '60 and Carla Viola, Mike and Robin '02 Mishler, Mike Razook '75, Julie Mitchell '81, Kay Snyder, Regina Turner '92, Clif and Vickie Larison, Jeremy '01 and Jamee '06 Sholtz, Sara Marnane, Eva Ornelas, Jim and Sandy Price, Claudia Kucharek-Royer '81, Steve Rozell '73, Richard Powell, Paul '81/06 and Virginia '84 Lytle, Randy '75/77 and Marilyn Wells, Marilyn Gerber and Lorene Valentine '72.
