Monday, March 19
Cedar Rapids, IA
12:00 PM
St. Cloud State
vs
Upper Iowa University
Players Mentioned
LHP/OF
/ Baseball
P
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
2B
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP/IF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C/OF
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
Junior Captain, Sheldon Miks
Weekend Preview: Huskies Open Conference Season at Upper Iowa
3/14/2018 5:58:00 PM | Baseball
St. Cloud State enters their conference season with a 6-3 regional record and a 7-5 overall record. The Huskies finished third in the NSIC with a 27-11 record in conference play last season.
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – After completing their annual spring training trip to Tucson, Arizona, the St. Cloud State baseball team (7-5, 0-0 NSIC) opens the conference season with a weekend road trip to Fayette, Iowa to take on the Upper Iowa Peacocks (2-4, 0-0 NSIC).
The Huskies will play at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM on both Sunday, March 18 and Monday, March 19.
Follow Live
Radio: Broadcasted live by Thomas Breach on the KVSC Sports Stream
Live Stats: Provided by the Upper Iowa Athletics Media Relations Department
Twitter: Follow @SCSUHUSKIES_BB for live tweets, pictures and videos during the weekend series.
Facebook: Like and Follow St. Cloud State University Baseball for team news and updates.
SERIES PREVIEW
Upper Iowa opened their season with a split against Bemidji State at US Bank Stadium on March 8th. Following the split, the Peacocks traveled to Rolla, Missouri to take on the Missouri S&T Miners. In their latest series, Upper Iowa went 1-3 and scored 14 runs over the four games. Eight of those 14 runs were scored in their 8-16 loss in game three against the Miners.
St. Cloud State is coming off of a 3-4 week in the Tucson Invitational Games that included wins over conference opponents, Northern State and Southwest Minnesota State. The Huskies have not played since last Thursday when they closed out their Tucson trip with an 11-4 victory over Olivet Nazarene.
Caeden Harris is currently third in the NSIC in hits (22) and fifth in both batting average (.500) and slugging percentage (.773). Harris' 22 hits are the eighth most nationally as well.
Jackson Goplen is fourth in the NSIC in both hits (20) and RBI's (15) while Mitch Mallek is third in the conference in doubles (5) and sacrifice flies (2). Isaac Matchinsky is third in the conference in walks with 9.
Shannon Ahern is currently leading the NSIC in wins with three in four appearances out of the Huskies' bullpen. Ahern is averaging over three innings per appearance and is ranked 13th in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings. Ahern is expected to make his first start of the season this weekend against the Peacocks.
Dominic Austing, Kyle Boser and Ahern are all ranked within the top ten of the NSIC in innings pitched as well.
Bo Schmitz has caught three runners stealing this season, which ranks him in the top five of the conference as well.
SCOUTING THE PEACOCKS
The Peacocks are coming off of a 19-29 season that placed them 13th in the NSIC in 2017. Key pitchers returning from last season include Brett Fanning and Tyus Adkins. Fanning held a 2.29 ERA over 63 innings last season. In Fanning's outing against SCSU last season, he only surrendered one earned run over six innings and also recorded three strikeouts. Fanning kicked off his 2018 campaign with a seven-inning complete game performance against Bemidji State. He did not allow a run until the Beavers combined for seven runs in the last two innings. Tyus Adkins is 2-0 over the last two years in starts made against St. Cloud State. In 2016, Adkins was the pitcher of record when the Peacocks snapped SCSU's 23 game winning streak to begin the year. The Huskies fell 3-1 against Adkins where he threw a nine-inning complete game and only allowed one run on seven hits while also striking out four batters. Last season, Adkins threw another complete game where this time, he only allowed one run on two hits. This season, Adkins has allowed two runs in 1.2 innings of work in two games out of the Peacock bullpen.
Offensively, the Peacocks are led by Jacob Greco who is batting .400 with a .750 slugging percentage (6th in the NSIC) in 20 at-bats thus far. Zachary Cain is batting .294 in 17 bats and also has a .368 on-base percentage. Conner Klosterman, Greco and Cain have each recorded 4 RBI's so far, this season.
SERIES HISTORY
Last season, the Huskies were 3-1 against the Peacocks in a series that was hosted by SCSU at Joe Faber Field. In the first day of the double-header in 2017, Cal Giese and Austin Casperson recorded wins on the mound while the Huskies offense was led by Judd Davis' four hits and two RBI's in day one. On the second day, Dominic Austing recorded a win by not allowing a run in seven innings of work in the first game while Aaron Hammann was the losing pitcher of record in the second game. Offensively, St. Cloud State was held to three runs between the two games. As noted previously, Tyler Adkins has had the Huskies' number on the mound, going 2-0 in his last two starts against SCSU. Last season, Adkins recorded his two-hit complete game performance in the last game of the series to avoid a sweep.
CONFERENCE, REGIONAL, NATIONAL STANDINGS
St. Cloud State is currently ranked fourth in the overall NSIC standings since nobody has played a conference game yet, with Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, and Minn. Crookston holding the first, second and third place spots.
As a team, SCSU is currently fifth in the NSIC in team batting average (.317) and fourth in ERA (4.41).
The Huskies entered the season as the #3 ranked team in the Central Region, which is where they placed in last year's NCAA Central Region tournament.
Since being ranked #21 in the NCBWA's national poll, the Huskies dropped out of the top 25 entering the opening weekend for conference play.
FORECASTED WEATHER
After postponing the original start dates to Sunday and Monday due to the infield being covered in a frost coating, the Huskies are expected to open their conference season in 47 degree weather with light winds on Sunday. On Monday, St. Cloud State may expect similar conditions with a high of 48 degrees and 10 mile per hour winds blowing northeast.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the weekend series at Upper Iowa, the Huskies will travel to St. Paul for a weekend series against the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears. This weekend the Golden Bears are hosting the Minn. Crookston Golden Eagles in a home series at Barnes Field.
The Huskies will play at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM on both Sunday, March 18 and Monday, March 19.
Follow Live
Radio: Broadcasted live by Thomas Breach on the KVSC Sports Stream
Live Stats: Provided by the Upper Iowa Athletics Media Relations Department
Twitter: Follow @SCSUHUSKIES_BB for live tweets, pictures and videos during the weekend series.
Facebook: Like and Follow St. Cloud State University Baseball for team news and updates.
Upper Iowa opened their season with a split against Bemidji State at US Bank Stadium on March 8th. Following the split, the Peacocks traveled to Rolla, Missouri to take on the Missouri S&T Miners. In their latest series, Upper Iowa went 1-3 and scored 14 runs over the four games. Eight of those 14 runs were scored in their 8-16 loss in game three against the Miners.
St. Cloud State is coming off of a 3-4 week in the Tucson Invitational Games that included wins over conference opponents, Northern State and Southwest Minnesota State. The Huskies have not played since last Thursday when they closed out their Tucson trip with an 11-4 victory over Olivet Nazarene.
Caeden Harris is currently third in the NSIC in hits (22) and fifth in both batting average (.500) and slugging percentage (.773). Harris' 22 hits are the eighth most nationally as well.
Jackson Goplen is fourth in the NSIC in both hits (20) and RBI's (15) while Mitch Mallek is third in the conference in doubles (5) and sacrifice flies (2). Isaac Matchinsky is third in the conference in walks with 9.
Shannon Ahern is currently leading the NSIC in wins with three in four appearances out of the Huskies' bullpen. Ahern is averaging over three innings per appearance and is ranked 13th in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings. Ahern is expected to make his first start of the season this weekend against the Peacocks.
Dominic Austing, Kyle Boser and Ahern are all ranked within the top ten of the NSIC in innings pitched as well.
Bo Schmitz has caught three runners stealing this season, which ranks him in the top five of the conference as well.
SCOUTING THE PEACOCKS
The Peacocks are coming off of a 19-29 season that placed them 13th in the NSIC in 2017. Key pitchers returning from last season include Brett Fanning and Tyus Adkins. Fanning held a 2.29 ERA over 63 innings last season. In Fanning's outing against SCSU last season, he only surrendered one earned run over six innings and also recorded three strikeouts. Fanning kicked off his 2018 campaign with a seven-inning complete game performance against Bemidji State. He did not allow a run until the Beavers combined for seven runs in the last two innings. Tyus Adkins is 2-0 over the last two years in starts made against St. Cloud State. In 2016, Adkins was the pitcher of record when the Peacocks snapped SCSU's 23 game winning streak to begin the year. The Huskies fell 3-1 against Adkins where he threw a nine-inning complete game and only allowed one run on seven hits while also striking out four batters. Last season, Adkins threw another complete game where this time, he only allowed one run on two hits. This season, Adkins has allowed two runs in 1.2 innings of work in two games out of the Peacock bullpen.
Offensively, the Peacocks are led by Jacob Greco who is batting .400 with a .750 slugging percentage (6th in the NSIC) in 20 at-bats thus far. Zachary Cain is batting .294 in 17 bats and also has a .368 on-base percentage. Conner Klosterman, Greco and Cain have each recorded 4 RBI's so far, this season.
SERIES HISTORY
Last season, the Huskies were 3-1 against the Peacocks in a series that was hosted by SCSU at Joe Faber Field. In the first day of the double-header in 2017, Cal Giese and Austin Casperson recorded wins on the mound while the Huskies offense was led by Judd Davis' four hits and two RBI's in day one. On the second day, Dominic Austing recorded a win by not allowing a run in seven innings of work in the first game while Aaron Hammann was the losing pitcher of record in the second game. Offensively, St. Cloud State was held to three runs between the two games. As noted previously, Tyler Adkins has had the Huskies' number on the mound, going 2-0 in his last two starts against SCSU. Last season, Adkins recorded his two-hit complete game performance in the last game of the series to avoid a sweep.
CONFERENCE, REGIONAL, NATIONAL STANDINGS
St. Cloud State is currently ranked fourth in the overall NSIC standings since nobody has played a conference game yet, with Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, and Minn. Crookston holding the first, second and third place spots.
As a team, SCSU is currently fifth in the NSIC in team batting average (.317) and fourth in ERA (4.41).
The Huskies entered the season as the #3 ranked team in the Central Region, which is where they placed in last year's NCAA Central Region tournament.
Since being ranked #21 in the NCBWA's national poll, the Huskies dropped out of the top 25 entering the opening weekend for conference play.
FORECASTED WEATHER
After postponing the original start dates to Sunday and Monday due to the infield being covered in a frost coating, the Huskies are expected to open their conference season in 47 degree weather with light winds on Sunday. On Monday, St. Cloud State may expect similar conditions with a high of 48 degrees and 10 mile per hour winds blowing northeast.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the weekend series at Upper Iowa, the Huskies will travel to St. Paul for a weekend series against the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears. This weekend the Golden Bears are hosting the Minn. Crookston Golden Eagles in a home series at Barnes Field.
St Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 4
Sunday, March 16
St Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 3
Sunday, March 16
St Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 2
Thursday, March 13
St Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 1
Thursday, March 13
