Saturday, May 1
Aberdeen, SD
1:00 p.m.
St. Cloud State
at
Northern State University
Photo by: Thomas Breach
SCSU continues road stretch with weekend series at Northern State
4/30/2021 4:25:00 PM | Baseball
St. Cloud State Baseball (16-11, 14-8 NSIC) travels to Aberdeen, South Dakota this weekend for a three-game weekend series against Northern State (15-16, 14-13 NSIC). The Huskies have reached the midway point of their seven-game road trip, opening the series with a doubleheader on Saturday, May 1 at Fossum Field starting at 1:00 p.m. CST with the finale at noon CST on Sunday.
SCSU and the Wolves have met 67 times since the all-time series began in 1979, with the Huskies holding a 54-13 advantage. The two sides met three times in 2020 as the Huskies swept NSU in a doubleheader at U.S. Bank Stadium and Northern State came out with a win in SCSU's last game prior to the COVID-19 spring season cancellation.
Scouting the Huskies
St. Cloud State enters the series alone in fourth place in the NSIC standings following a midweek split at Minot State. Owning a well-rounded roster, the Huskies are second in the NSIC in team batting average at .319 and third in ERA with a 4.00 mark. SCSU stands half a game up on Winona State and a full game ahead of Minot State.
First baseman Jake Shusterich (.392/.505/.689, 22 R, 10 2B, 4 HR, 23 RBI), centerfielder John Nett (.375/.508/.583, 36 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 14 SB) and rightfielder Matt Quade (.371/.447/.629, 6 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 29 RBI) are SCSU's three players boasting OPS marks north of 1.000. Max Gamm (.320/.402/.427, 22 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, HR, 14 RBI, 13 SB) and Paul Steffensen (.302/.378/.479, 21 R, 6 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 14 SB) round out the qualifiers hitting .300 or better. The Huskies have been exceptional on the basepaths, stealing 55 bags on an 88.7% success rate, and the lineup has produced at least six runs in each of their last seven games.
SCSU's weekend trio of Matt Osterberg (2-2, 6 GS, 2.97 ERA, 33.1 IP, .186 BAA, 44:14 K:BB), Trevor Koenig (2-3, 5 GS, 2.35 ERA, 38.1 IP, .187 BAA, 42:10 K:BB) and Jack Habeck (6-1, 9 APP, 31.1 IP, .183 BAA, 29:6 K:BB) are coming off a series in which they combined for a 1.56 ERA and a 1.26 FIP over 23.1 innings, holding No. 24 Minnesota-Crookston to a .160 batting average and a .474 OPS while working at a 36.4% strikeout rate and a 21.0% whiff rate. Relievers Nick Brauns (5 APP), Eli Emerson (6 APP, 1.23 ERA, 7.1 IP, 8 K), Jacob Bradley (2 APP, 0.00 ERA), Riley Ahern and Adam Winkels have anchored the bullpen in NSIC action.
Scouting the Wolves
Northern State sits seventh in the NSIC standings, comfortably three games ahead of ninth-place Sioux Falls. The Wolves were swept by No. 24 Minnesota-Crookston 9-6 and 14-3 on the road in their past midweek series. Their lineup is anchored by Reece Ragatz (.338/.372/.538, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR), Spencer Sarringar (.316/.404/.531, 5 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 23 RBI), Ramon Vega Jr. (.314/.359/.605, 8 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 22 RBI), Karson Hesser (.305/.356/.463, 7 2B, 2 HR) and Justin Hutter (.303/.397/.374, 7 2B).
Seth Brewer is Northern State's ace, owning a 6-1 record and a 2.45 ERA across 47.2 innings with a 65:19 K:BB ratio and a .222 opponent average. The righthander started against the Golden Eagles on Wednesday but was pulled after allowing a three-run home run in the first inning, throwing just 21 pitches. Brewer has typically been joined by righties Zach Hrvol (2-4, 8 GS, 6.28 ERA, 43.0 IP, 48:19 K:BB, .257 BAA) and Max Otto (2-1, 5 GS, 5.45 ERA, 33.0 IP, 33:12 K:BB, .301 BAA) on weekends. The bullpen is highlighted by southpaw Zach Hartford (3-3, 13 APP, 26.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 28:20 K:BB, .207 BAA) and righthander Mike Stubbs (1-1, 11 APP, 20.2 IP, 5.66 ERA, 17:15 K:BB, .259 BAA).
Broadcast Information
The series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network with Live Stats provided by Northern State.
SCSU and the Wolves have met 67 times since the all-time series began in 1979, with the Huskies holding a 54-13 advantage. The two sides met three times in 2020 as the Huskies swept NSU in a doubleheader at U.S. Bank Stadium and Northern State came out with a win in SCSU's last game prior to the COVID-19 spring season cancellation.
Scouting the Huskies
St. Cloud State enters the series alone in fourth place in the NSIC standings following a midweek split at Minot State. Owning a well-rounded roster, the Huskies are second in the NSIC in team batting average at .319 and third in ERA with a 4.00 mark. SCSU stands half a game up on Winona State and a full game ahead of Minot State.
First baseman Jake Shusterich (.392/.505/.689, 22 R, 10 2B, 4 HR, 23 RBI), centerfielder John Nett (.375/.508/.583, 36 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 14 SB) and rightfielder Matt Quade (.371/.447/.629, 6 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 29 RBI) are SCSU's three players boasting OPS marks north of 1.000. Max Gamm (.320/.402/.427, 22 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, HR, 14 RBI, 13 SB) and Paul Steffensen (.302/.378/.479, 21 R, 6 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 14 SB) round out the qualifiers hitting .300 or better. The Huskies have been exceptional on the basepaths, stealing 55 bags on an 88.7% success rate, and the lineup has produced at least six runs in each of their last seven games.
SCSU's weekend trio of Matt Osterberg (2-2, 6 GS, 2.97 ERA, 33.1 IP, .186 BAA, 44:14 K:BB), Trevor Koenig (2-3, 5 GS, 2.35 ERA, 38.1 IP, .187 BAA, 42:10 K:BB) and Jack Habeck (6-1, 9 APP, 31.1 IP, .183 BAA, 29:6 K:BB) are coming off a series in which they combined for a 1.56 ERA and a 1.26 FIP over 23.1 innings, holding No. 24 Minnesota-Crookston to a .160 batting average and a .474 OPS while working at a 36.4% strikeout rate and a 21.0% whiff rate. Relievers Nick Brauns (5 APP), Eli Emerson (6 APP, 1.23 ERA, 7.1 IP, 8 K), Jacob Bradley (2 APP, 0.00 ERA), Riley Ahern and Adam Winkels have anchored the bullpen in NSIC action.
Scouting the Wolves
Northern State sits seventh in the NSIC standings, comfortably three games ahead of ninth-place Sioux Falls. The Wolves were swept by No. 24 Minnesota-Crookston 9-6 and 14-3 on the road in their past midweek series. Their lineup is anchored by Reece Ragatz (.338/.372/.538, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR), Spencer Sarringar (.316/.404/.531, 5 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 23 RBI), Ramon Vega Jr. (.314/.359/.605, 8 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 22 RBI), Karson Hesser (.305/.356/.463, 7 2B, 2 HR) and Justin Hutter (.303/.397/.374, 7 2B).
Seth Brewer is Northern State's ace, owning a 6-1 record and a 2.45 ERA across 47.2 innings with a 65:19 K:BB ratio and a .222 opponent average. The righthander started against the Golden Eagles on Wednesday but was pulled after allowing a three-run home run in the first inning, throwing just 21 pitches. Brewer has typically been joined by righties Zach Hrvol (2-4, 8 GS, 6.28 ERA, 43.0 IP, 48:19 K:BB, .257 BAA) and Max Otto (2-1, 5 GS, 5.45 ERA, 33.0 IP, 33:12 K:BB, .301 BAA) on weekends. The bullpen is highlighted by southpaw Zach Hartford (3-3, 13 APP, 26.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 28:20 K:BB, .207 BAA) and righthander Mike Stubbs (1-1, 11 APP, 20.2 IP, 5.66 ERA, 17:15 K:BB, .259 BAA).
Broadcast Information
The series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network with Live Stats provided by Northern State.
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