Saturday, April 10
St. Cloud, MN
1:30 p.m.
St. Cloud State
vs
University of Sioux Falls (S.D.)
Photo by: Thomas Breach
Huskies continue homestand with weekend set versus Sioux Falls
4/9/2021 10:40:00 AM | Baseball
St. Cloud State Baseball (8-8, 6-5 NSIC) continues their 10-game homestand this weekend as they welcome Sioux Falls (7-11, 3-11 NSIC) to Joe Faber Field. First pitch for game one is Saturday, April 10 at 1:30 p.m. CST with game two to follow, and the finale is set for Sunday at noon CST.
Attendance information for the 2021 season can be found HERE. 2021 Huskies home baseball games will be limited to 625 fans per game.
The Huskies and Cougars have met just 15 times since USF transitioned from NAIA to NCAA Division II in 2011-12, with SCSU owning an 11-4 advantage in the all-time series beginning in 2014. In their last meeting during the 2019 season, St. Cloud State earned a three-game road weekend sweep, outscoring Sioux Falls 37-8 over the set while scoring 15 runs once and 12 runs twice.
Scouting the Huskies
SCSU enters the series with a .545 conference winning percentage, good for seventh in the NSIC standings. The Huskies split their midweek with Winona State on Tuesday, winning 8-3 in the opener and falling 5-1 in a rain-soaked finale.Â
Third baseman Tate Wallat (.300/.333/.460) had a fantastic series, going 4-for6 with two runs scored and a three-hit game one performance while continuing a five-game hitting streak. Centerfielder John Nett has put together an extremely productive second season with SCSU, slashing .379/.493/.655 for a team-leading 1.148 OPS to go with 22 runs scored, five doubles, a triple, three home runs, 15 RBI and six steals on seven tries. Rightfielder Matt Quade (.377/.424/.642, 17 RBI) and catcher Caleb Marquez (.333/.436/.667, 18 RBI) are tied for the team lead in homers with four. First baseman Jake Shusterich (.353/.453/.608, 4 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI) has been a force in the cleanup spot, while infielder Max Gamm is hitting .333 with 14 runs scored and nine steals. True freshman outfielder Tyler Schiller has not stopped hitting, carrying a .409 average and a 1.273 OPS with a pair of doubles and home runs.
The Huskies' pitching staff has been lights-out in conference play, leading the NSIC with a 3.26 ERA. Their weekend trio of Matt Osterberg (1-1, 15.2 IP, .237 BAA, 15 K), Fabian Villegas (3.72 ERA, 9.2 IP, 7:1 K:BB) and Trevor Koenig (2.57 ERA, 14.0 ERA, 16:3 K:BB, .222 BAA) have been outstanding in their first two turns through the rotation. Koenig is fresh off a career-high 8.0 innings and nine strikeouts against No. 19 Minnesota State last weekend. The lefthander mowed down USF in a relief outing during the 2019 series, striking out all six batters he faced in a 15-0 Huskies shutout.Â
Scouting the Cougars
Sioux Falls sits near the cellar of the 2021 NSIC standings, having lost four straight and five of their last six. The Cougars fell 7-3 in a one-game midweek at Northern State this past Tuesday.
Senior first baseman Ryan Bernardy (.308/.395/.692, 3 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 20 RBI) is a powerful presence in the cleanup spot, leading the Cougars in home runs, RBI and slugging while chipping in four stolen bases. Second baseman Tyler Cate (.340/.458/.434, 14:11 BB:K, 6-8 SB) is Sioux Falls' leading hitter and has provided excellent on-base production at the top of the order. Shortstop Grant Lung (.286, 3 HR, 7-8 SB) flashes speed and power in the three-hole.
The Cougars' weekend three of Matt Graham (1-1, 4.45 ERA, 28.1 IP, .167 BAA, 20:14 K:BB), Keenahn Coyle (0-0, 5.14 ERA) and Caleb Ditmarson (1-1, 3.46 ERA, 13.0 IP, 16:5 K:BB, .217 BAA) were solid their last time out against U-Mary, yet just Ditmarson took a decision after going 5.0 innings of five-run, seven-strikeout ball. USF's bullpen has struggled, with just two pitchers owning ERA's south of 5.00. Closer Payton Livingston carries the staff lead in appearances (9) and saves (2), but has allowed runs in each of his last four outings and holds a 9.64 ERA across 14.0 frames.
Broadcast Information
The series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network with Live Stats provided by SCSU.
Attendance information for the 2021 season can be found HERE. 2021 Huskies home baseball games will be limited to 625 fans per game.
The Huskies and Cougars have met just 15 times since USF transitioned from NAIA to NCAA Division II in 2011-12, with SCSU owning an 11-4 advantage in the all-time series beginning in 2014. In their last meeting during the 2019 season, St. Cloud State earned a three-game road weekend sweep, outscoring Sioux Falls 37-8 over the set while scoring 15 runs once and 12 runs twice.
Scouting the Huskies
SCSU enters the series with a .545 conference winning percentage, good for seventh in the NSIC standings. The Huskies split their midweek with Winona State on Tuesday, winning 8-3 in the opener and falling 5-1 in a rain-soaked finale.Â
Third baseman Tate Wallat (.300/.333/.460) had a fantastic series, going 4-for6 with two runs scored and a three-hit game one performance while continuing a five-game hitting streak. Centerfielder John Nett has put together an extremely productive second season with SCSU, slashing .379/.493/.655 for a team-leading 1.148 OPS to go with 22 runs scored, five doubles, a triple, three home runs, 15 RBI and six steals on seven tries. Rightfielder Matt Quade (.377/.424/.642, 17 RBI) and catcher Caleb Marquez (.333/.436/.667, 18 RBI) are tied for the team lead in homers with four. First baseman Jake Shusterich (.353/.453/.608, 4 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI) has been a force in the cleanup spot, while infielder Max Gamm is hitting .333 with 14 runs scored and nine steals. True freshman outfielder Tyler Schiller has not stopped hitting, carrying a .409 average and a 1.273 OPS with a pair of doubles and home runs.
The Huskies' pitching staff has been lights-out in conference play, leading the NSIC with a 3.26 ERA. Their weekend trio of Matt Osterberg (1-1, 15.2 IP, .237 BAA, 15 K), Fabian Villegas (3.72 ERA, 9.2 IP, 7:1 K:BB) and Trevor Koenig (2.57 ERA, 14.0 ERA, 16:3 K:BB, .222 BAA) have been outstanding in their first two turns through the rotation. Koenig is fresh off a career-high 8.0 innings and nine strikeouts against No. 19 Minnesota State last weekend. The lefthander mowed down USF in a relief outing during the 2019 series, striking out all six batters he faced in a 15-0 Huskies shutout.Â
Scouting the Cougars
Sioux Falls sits near the cellar of the 2021 NSIC standings, having lost four straight and five of their last six. The Cougars fell 7-3 in a one-game midweek at Northern State this past Tuesday.
Senior first baseman Ryan Bernardy (.308/.395/.692, 3 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 20 RBI) is a powerful presence in the cleanup spot, leading the Cougars in home runs, RBI and slugging while chipping in four stolen bases. Second baseman Tyler Cate (.340/.458/.434, 14:11 BB:K, 6-8 SB) is Sioux Falls' leading hitter and has provided excellent on-base production at the top of the order. Shortstop Grant Lung (.286, 3 HR, 7-8 SB) flashes speed and power in the three-hole.
The Cougars' weekend three of Matt Graham (1-1, 4.45 ERA, 28.1 IP, .167 BAA, 20:14 K:BB), Keenahn Coyle (0-0, 5.14 ERA) and Caleb Ditmarson (1-1, 3.46 ERA, 13.0 IP, 16:5 K:BB, .217 BAA) were solid their last time out against U-Mary, yet just Ditmarson took a decision after going 5.0 innings of five-run, seven-strikeout ball. USF's bullpen has struggled, with just two pitchers owning ERA's south of 5.00. Closer Payton Livingston carries the staff lead in appearances (9) and saves (2), but has allowed runs in each of his last four outings and holds a 9.64 ERA across 14.0 frames.
Broadcast Information
The series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network with Live Stats provided by SCSU.
Players Mentioned
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