Photo by: Kylie Macziewski
Huskies Baseball announces full 2022 schedule
1/6/2022 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Baseball has officially unveiled their 2022 schedule, featuring a full slate of 36 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games and 14 nonconference tilts for a 50-game schedule. The Huskies will be making three nonconference trips – the HSU Invitational hosted by Henderson State in Arkansas, a four-game trip to West Virginia and the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. Opening Day 2022 will on February 10 against Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Arkansas with the Huskies' Home Opener set for April 2 against Sioux Falls.
"I really love our nonconference schedule," said head coach Pat Dolan, "Especially after the last two years of only getting 14 and 32 games in respectively. A special thanks goes to Heather Weems and Bruce Thompson for helping coordinate and agreeing to let us take trips to Arkansas, West Virginia and Florida. With both Henderson State and Salem having turf fields we should have a great chance to get all of those games in."
The season-opening HSU Invitational will provide St. Cloud State with four key regional games against Henderson State, Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State and Ouachita Baptist. Plenty of eyes will be on the Opening Day tilt against Henderson, as SCSU hasn't faced the Reddies since they were beaten twice by HSU at the 2015 Central Region Tournament. A RussMatt matchup against Sioux Falls gives the Huskies five total Central Region nonconference games in their quest for yet another NCAA Regional berth.
Following the Huskies' first trip to Arkansas since the 2018 Central Region Tournament, SCSU will head out to Salem, West Virgina for a four-game affair hosted by Salem University. Old friend and former St. Cloud State pitching coach Kassidy Gaines (2019-20) is in his second season as Salem's associate head coach. The host Tigers are scheduled to play the Huskies twice, with Mansfield and Ashland providing two more tests for SCSU. Huskies Baseball will close out their nonconference schedule with a seven-game trip to Florida at the RussMatt Invitational.
"It is going to be one of the more challenging nonconference schedules we've had," Dolan continued, "We'll be facing some very good Central Region teams and some other teams ranked nationally."
Conference season begins with a challenging road trip, opening NSIC action with a weekend at Augustana, a midweek at Winona State, a weekend trek to Wayne State and an eagerly anticipated midweek at Bowyer Field against archrival Minnesota State-Mankato.
"Starting off again at Augustana isn't necessarily ideal," Dolan said, "But hopefully we'll be able to have fans in attendance and start the conference season with some competitive games, win that series and go from there. The NSIC is just not like it was 10 years ago with so many teams like Crookston and Minot State fighting for regional bits and so many others that have greatly improved like Mary, Northern and Sioux Falls. It's definitely going to be a grinding 36 games of Northern Sun baseball."
The Huskies will spend nearly the entire month of April at Joe Faber Field, playing host to weekends with Sioux Falls, Concordia-St. Paul, SMSU and Minnesota-Crookston along with midweek tits against Upper Iowa, Northern State and Minnesota-Duluth. A lone late-April weekend at Bemidji State precedes a five-game homestand, then St. Cloud State wraps up the regular season with a five-game road trip to U-Mary (midweek) and Minot State (weekend). The NSIC Championships are scheduled for May 11-14 in Sioux Falls.
St. Cloud State is coming off a 22-14 season that saw them go 18-9 in conference play for a third-place finish in the NSIC standings. The pitching staff enters the 2022 campaign strong, deep and healthy. Weekend staple Trevor Koenig is joined by returning starters Tommy Thompson, Jack Habeck, Fabian Villegas and Luke Tupy. One of the many reasons for excitement around the Huskies is the return of Shannon Ahern and Riley Ahern, both of whom having missed significant time in 2021. Nick Brauns, Eli Emerson, Adam Winkels and redshirt freshman Isaiah Katz combine to give the Huskies an excellent relief corps. Northwoods League All-Star and former Gophers fireman Ryan Duffy joins the Huskies as a well-tested veteran piece, while true freshmen hurlers Ethan Lanthier and Owen Anderson are expected to be important weapons on the staff.
"I really like our pitching depth on the mound," commented Dolan, "Although we might not have that number-one guy like we've had in prior years, our staff runs deeper than we've ever had before. Our number 10, 11 and 12 arms are definitely better than any of those years."
The position player side of things likewise shows great depth, possessing excellent defense and speed to go with a well-disciplined lineup. Drew Bulson, Ean Von Wald, Reid Conlee, Mason Diaz and Nick Friedges are set to handle the pitching staff behind the plate, each catcher providing a unique skillset and defensive profile. The infield will be anchored by returners Max Gamm, Tate Wallat, Parker Savard and C.J. Breen. SCSU's outfield is likely to be patrolled by John Nett, Paul Steffensen and Tyler Schiller. Newcomers Sam Riola (IF/RHP), Cameron Vollmer (C/1B), Mitchell Gumbko (IF/OF), Mason Primus (OF) and true freshman Ethan Navratil (IF) all figure in to the mix to serve in key roles.
"This might be the best team speed we've had in my 15 years," Dolan concluded, "Although we don't have quite as many power bats as in years past, I personally like a small-ball game with our speed, aggressiveness and baserunning acumen."
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
"I really love our nonconference schedule," said head coach Pat Dolan, "Especially after the last two years of only getting 14 and 32 games in respectively. A special thanks goes to Heather Weems and Bruce Thompson for helping coordinate and agreeing to let us take trips to Arkansas, West Virginia and Florida. With both Henderson State and Salem having turf fields we should have a great chance to get all of those games in."
The season-opening HSU Invitational will provide St. Cloud State with four key regional games against Henderson State, Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State and Ouachita Baptist. Plenty of eyes will be on the Opening Day tilt against Henderson, as SCSU hasn't faced the Reddies since they were beaten twice by HSU at the 2015 Central Region Tournament. A RussMatt matchup against Sioux Falls gives the Huskies five total Central Region nonconference games in their quest for yet another NCAA Regional berth.
Following the Huskies' first trip to Arkansas since the 2018 Central Region Tournament, SCSU will head out to Salem, West Virgina for a four-game affair hosted by Salem University. Old friend and former St. Cloud State pitching coach Kassidy Gaines (2019-20) is in his second season as Salem's associate head coach. The host Tigers are scheduled to play the Huskies twice, with Mansfield and Ashland providing two more tests for SCSU. Huskies Baseball will close out their nonconference schedule with a seven-game trip to Florida at the RussMatt Invitational.
"It is going to be one of the more challenging nonconference schedules we've had," Dolan continued, "We'll be facing some very good Central Region teams and some other teams ranked nationally."
Conference season begins with a challenging road trip, opening NSIC action with a weekend at Augustana, a midweek at Winona State, a weekend trek to Wayne State and an eagerly anticipated midweek at Bowyer Field against archrival Minnesota State-Mankato.
"Starting off again at Augustana isn't necessarily ideal," Dolan said, "But hopefully we'll be able to have fans in attendance and start the conference season with some competitive games, win that series and go from there. The NSIC is just not like it was 10 years ago with so many teams like Crookston and Minot State fighting for regional bits and so many others that have greatly improved like Mary, Northern and Sioux Falls. It's definitely going to be a grinding 36 games of Northern Sun baseball."
The Huskies will spend nearly the entire month of April at Joe Faber Field, playing host to weekends with Sioux Falls, Concordia-St. Paul, SMSU and Minnesota-Crookston along with midweek tits against Upper Iowa, Northern State and Minnesota-Duluth. A lone late-April weekend at Bemidji State precedes a five-game homestand, then St. Cloud State wraps up the regular season with a five-game road trip to U-Mary (midweek) and Minot State (weekend). The NSIC Championships are scheduled for May 11-14 in Sioux Falls.
St. Cloud State is coming off a 22-14 season that saw them go 18-9 in conference play for a third-place finish in the NSIC standings. The pitching staff enters the 2022 campaign strong, deep and healthy. Weekend staple Trevor Koenig is joined by returning starters Tommy Thompson, Jack Habeck, Fabian Villegas and Luke Tupy. One of the many reasons for excitement around the Huskies is the return of Shannon Ahern and Riley Ahern, both of whom having missed significant time in 2021. Nick Brauns, Eli Emerson, Adam Winkels and redshirt freshman Isaiah Katz combine to give the Huskies an excellent relief corps. Northwoods League All-Star and former Gophers fireman Ryan Duffy joins the Huskies as a well-tested veteran piece, while true freshmen hurlers Ethan Lanthier and Owen Anderson are expected to be important weapons on the staff.
"I really like our pitching depth on the mound," commented Dolan, "Although we might not have that number-one guy like we've had in prior years, our staff runs deeper than we've ever had before. Our number 10, 11 and 12 arms are definitely better than any of those years."
The position player side of things likewise shows great depth, possessing excellent defense and speed to go with a well-disciplined lineup. Drew Bulson, Ean Von Wald, Reid Conlee, Mason Diaz and Nick Friedges are set to handle the pitching staff behind the plate, each catcher providing a unique skillset and defensive profile. The infield will be anchored by returners Max Gamm, Tate Wallat, Parker Savard and C.J. Breen. SCSU's outfield is likely to be patrolled by John Nett, Paul Steffensen and Tyler Schiller. Newcomers Sam Riola (IF/RHP), Cameron Vollmer (C/1B), Mitchell Gumbko (IF/OF), Mason Primus (OF) and true freshman Ethan Navratil (IF) all figure in to the mix to serve in key roles.
"This might be the best team speed we've had in my 15 years," Dolan concluded, "Although we don't have quite as many power bats as in years past, I personally like a small-ball game with our speed, aggressiveness and baserunning acumen."
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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