Tuesday, March 28
Fayette, Iowa
Noon CT
St. Cloud State
at
Upper Iowa
Photo by: Ryan Roehl
St. Cloud State travels to Fayette for NSIC midweek set
3/27/2023 5:30:00 PM | Baseball
Huskies and Peacocks ready for two-game series on Tuesday in Iowa
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Baseball (12-8, 4-1 NSIC) continues Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this week with a midweek series at Upper Iowa (9-9, 5-2 NSIC) in Fayette, Iowa. The Huskies and Peacocks will play a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 28 beginning at noon CT at Robertson Woods Field.
LAST TIME OUT
SCSU saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end in the series finale as the lineup couldn't solve Augustana righthander Seth Miller, managing just four baserunners and advancing only two as far as second base over 7.0 scoreless innings thrown by the Viking starter. Augie plated two in the third and added one each in the sixth, seventh and eighth before the Huskies scratched across two against the Vikings bullpen in the eighth. John Nett (1-for-3, BB, RBI, SB), Sam Riola (1-for-4) and Tyler Schiller (1-for-4, R) supplied the three St. Cloud State hits in the loss.
STANDINGS & SUCH
Heading into the third week of conference play, the Huskies currently stand third in the NSIC with a 4-1 record and are a game and a half back of conference leader Minnesota Crookston. Upper Iowa sits alone in fourth with a 5-2 conference mark.
SCOUTING THE PEACOCKS
Upper Iowa enters the midweek set right at .500 with a 9-9 record in 2023, having gone 5-2 in conference play. The Peacocks have won five straight after dropping their first two games of a weekend series against Mary, taking the finale before sweeping Bemidji State in a midweek then dumping Minnesota Duluth in both games of their weather-shortened weekend tilt. A potent UIU lineup has supplied just under seven runs a game thanks in large part to a middle-of-the-order that provides plenty of punch. Shortstop J.J. Vargas has slashed .286/.431/.661 for a 1.091 OPS while leading the Peacocks with six doubles and five home runs, adding 16 RBI. Double-play partner Ethan Sawyer owns a team-leading 20 runs batted in and a .382 average, homering four times to produce a 1.015 OPS. Two more everyday starters - right fielder Cael Larson (1.017 OPS) and designated hitter Victor Plaz (1.095 OPS) - give the Peacocks four with OPS marks north of 1.000 as the club has produced 59 extra-base hits in 18 games. Southpaw Colin Lacey and righthander Jason Jennerjohn made up last week's midweek rotation against Bemidji State, with both arms available to take the ball on Tuesday. Lacey has gone 2-2 with a 6.45 ERA across five appearances, working 22.1 innings with a 1.57 WHIP and a 12:12 K:BB ratio. The hard-throwing lefty tossed 5.0 innings of two-run ball against SCSU last season on April 12, taking a no-decision in a duel with Sam Riola and Jack Habeck. Jennerjohn joins the Peacocks as a transfer from Eastern Illinois and has thrown just 3.0 innings total in his first two bumps, issuing five walks and working to a 6.00 ERA. Late-inning relievers Sam Marhefke (0-0, 4.91 ERA, 4 SV, 9 APP, 14.2 IP, 14:5 K:BB, 1.30 WHIP) and Austin Shingledecker (2-1, 2.12 ERA, 2 SV, 7 APP, 17.0 IP, 21:9 K:BB, 1.24 WHIP) combine to give Upper Iowa two solid options out of the bullpen.
HUSKY TIES
Upper Iowa is led by former St. Cloud State catcher Jeremy Ische, currently in his fifth season leading the Peacocks. Ische backed up Nate Hammes in 2009, slashing .250/.344/.393 for a .737 OPS across 18 games and six starts, then closed his SCSU career by backing up Travis Enger in 2011 while hitting .300 with a .762 OPS. The UIU head coach is one of St. Cloud State head coach Pat Dolan's five former players to be currently serving as a collegiate coach alongside Minot State head coach Sam Boisner, St. Cloud Technical & Community College head coach David Kroger, Madison College assistant coach Trevor Cho and St. John's pitching coach Scott Lieser.
IN THE HUNT
Following a brief hiatus, St. Cloud State is back in the NCBWA Central Region Poll - appearing in the No. 10 spot after winning eight of their last nine. The Huskies are the second-highest NSIC team in the regional rankings behind No. 5 Minnesota State-Mankato and one of four conference teams to receive recognition as both Minot State and Minnesota Crookston appeared on at least one ballot.
BEWARE OF BEIER
Junior righthander Drew Beier has starred as a two-way player this season, going 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA on the monud while hitting .405 across 12 starts at the plate between second base and designated hitter. Beier is scheduled to get the ball in game one of the midweek set and has won both of his starts, allowing just two earned runs over 13.2 innings for a 1.32 ERA while allowing just eight hits on a .170 batting average against. Joining the Huskies this season after earning Second Team NJCAA All-American honors at St. Cloud Tech, Beier owns a career record of 14-1 with a 3.27 ERA over 19 appearances, striking out 102 and issuing just 27 walks in 99.0 collegiate innings.
THE TABLE IS SET
Junior centerfielder John Nett is enjoying a phenomenal campaign leading off the Huskies' potent lineup that leads the NSIC in runs per game, batting average and on-base percentage while ranking top-three in nearly every major category. Nett is slashing .453/.543/.733 for a 1.277 OPS with 27 runs scored, 10 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 21 RBI. His plus approach has earned him a strong 13.8% walk rate while putting plenty of balls in play - striking out in just five of his 94 trips (5.3%) to fuel a .575 wOBA. Nett is third in the conference with 27 runs scored, just behind teammate Sam Riola, and ranks seventh with eight stolen bases. In the field, Nett has played 146.1 errorless innings in center with a 2.95 range factor/9 and two outfield assists.
A TRUE GAMER
Redshirt senior second baseman and righthanded pitcher Sam Riola has followed his All-American 2022 campaign with a strong start to his final season in Huskyland, entering the midweek slashing .301/.383/.542 for a .925 OPS with four doubles, two triples, four home runs and 23 RBI. Riola has taken a larger role on the mound this season, going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA across five appearances and four starts while leading the Huskies in innings pitched and strikeouts. The veteran is fresh off throwing 9.0 scoreless innings in a no-decision against Augustana and is hitting .316 in conference play.
ANOTHER ONE IN THE FUCHS
Junior righthander Grady Fuchs left no question as to who will be taking the ball in save situations last week, slamming the door on three saves in his three appearances while retiring nine of 10 batters faced. Notably, Fuchs became the first Husky in exactly nine years to record two saves on the same day by closing out both games of the club's midweek doubleheader with Southwest Minnesota State on March 23 in Elkhorn, Nebraska. Nine years prior to the day - March 23, 2014 - four time All-American Reese Gregory did the same in a doubleheader against Winona State, also held in the Omaha area. Fuchs has made a staff-leading eight appearances this season and has thrown 12.1 innings to the tune of a 5.11 ERA, striking out 12 while maintaining a 1.30 WHIP. The righthander has been especially tough on lefthanded hitters, limiting them to just one hit in 17 at-bats for a .059 batting average and a .259 OPS.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Redshirt senior catcher Drew Bulson has taken a major step forward with his work behind the plate this season, currently leading the NSIC with six runners thrown out on a 40.0% caught-stealing rate while guiding the SCSU pitching staff to a 3.57 ERA when he is catching. Both numbers currently stand as career-bests as the St. Cloud native has bumped his CSR by 23.5% and lowered his catcher ERA by nearly a full run. Bulson's defensive chops are supported by a productive season at the plate, as he currently slashes .367/.451/.600 for a 1.051 OPS with five doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI.
SAVING THE STAFF
St. Cloud State's starting rotation provided plenty of innings last week in their first two conference series as Jack Habeck (6.2 IP), Drew Beier (8.0 IP), Sam Riola (9.0 IP) and Luke Tupy (5.1 IP) each pitched into at least the sixth inning in their respective starts. Those key bumps combined with excellent work by Grady Fuchs and Riley Ahern out of the bullpen leave the Huskies with a well-rested staff entering the quick turnaround to a Tuesday midweek. While all but Beier are likely unavailable on Tuesday, SCSU has plenty of fresh options to go to against Upper Iowa.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
LAST TIME OUT
SCSU saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end in the series finale as the lineup couldn't solve Augustana righthander Seth Miller, managing just four baserunners and advancing only two as far as second base over 7.0 scoreless innings thrown by the Viking starter. Augie plated two in the third and added one each in the sixth, seventh and eighth before the Huskies scratched across two against the Vikings bullpen in the eighth. John Nett (1-for-3, BB, RBI, SB), Sam Riola (1-for-4) and Tyler Schiller (1-for-4, R) supplied the three St. Cloud State hits in the loss.
STANDINGS & SUCH
Heading into the third week of conference play, the Huskies currently stand third in the NSIC with a 4-1 record and are a game and a half back of conference leader Minnesota Crookston. Upper Iowa sits alone in fourth with a 5-2 conference mark.
SCOUTING THE PEACOCKS
Upper Iowa enters the midweek set right at .500 with a 9-9 record in 2023, having gone 5-2 in conference play. The Peacocks have won five straight after dropping their first two games of a weekend series against Mary, taking the finale before sweeping Bemidji State in a midweek then dumping Minnesota Duluth in both games of their weather-shortened weekend tilt. A potent UIU lineup has supplied just under seven runs a game thanks in large part to a middle-of-the-order that provides plenty of punch. Shortstop J.J. Vargas has slashed .286/.431/.661 for a 1.091 OPS while leading the Peacocks with six doubles and five home runs, adding 16 RBI. Double-play partner Ethan Sawyer owns a team-leading 20 runs batted in and a .382 average, homering four times to produce a 1.015 OPS. Two more everyday starters - right fielder Cael Larson (1.017 OPS) and designated hitter Victor Plaz (1.095 OPS) - give the Peacocks four with OPS marks north of 1.000 as the club has produced 59 extra-base hits in 18 games. Southpaw Colin Lacey and righthander Jason Jennerjohn made up last week's midweek rotation against Bemidji State, with both arms available to take the ball on Tuesday. Lacey has gone 2-2 with a 6.45 ERA across five appearances, working 22.1 innings with a 1.57 WHIP and a 12:12 K:BB ratio. The hard-throwing lefty tossed 5.0 innings of two-run ball against SCSU last season on April 12, taking a no-decision in a duel with Sam Riola and Jack Habeck. Jennerjohn joins the Peacocks as a transfer from Eastern Illinois and has thrown just 3.0 innings total in his first two bumps, issuing five walks and working to a 6.00 ERA. Late-inning relievers Sam Marhefke (0-0, 4.91 ERA, 4 SV, 9 APP, 14.2 IP, 14:5 K:BB, 1.30 WHIP) and Austin Shingledecker (2-1, 2.12 ERA, 2 SV, 7 APP, 17.0 IP, 21:9 K:BB, 1.24 WHIP) combine to give Upper Iowa two solid options out of the bullpen.
HUSKY TIES
Upper Iowa is led by former St. Cloud State catcher Jeremy Ische, currently in his fifth season leading the Peacocks. Ische backed up Nate Hammes in 2009, slashing .250/.344/.393 for a .737 OPS across 18 games and six starts, then closed his SCSU career by backing up Travis Enger in 2011 while hitting .300 with a .762 OPS. The UIU head coach is one of St. Cloud State head coach Pat Dolan's five former players to be currently serving as a collegiate coach alongside Minot State head coach Sam Boisner, St. Cloud Technical & Community College head coach David Kroger, Madison College assistant coach Trevor Cho and St. John's pitching coach Scott Lieser.
IN THE HUNT
Following a brief hiatus, St. Cloud State is back in the NCBWA Central Region Poll - appearing in the No. 10 spot after winning eight of their last nine. The Huskies are the second-highest NSIC team in the regional rankings behind No. 5 Minnesota State-Mankato and one of four conference teams to receive recognition as both Minot State and Minnesota Crookston appeared on at least one ballot.
BEWARE OF BEIER
Junior righthander Drew Beier has starred as a two-way player this season, going 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA on the monud while hitting .405 across 12 starts at the plate between second base and designated hitter. Beier is scheduled to get the ball in game one of the midweek set and has won both of his starts, allowing just two earned runs over 13.2 innings for a 1.32 ERA while allowing just eight hits on a .170 batting average against. Joining the Huskies this season after earning Second Team NJCAA All-American honors at St. Cloud Tech, Beier owns a career record of 14-1 with a 3.27 ERA over 19 appearances, striking out 102 and issuing just 27 walks in 99.0 collegiate innings.
THE TABLE IS SET
Junior centerfielder John Nett is enjoying a phenomenal campaign leading off the Huskies' potent lineup that leads the NSIC in runs per game, batting average and on-base percentage while ranking top-three in nearly every major category. Nett is slashing .453/.543/.733 for a 1.277 OPS with 27 runs scored, 10 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 21 RBI. His plus approach has earned him a strong 13.8% walk rate while putting plenty of balls in play - striking out in just five of his 94 trips (5.3%) to fuel a .575 wOBA. Nett is third in the conference with 27 runs scored, just behind teammate Sam Riola, and ranks seventh with eight stolen bases. In the field, Nett has played 146.1 errorless innings in center with a 2.95 range factor/9 and two outfield assists.
A TRUE GAMER
Redshirt senior second baseman and righthanded pitcher Sam Riola has followed his All-American 2022 campaign with a strong start to his final season in Huskyland, entering the midweek slashing .301/.383/.542 for a .925 OPS with four doubles, two triples, four home runs and 23 RBI. Riola has taken a larger role on the mound this season, going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA across five appearances and four starts while leading the Huskies in innings pitched and strikeouts. The veteran is fresh off throwing 9.0 scoreless innings in a no-decision against Augustana and is hitting .316 in conference play.
ANOTHER ONE IN THE FUCHS
Junior righthander Grady Fuchs left no question as to who will be taking the ball in save situations last week, slamming the door on three saves in his three appearances while retiring nine of 10 batters faced. Notably, Fuchs became the first Husky in exactly nine years to record two saves on the same day by closing out both games of the club's midweek doubleheader with Southwest Minnesota State on March 23 in Elkhorn, Nebraska. Nine years prior to the day - March 23, 2014 - four time All-American Reese Gregory did the same in a doubleheader against Winona State, also held in the Omaha area. Fuchs has made a staff-leading eight appearances this season and has thrown 12.1 innings to the tune of a 5.11 ERA, striking out 12 while maintaining a 1.30 WHIP. The righthander has been especially tough on lefthanded hitters, limiting them to just one hit in 17 at-bats for a .059 batting average and a .259 OPS.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Redshirt senior catcher Drew Bulson has taken a major step forward with his work behind the plate this season, currently leading the NSIC with six runners thrown out on a 40.0% caught-stealing rate while guiding the SCSU pitching staff to a 3.57 ERA when he is catching. Both numbers currently stand as career-bests as the St. Cloud native has bumped his CSR by 23.5% and lowered his catcher ERA by nearly a full run. Bulson's defensive chops are supported by a productive season at the plate, as he currently slashes .367/.451/.600 for a 1.051 OPS with five doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI.
SAVING THE STAFF
St. Cloud State's starting rotation provided plenty of innings last week in their first two conference series as Jack Habeck (6.2 IP), Drew Beier (8.0 IP), Sam Riola (9.0 IP) and Luke Tupy (5.1 IP) each pitched into at least the sixth inning in their respective starts. Those key bumps combined with excellent work by Grady Fuchs and Riley Ahern out of the bullpen leave the Huskies with a well-rested staff entering the quick turnaround to a Tuesday midweek. While all but Beier are likely unavailable on Tuesday, SCSU has plenty of fresh options to go to against Upper Iowa.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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