Thursday, April 13
Crookston, Minn.
1:30 p.m. CT
St. Cloud State
at
Minnesota Crookston
Photo by: Ryan Roehl
SCSU looks ahead to Minnesota Crookston, Sioux Falls
4/12/2023 5:35:00 PM | Baseball
Huskies hit the road to open seven-game road stretch
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Baseball (17-11, 9-4 NSIC) is back on the road this week for a midweek series at Minnesota Crookston (20-14, 10-6 NSIC) on Thursday followed by a Saturday/Sunday weekend set at Sioux Falls (8-24, 7-11 NSIC). First pitch for Thursday's doubleheader is set for 1:30 p.m. CT at the Minnesota Crookston Baseball Field while Saturday's series begins at 1:30 p.m. CT at the Birdcage. SCSU will close out their series against the Cougars on Sunday with a noon CT start.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Both series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network with live stats provided by the host institutions. Links to each coverage option can be found on the SCSU Baseball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
In a wild series finale on Saturday afternoon at the Wayne Ball Park, sophomore shortstop Sawyer Smith (1-for-4, BB, 2 R, RBI) and St. Cloud State walked off Concordia-St. Paul to take the weekend finale 8-7 and earn a critical series win. Jack Habeck pitched deep into his Saturday start, eating up innings and saving a taxed bullpen. The lefthander exited in line for the win after going 6.2 frames of four-run ball, scattering 10 hits while walking none and striking out four. The Huskies opened the scoring in the first as Sam Riola (2-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI, SB) singled through the right side with one away then advanced to third on a beautifully executed hit-and-run with Drew Bulson (2-for-5) at the plate. A wild pitch brought home Riola, giving SCSU the 1-0 lead. Habeck kept the Golden Bears at bay through five scoreless frames as St. Cloud State added three insurance runs in the fourth – Smith made it 2-0 with an RBI single to plate Ethan Navratil (2-for-4, BB, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI) and later scored on an errant throw by the CSP catcher following a wild pitch after John Nett (1-for-4, HBP, RBI) singled in a run. Concordia-St. Paul slowly chipped away with a run in the sixth – responded to with a bases-loaded walk drawn by Riola a half-inning later – followed by two in the seventh. Payton VanBeck (W, 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) entered with two away and two on in the top of the seventh, stranding both runners on to keep it a 5-4 Huskies lead. The Golden Bears took the lead with a three-spot in the ninth, sending things to the home half with the Huskies facing a 7-5 deficit. Riola drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the frame, then Garrett Bevacqua (1-for-5) ripped a single back up the middle to put two on for Bulson. The SCSU catcher lifted a towering flyout to the warning track in center field and both baserunners alertly tagged up and advanced as the throw went into third. Down to their last out after a lineout to center, Navratil blasted a game-tying two-run double into the right-center alley. Two pitches later, Smith bounced a ball to short that skipped off the CSP shortstop's glove, scoring Navratil with a head-first slide to walk things off in style.
STANDINGS & SUCH
The Huskies currently stand three games out of first and two behind second-place Augustana, chasing Minnesota State-Mankato for the top spot in the NSIC standings. SCSU is just a half-game ahead of Minnesota Crookston, setting the stage for a critical midweek set.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Minnesota Crookston has enjoyed a strong 2023 campaign, entering the week 20-14 and fourth in the NSIC with a 10-6 conference record. The Golden Eagles rank top-five in nearly every offensive category across the league, led by a trio of standouts in Mike Hallquist (.439/.544/.895, 1.439 OPS, 42 R, 13 2B, 11 HR, 40 RBI), Jake Hjelle (.358/.428/.720, 1.168 OPS, 31 R, 12 2B, 11 HR, 40 RBI) and Josh Dykhoff (.330/.450/.608, 1.058 OPS, 6 2B, 7 HR, 17 RBI). Hallquist is second to only Mitchell Gumbko in the NSIC batting title race and leads the league in slugging, OPS, runs scored, RBI and home runs - sharing the latter two leads with Hjelle. UMC's pitching staff pounds the zone, ranking second across the league in both BB/9 and walk rate while holding the third-best K/BB ratio.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Sioux Falls has bounced back from a difficult nonconference schedule, owning an 8-24 record with a 7-11 mark in conference play heading into the week. The lineup has produced a respectable approach built around putting the ball in play, owning the fifth-lowest strikeout rate of any NSIC club. David Swanson and Brady Klehr have provided near-identical slash lines of .337/.410/.505 and .336/.410/.505 respectively to share the team lead with a .915 OPS while Noah Christenson (.315) and Tyler Cate (.308) join them to make four Cougars hitting better than .300. Pitching has been the biggest problem for USF, as the club ranks second to last in nearly every major statistical category.
THE TABLE IS SET
Junior centerfielder John Nett is enjoying a phenomenal campaign leading off a potent Huskies lineup that leads the NSIC in runs per game, batting average and on-base percentage while ranking top-four in nearly every major category. Nett is slashing .422/.505/.633 for a 1.141 OPS with 34 runs scored, 12 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 25 RBI. Entering the weekend, Nett ranks third across the NSIC in runs scored and batting average; fourth in runs, fifth in on-base percentage and doubles; sixth in stolen bases and tenth in OPS.
APRIL POWERS
Redshirt seniors Sam Riola and Drew Bulson are both tearing the cover off the ball in April, leading a Huskies lineup to produce 52 runs in six games. Riola is slashing .542/.607/1.042 for a 1.649 OPS with four doubles, a triple and two home runs while scoring 10 times and knocking in six. Seven of Riola's 13 hits have gone for extra bases as the star has struck out just once in 28 trips to the plate this month. Bulson has driven in eight runs this month while slashing .526/.654/.842 for a 1.496 OPS, blasting three doubles and a homer in addition to his steady presence behind the dish.
THE FOLEY PHENOM
Junior righthander Drew Beier fired another gem for St. Cloud State last week against Concordia-St. Paul, lowering his NSIC-best ERA to 1.50 with 6.0 innings of one-run ball. Over his last four starts, Beier has won all four with a 0.73 ERA across 24.2 innings of work - allowing just three runs while striking out 12 and holding batters to a .202 average. The Foley product has made 19 starts over his four-year collegiate career, owning a 17-1 record with a 2.82 ERA over 118.0 innings pitched.
RED-HOT RIOLA
Redshirt senior Sam Riola has settled into a dominant stretch on the mound over his last three appearances, allowing a lone earned run across 16.0 innings of work for a 0.56 ERA. Riola owns a 16:4 K:BB ratio in that span and has held opponents to a .200 batting average.
PUT THE BALL IN PLAY, GOOD THINGS HAPPEN
St. Cloud State's lineup has been at the forefront of their success this season, currently leading the NSIC in runs per game, batting average and on-base percentage. A major factor has been the additional stat the club leads the league in - strikeout rate. SCSU has punched out in just 14.0% of their trips to the plate this season, a full 3.1% better than the next-lowest club. Zero everyday starters are striking out in more than 17.3% of their plate appearances as the Huskies' emphasis on putting the ball in play has produced splendid success.
GRADY THE GREAT
Junior righthander Grady Fuchs is providing the Huskies bullpen with tremendous stability in high-leverage spots, responding incredibly well to a move into the closer role. Dating back to March 13, Fuchs has made four saves while logging a 1.69 ERA across 10.2 innings of work spanning eight appearances. The righthander fired seven straight scoreless outings to open that span and has limited opponents to a .114 average with a 12:3 K:BB ratio over his last eight.
WALK THIS WAY
Junior left fielder Tyler Schiller has drawn 21 free passes this season, currently ranking fifth across the NSIC. Schiller's strong approach has seen him work walks in 25.0% of his trips to the plate while striking out just 13.1% of the time. Incredibly, the lefthanded bat has taken ball four 12 times in 34 plate appearances with runners in scoring position - good for a 35.3% walk rate. A native of Hutchinson, Schiller's steady on-base presence has him seventh in the NSIC with a .506 OBP.
PRO HUSKIES CHECK-IN
Huskies alumni Nick Anderson and Matt Osterberg have each opened their professional seasons. As of April 12, Anderson has made five appearances out of the Atlanta Braves bullpen with a 3.18 ERA, two holds and a save. The righthander has fanned eight while allowing just three hits and walking none. Matt Osterberg fired 4.0 scoreless in his first start with High-A Jersey Shore on April 9, striking out five while allowing a lone hit and two walks.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Both series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network with live stats provided by the host institutions. Links to each coverage option can be found on the SCSU Baseball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
In a wild series finale on Saturday afternoon at the Wayne Ball Park, sophomore shortstop Sawyer Smith (1-for-4, BB, 2 R, RBI) and St. Cloud State walked off Concordia-St. Paul to take the weekend finale 8-7 and earn a critical series win. Jack Habeck pitched deep into his Saturday start, eating up innings and saving a taxed bullpen. The lefthander exited in line for the win after going 6.2 frames of four-run ball, scattering 10 hits while walking none and striking out four. The Huskies opened the scoring in the first as Sam Riola (2-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI, SB) singled through the right side with one away then advanced to third on a beautifully executed hit-and-run with Drew Bulson (2-for-5) at the plate. A wild pitch brought home Riola, giving SCSU the 1-0 lead. Habeck kept the Golden Bears at bay through five scoreless frames as St. Cloud State added three insurance runs in the fourth – Smith made it 2-0 with an RBI single to plate Ethan Navratil (2-for-4, BB, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI) and later scored on an errant throw by the CSP catcher following a wild pitch after John Nett (1-for-4, HBP, RBI) singled in a run. Concordia-St. Paul slowly chipped away with a run in the sixth – responded to with a bases-loaded walk drawn by Riola a half-inning later – followed by two in the seventh. Payton VanBeck (W, 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) entered with two away and two on in the top of the seventh, stranding both runners on to keep it a 5-4 Huskies lead. The Golden Bears took the lead with a three-spot in the ninth, sending things to the home half with the Huskies facing a 7-5 deficit. Riola drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the frame, then Garrett Bevacqua (1-for-5) ripped a single back up the middle to put two on for Bulson. The SCSU catcher lifted a towering flyout to the warning track in center field and both baserunners alertly tagged up and advanced as the throw went into third. Down to their last out after a lineout to center, Navratil blasted a game-tying two-run double into the right-center alley. Two pitches later, Smith bounced a ball to short that skipped off the CSP shortstop's glove, scoring Navratil with a head-first slide to walk things off in style.
STANDINGS & SUCH
The Huskies currently stand three games out of first and two behind second-place Augustana, chasing Minnesota State-Mankato for the top spot in the NSIC standings. SCSU is just a half-game ahead of Minnesota Crookston, setting the stage for a critical midweek set.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Minnesota Crookston has enjoyed a strong 2023 campaign, entering the week 20-14 and fourth in the NSIC with a 10-6 conference record. The Golden Eagles rank top-five in nearly every offensive category across the league, led by a trio of standouts in Mike Hallquist (.439/.544/.895, 1.439 OPS, 42 R, 13 2B, 11 HR, 40 RBI), Jake Hjelle (.358/.428/.720, 1.168 OPS, 31 R, 12 2B, 11 HR, 40 RBI) and Josh Dykhoff (.330/.450/.608, 1.058 OPS, 6 2B, 7 HR, 17 RBI). Hallquist is second to only Mitchell Gumbko in the NSIC batting title race and leads the league in slugging, OPS, runs scored, RBI and home runs - sharing the latter two leads with Hjelle. UMC's pitching staff pounds the zone, ranking second across the league in both BB/9 and walk rate while holding the third-best K/BB ratio.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Sioux Falls has bounced back from a difficult nonconference schedule, owning an 8-24 record with a 7-11 mark in conference play heading into the week. The lineup has produced a respectable approach built around putting the ball in play, owning the fifth-lowest strikeout rate of any NSIC club. David Swanson and Brady Klehr have provided near-identical slash lines of .337/.410/.505 and .336/.410/.505 respectively to share the team lead with a .915 OPS while Noah Christenson (.315) and Tyler Cate (.308) join them to make four Cougars hitting better than .300. Pitching has been the biggest problem for USF, as the club ranks second to last in nearly every major statistical category.
THE TABLE IS SET
Junior centerfielder John Nett is enjoying a phenomenal campaign leading off a potent Huskies lineup that leads the NSIC in runs per game, batting average and on-base percentage while ranking top-four in nearly every major category. Nett is slashing .422/.505/.633 for a 1.141 OPS with 34 runs scored, 12 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 25 RBI. Entering the weekend, Nett ranks third across the NSIC in runs scored and batting average; fourth in runs, fifth in on-base percentage and doubles; sixth in stolen bases and tenth in OPS.
APRIL POWERS
Redshirt seniors Sam Riola and Drew Bulson are both tearing the cover off the ball in April, leading a Huskies lineup to produce 52 runs in six games. Riola is slashing .542/.607/1.042 for a 1.649 OPS with four doubles, a triple and two home runs while scoring 10 times and knocking in six. Seven of Riola's 13 hits have gone for extra bases as the star has struck out just once in 28 trips to the plate this month. Bulson has driven in eight runs this month while slashing .526/.654/.842 for a 1.496 OPS, blasting three doubles and a homer in addition to his steady presence behind the dish.
THE FOLEY PHENOM
Junior righthander Drew Beier fired another gem for St. Cloud State last week against Concordia-St. Paul, lowering his NSIC-best ERA to 1.50 with 6.0 innings of one-run ball. Over his last four starts, Beier has won all four with a 0.73 ERA across 24.2 innings of work - allowing just three runs while striking out 12 and holding batters to a .202 average. The Foley product has made 19 starts over his four-year collegiate career, owning a 17-1 record with a 2.82 ERA over 118.0 innings pitched.
RED-HOT RIOLA
Redshirt senior Sam Riola has settled into a dominant stretch on the mound over his last three appearances, allowing a lone earned run across 16.0 innings of work for a 0.56 ERA. Riola owns a 16:4 K:BB ratio in that span and has held opponents to a .200 batting average.
PUT THE BALL IN PLAY, GOOD THINGS HAPPEN
St. Cloud State's lineup has been at the forefront of their success this season, currently leading the NSIC in runs per game, batting average and on-base percentage. A major factor has been the additional stat the club leads the league in - strikeout rate. SCSU has punched out in just 14.0% of their trips to the plate this season, a full 3.1% better than the next-lowest club. Zero everyday starters are striking out in more than 17.3% of their plate appearances as the Huskies' emphasis on putting the ball in play has produced splendid success.
GRADY THE GREAT
Junior righthander Grady Fuchs is providing the Huskies bullpen with tremendous stability in high-leverage spots, responding incredibly well to a move into the closer role. Dating back to March 13, Fuchs has made four saves while logging a 1.69 ERA across 10.2 innings of work spanning eight appearances. The righthander fired seven straight scoreless outings to open that span and has limited opponents to a .114 average with a 12:3 K:BB ratio over his last eight.
WALK THIS WAY
Junior left fielder Tyler Schiller has drawn 21 free passes this season, currently ranking fifth across the NSIC. Schiller's strong approach has seen him work walks in 25.0% of his trips to the plate while striking out just 13.1% of the time. Incredibly, the lefthanded bat has taken ball four 12 times in 34 plate appearances with runners in scoring position - good for a 35.3% walk rate. A native of Hutchinson, Schiller's steady on-base presence has him seventh in the NSIC with a .506 OBP.
PRO HUSKIES CHECK-IN
Huskies alumni Nick Anderson and Matt Osterberg have each opened their professional seasons. As of April 12, Anderson has made five appearances out of the Atlanta Braves bullpen with a 3.18 ERA, two holds and a save. The righthander has fanned eight while allowing just three hits and walking none. Matt Osterberg fired 4.0 scoreless in his first start with High-A Jersey Shore on April 9, striking out five while allowing a lone hit and two walks.
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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