Sunday, April 23
St. Cloud, Minn.
1:00 p.m. CT
St. Cloud State
vs
Mary
Huskies set to host Mary in home-opening three game set
4/21/2023 12:10:00 PM | Baseball
SCSU looks to gain ground in NSIC standings with key weekend series
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Baseball (19-14, 11-7 NSIC) celebrates their 2023 home opener this weekend as they host Mary (15-22, 8-14 NSIC) for a three-game weekend series on April 23-24 at Joe Faber Field. Games one and two will be played as a doubleheader on Sunday, April 23 with a 1:00 p.m. CT start while Monday's finale is set for a 1:00 p.m. CT first pitch.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
All three games of the series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network and 97.5 FM RadioX with live stats provided by St. Cloud State. Links to each coverage option can be found on the SCSU Baseball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
A second four-hit game from John Nett (4-for-6, R, 2 RBI) was supported by multi-hit games by Sam Riola (3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 2 SB), Tate Wallat (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Kevin Butler (2-for-4, BB, 2 R, RBI) and Brayden Jacobson (2-for-5, 2 R, 3B, RBI) to provide the fuel for a 12-4 series-securing win in the finale. Riley Ahern found his bulldog form to earn his fourth win of the season, firing 6.0 innings of four-run ball while scattering seven hits and a pair of walks. The SCSU captain struck out six and kept the red-hot Cougars lineup at bay. A Drew Bulson (1-for-3, BB, RBI, SF) sacrifice fly in the first gave the Huskies an early lead. After the Cougars responded with a run of their own in the home half, Wallat crushed a three-run blast in the third to cap a five run frame. SCSU tacked on one in the fourth with a Sawyer Smith (0-for-5, BB, R, 2 RBI) run-scoring groundout then plated three in the fifth. Insurance came by way of a run in the eighth and ninth as the Huskies built up their eight run lead. The St. Cloud State bullpen made it 6.0 scoreless innings over the final two games of the series as Cooper Avery, David Van Ort and Eli Emerson each fired a shutout frame to close out the win. Avery and Emerson each struck out one while Van Ort fanned a pair.
STANDINGS & SUCH
The Huskies currently stand sixth in the NSIC standings and look to climb back into the top four with a stretch that features each of their next four series occurring against the league's bottom four clubs standings-wise. SCSU is half a game behind Minot State and one behind Winona State while holding a one-game lead on Concordia-St. Paul.
SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS
Mary enters the weekend 15-22 with an 8-14 mark in conference play, sitting at No. 12 in the conference standings. The Marauders rely on a high-powered lineup that boasts two hitters with double-digit homers and a total of six with at least five long balls, ranking third in the NSIC as a team in slugging, home runs and OPS. Derek Shoen is a force in the middle of the order, slashing .403/.494/.708 for a 1.203 OPS with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 39 RBI. Former NSIC Freshman of the Year Cal James adds a .368/.488/.647 slash line for a 1.135 OPS along with 11 doubles, eight homers and 34 RBI to give Mary one of the most productive corner infield pairs in the league. Mary strikes out at the second-lowest clip in the league, largely thanks to James' miniscule 7.1% clip as well as boasting five everyday starters striking out in less than 17.0% of their plate appearances. Pitching has been the puzzle to solve this season in Bismarck as just three hurlers own an ERA below 6.00 - which includes staff ace Jonathan Draheim, who threw a complete-game shutout on Wednesday in Mary's midweek series against Crookston - while the staff ranks bottom-five in nearly every 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 .434/.523/.628 for a 1.150 OPS with 37 runs scored, 14 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 34 RBI. Entering the weekend, Nett leads the NSIC in batting average while ranking second in on-base percentage, third in hits and doubles, fifth in stolen bases and eighth 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 98 runs in 11 games. Riola is slashing .477/.558/.977 for a 1.535 OPS with five doubles, a triple and five home runs while scoring 17 times and knocking in 13. 11 of Riola's 21 hits have gone for extra bases as the star has struck out just once in 52 trips to the plate this month. Bulson has driven in a team-leading 14 runs this month while slashing .444/.553/.778 for a 1.331 OPS, blasting three doubles and three homers in addition to his steady presence behind the dish. Junior centerfielder John Nett is hitting .422 in April while sophomore shortstop Sawyer Smith owns a .391 average this month, providing extra offense at the top of the order.
GO GO GUMBKO
Junior outfielder Mitchell Gumbko has kept his hot streak rolling while stepping into the everyday left field spot, currently riding a 14-game on-base streak with a team-leading five game active hitting streak. Gumbko's .390 batting average is seventh across the NSIC while his .491 wOBA with runners in scoring position leads all everyday Huskies starters. This season, the Michigan product is slashing .390/.500/.585 for a 1.085 OPS with five doubles, one home run and eight RBI.
A MODERN-DAY WARRIOR
Sophomore shortstop Sawyer Smith owns a team-best 15 game on-base streak entering the weekend, slashing .375/.462/.500 for a .962 OPS over that stretch. Smith has scored 17 runs over his last 15 games while smashing four doubles and a home run, owning a 6:7 K:BB ratio in that span.
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 13.4% of their trips to the plate this season, a full 3.8% better than the next-lowest club. Zero everyday starters are striking out in more than 18.8% of their plate appearances as the Huskies' emphasis on putting the ball in play has produced splendid success.
THE BUTLER DID IT
Redshirt sophomore catcher Kevin Butler has given the lineup a jolt over his last three games, going 4-for-6 (.667) with a home run and two RBI. The first-year Husky belted his first collegiate home run last weekend - establishing the new Butler family record for home runs as a SCSU student-athlete - and followed with a multi-hit game in the series finale.
CUE THE FIREMAN
Sophomore righthander Ethan Lanthier has been a key piece since his move back to the bullpen, logging a 3.86 ERA over three appearances with one hold. The flamethrower has struck out 10 while walking none across 7.0 innings of work, holding opponents to a .582 OPS with just one extra-base hit.
PRO HUSKIES CHECK-IN
Huskies alumni Nick Anderson and Matt Osterberg have each opened their professional seasons. As of April 21, Anderson has made eight appearances out of the Atlanta Braves bullpen with a 3.12 ERA, two holds and a save. The righthander has fanned 11 while allowing just six hits and walking one. Matt Osterberg has made two starts with High-A Jersey Shore, boasting a 3.24 ERA with seven strikeouts in 8.1 innings of work.
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
All three games of the series will be broadcast on the NSIC Network and 97.5 FM RadioX with live stats provided by St. Cloud State. Links to each coverage option can be found on the SCSU Baseball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
A second four-hit game from John Nett (4-for-6, R, 2 RBI) was supported by multi-hit games by Sam Riola (3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 2 SB), Tate Wallat (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Kevin Butler (2-for-4, BB, 2 R, RBI) and Brayden Jacobson (2-for-5, 2 R, 3B, RBI) to provide the fuel for a 12-4 series-securing win in the finale. Riley Ahern found his bulldog form to earn his fourth win of the season, firing 6.0 innings of four-run ball while scattering seven hits and a pair of walks. The SCSU captain struck out six and kept the red-hot Cougars lineup at bay. A Drew Bulson (1-for-3, BB, RBI, SF) sacrifice fly in the first gave the Huskies an early lead. After the Cougars responded with a run of their own in the home half, Wallat crushed a three-run blast in the third to cap a five run frame. SCSU tacked on one in the fourth with a Sawyer Smith (0-for-5, BB, R, 2 RBI) run-scoring groundout then plated three in the fifth. Insurance came by way of a run in the eighth and ninth as the Huskies built up their eight run lead. The St. Cloud State bullpen made it 6.0 scoreless innings over the final two games of the series as Cooper Avery, David Van Ort and Eli Emerson each fired a shutout frame to close out the win. Avery and Emerson each struck out one while Van Ort fanned a pair.
STANDINGS & SUCH
The Huskies currently stand sixth in the NSIC standings and look to climb back into the top four with a stretch that features each of their next four series occurring against the league's bottom four clubs standings-wise. SCSU is half a game behind Minot State and one behind Winona State while holding a one-game lead on Concordia-St. Paul.
SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS
Mary enters the weekend 15-22 with an 8-14 mark in conference play, sitting at No. 12 in the conference standings. The Marauders rely on a high-powered lineup that boasts two hitters with double-digit homers and a total of six with at least five long balls, ranking third in the NSIC as a team in slugging, home runs and OPS. Derek Shoen is a force in the middle of the order, slashing .403/.494/.708 for a 1.203 OPS with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 39 RBI. Former NSIC Freshman of the Year Cal James adds a .368/.488/.647 slash line for a 1.135 OPS along with 11 doubles, eight homers and 34 RBI to give Mary one of the most productive corner infield pairs in the league. Mary strikes out at the second-lowest clip in the league, largely thanks to James' miniscule 7.1% clip as well as boasting five everyday starters striking out in less than 17.0% of their plate appearances. Pitching has been the puzzle to solve this season in Bismarck as just three hurlers own an ERA below 6.00 - which includes staff ace Jonathan Draheim, who threw a complete-game shutout on Wednesday in Mary's midweek series against Crookston - while the staff ranks bottom-five in nearly every 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 .434/.523/.628 for a 1.150 OPS with 37 runs scored, 14 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 34 RBI. Entering the weekend, Nett leads the NSIC in batting average while ranking second in on-base percentage, third in hits and doubles, fifth in stolen bases and eighth 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 98 runs in 11 games. Riola is slashing .477/.558/.977 for a 1.535 OPS with five doubles, a triple and five home runs while scoring 17 times and knocking in 13. 11 of Riola's 21 hits have gone for extra bases as the star has struck out just once in 52 trips to the plate this month. Bulson has driven in a team-leading 14 runs this month while slashing .444/.553/.778 for a 1.331 OPS, blasting three doubles and three homers in addition to his steady presence behind the dish. Junior centerfielder John Nett is hitting .422 in April while sophomore shortstop Sawyer Smith owns a .391 average this month, providing extra offense at the top of the order.
GO GO GUMBKO
Junior outfielder Mitchell Gumbko has kept his hot streak rolling while stepping into the everyday left field spot, currently riding a 14-game on-base streak with a team-leading five game active hitting streak. Gumbko's .390 batting average is seventh across the NSIC while his .491 wOBA with runners in scoring position leads all everyday Huskies starters. This season, the Michigan product is slashing .390/.500/.585 for a 1.085 OPS with five doubles, one home run and eight RBI.
A MODERN-DAY WARRIOR
Sophomore shortstop Sawyer Smith owns a team-best 15 game on-base streak entering the weekend, slashing .375/.462/.500 for a .962 OPS over that stretch. Smith has scored 17 runs over his last 15 games while smashing four doubles and a home run, owning a 6:7 K:BB ratio in that span.
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 13.4% of their trips to the plate this season, a full 3.8% better than the next-lowest club. Zero everyday starters are striking out in more than 18.8% of their plate appearances as the Huskies' emphasis on putting the ball in play has produced splendid success.
THE BUTLER DID IT
Redshirt sophomore catcher Kevin Butler has given the lineup a jolt over his last three games, going 4-for-6 (.667) with a home run and two RBI. The first-year Husky belted his first collegiate home run last weekend - establishing the new Butler family record for home runs as a SCSU student-athlete - and followed with a multi-hit game in the series finale.
CUE THE FIREMAN
Sophomore righthander Ethan Lanthier has been a key piece since his move back to the bullpen, logging a 3.86 ERA over three appearances with one hold. The flamethrower has struck out 10 while walking none across 7.0 innings of work, holding opponents to a .582 OPS with just one extra-base hit.
PRO HUSKIES CHECK-IN
Huskies alumni Nick Anderson and Matt Osterberg have each opened their professional seasons. As of April 21, Anderson has made eight appearances out of the Atlanta Braves bullpen with a 3.12 ERA, two holds and a save. The righthander has fanned 11 while allowing just six hits and walking one. Matt Osterberg has made two starts with High-A Jersey Shore, boasting a 3.24 ERA with seven strikeouts in 8.1 innings of work.
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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