Friday, February 9
St. Joseph, Mo.
2:00 P.M. CT
St. Cloud State
at
Missouri Western
St. Cloud State Baseball Set for Series at Missouri Western
2/8/2024 5:05:00 PM | Baseball
Huskies and Griffons to play Friday-Sunday in St. Joseph, Mo.
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Baseball heads to the Show Me state for a three-game set against Missouri Western Feb. 9-11 at Griffon Baseball Field in St. Joseph, Mo. The Huskies are coming off a 1-2 appearance at the Houston Winter Invitational, where their lone win came over No. 9 Southern New Hampshire, 21-11 on Feb. 8.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Game 1 – Friday, Feb. 9 / 2:00 p.m. CT / Live Stats
Game 2 – Saturday, Feb. 10 / 1:00 p.m. CT / Live Stats
Game 3 – Sunday, Feb. 11 / 12:00 p.m. CT / Live Stats
EYE ON THE GRIFS
Missouri Western enters the weekend with a 2-2 record on the season after splitting with Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla., to open the season. The Griffions won game one and three 6-2 and 11-8, respectively, while dropping games two (11-3) and four (3-2). Quinton Robinson (.500, 7-of-14, HR, RBI, 2 2B, 5 R) and Kaden Doan (.400, 4-of-10, RBI, 3 R) led the way on offense while Sam Kratz (4.1 IP, SV, 0 R, 3 K) was strong in two appearances out of the bullpen.
AT THE BIG SHOW IN HOUSTON
St. Cloud State opened its 2024 campaign at the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park for the 2024 Houston Winter Invitational, where the Huskies went 1-2. The Huskies beat No. 9 Southern New Hampshire, 21-11 on opening day before falling to Arkansas Tech, 9-4, and No. 7 Millersville, 7-2, at the event. It marked the third appearance in the tournament for SCSU, who went 3-0 in 2016 and 2019 at the event.
St. Cloud State Baseball was selected to finish third in the 2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by the league office on Jan. 18. Additionally, graduate Cal James (Buffalo, Minn.) was named the Player to Watch and redshirt junior Luke Tupy (New Prague, Minn.) was named the Pitcher to Watch.
The Huskies finished fourth in the NSIC standings in 2023 with a conference mark of 20-10 before making a run to win the 2023 NSIC Tournament and earn a spot in the 2023 NCAA regional tournament. The NSIC championship was the sixth conference title under head coach Pat Dolan while the Huskies advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in the Dolan era and 12th time overall.
James transfers into St. Cloud State after a stellar career at fellow NSIC school U-Mary. In 2023, James earned All-NSIC First Team honors while batting .382 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI while recording a .509 OBP and .674 SLG%. He was also named the 2021 NSIC Freshman of the Year and earned 2021 All-NSIC First Team honors.
Tupy, the 2022 NSIC Freshman of the Year and All-NSIC First Team selection, went 4-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 44.2 inning pitched in 2023.
COACHES CORNER
Head coach Pat Dolan will be entering his 17th season with the Huskies in 2024 and his 28th season as a collegiate head coach. During his tenure at SCSU, Dolan has posted a record of 579-222-1 and has led St. Cloud State to six NSIC Championships (NSIC Tournament – 2011, 2015, 2016, 2023; NSIC Regular Season – 2013, 2015) and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. Assistant Coach Rob "Doc" Swendra partners with Dolan in his 13th season at St. Cloud State and is currently the third-longest tenured assistant coach in the NSIC.
New this season is newly graduated Riley Ahern, who will handle the pitching staff as Assistant Coach and Volunteer Assistant Coach Rob Moone.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Game 1 – Friday, Feb. 9 / 2:00 p.m. CT / Live Stats
Game 2 – Saturday, Feb. 10 / 1:00 p.m. CT / Live Stats
Game 3 – Sunday, Feb. 11 / 12:00 p.m. CT / Live Stats
EYE ON THE GRIFS
Missouri Western enters the weekend with a 2-2 record on the season after splitting with Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla., to open the season. The Griffions won game one and three 6-2 and 11-8, respectively, while dropping games two (11-3) and four (3-2). Quinton Robinson (.500, 7-of-14, HR, RBI, 2 2B, 5 R) and Kaden Doan (.400, 4-of-10, RBI, 3 R) led the way on offense while Sam Kratz (4.1 IP, SV, 0 R, 3 K) was strong in two appearances out of the bullpen.
AT THE BIG SHOW IN HOUSTON
St. Cloud State opened its 2024 campaign at the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park for the 2024 Houston Winter Invitational, where the Huskies went 1-2. The Huskies beat No. 9 Southern New Hampshire, 21-11 on opening day before falling to Arkansas Tech, 9-4, and No. 7 Millersville, 7-2, at the event. It marked the third appearance in the tournament for SCSU, who went 3-0 in 2016 and 2019 at the event.
- Top Performances & Notes from Game 1 – 21-11 win over No. 9 Southern New Hampshire:
- Redshirt senior Noah Dehne – 2-2, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB, SB
- Dehne recorded a career-best four RBI in the game, surpassing his previous best of three from April 27, 2023 at Bemidji State.
- Redshirt sophomore Brayden Jacobson – 2-3, 4 RBI, 3B, R
- Redshirt sophomore Cael Kolacia – W, 4.0 IP, 5 K, 1 ER
- Kolacia recorded his first win as a Husky in his SCSU debut.
- Senior Mitchell Gumbko – 2-4, 3 R, 3 SB BB
- Gumbko stole a career-best three bases and recorded a career-best three runs in the game.
- SCSU's win over the Penmen was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
- Southern New Hampshire was ranked No. 9 in the NCBWA Preseason Poll heading into the game and was coming off a 44-13 season and College World Series appearance in 2023.
- Top Performances & Notes from Game 2 – 9-4 loss to Arkansas Tech:
- Junior Garrett Bevacqua – 2-5, HR, RBI, 2 R
- Bevacqua hit his second home run as a Husky in the eighth inning.
- Junior Ethan Navratil – 1-5, HR, RBI, R
- Navratil launched his 10th career home run with his third inning blast.
- Redshirt junior Luke Tupy – 4.1 IP, 4 K, 1 ER, 1 H
- Tupy allowed just one hit and one earned run over 4.1 IP.
- Gumbko – 2-4, RBI, BB, SB
- With the loss, SCSU moves to 3-4 all-time against Arkansas Tech.
- The Huskies are now 7-1 at the Houston Winter Invitational after 3-0 showings in 2016 and 2019.
- Junior Christian Lessman made his SCSU debut, pitching 3.2 innings while allowing two earned runs and striking out four.
- Top Performances & Notes from Game 3 – 7-2 loss to No. 7 Millersville:
- Senior Payton VanBeck – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 10 K
- VanBeck logged a career-best 10 strikeouts in the game, surpassing his previous best mark of five against Southwest Baptist on Feb. 4, 2023.
- Senior Drew Beier – 2-3, R
- Junior Sawyer Smith – 1-4, RBI
- Gumbko – 1-4, 2B, R
- Gumbko finished off an impressive performance on the weekend, hitting .417 (5-for-12) with a double, four runs scored, four stolen bases and two walks. After hitting in the nine-hole in Friday's season-opener, Gumbko moved up to the leadoff spot for the final two games.
- This was the first-ever meeting between SCSU and Millersville.
- Millersville entered the tournament ranked No. 7 in the NCBWA Preseason Poll.
- With the 1-2 showing at the Houston Winter Invitational, SCSU is now 7-2 all-time at the event after 3-0 showings in 2016 and 2019.
- Jacobson closed the weekend as SCSU's leader in RBI, knocking in five runs while batting .250 (2-for-8) on the weekend.
- Senior Cooper Avery made his SCSU debut in the game, logging two outs in the eighth inning without allowing any hits or runs.
St. Cloud State Baseball was selected to finish third in the 2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by the league office on Jan. 18. Additionally, graduate Cal James (Buffalo, Minn.) was named the Player to Watch and redshirt junior Luke Tupy (New Prague, Minn.) was named the Pitcher to Watch.
The Huskies finished fourth in the NSIC standings in 2023 with a conference mark of 20-10 before making a run to win the 2023 NSIC Tournament and earn a spot in the 2023 NCAA regional tournament. The NSIC championship was the sixth conference title under head coach Pat Dolan while the Huskies advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in the Dolan era and 12th time overall.
James transfers into St. Cloud State after a stellar career at fellow NSIC school U-Mary. In 2023, James earned All-NSIC First Team honors while batting .382 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI while recording a .509 OBP and .674 SLG%. He was also named the 2021 NSIC Freshman of the Year and earned 2021 All-NSIC First Team honors.
Tupy, the 2022 NSIC Freshman of the Year and All-NSIC First Team selection, went 4-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 44.2 inning pitched in 2023.
COACHES CORNER
Head coach Pat Dolan will be entering his 17th season with the Huskies in 2024 and his 28th season as a collegiate head coach. During his tenure at SCSU, Dolan has posted a record of 579-222-1 and has led St. Cloud State to six NSIC Championships (NSIC Tournament – 2011, 2015, 2016, 2023; NSIC Regular Season – 2013, 2015) and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. Assistant Coach Rob "Doc" Swendra partners with Dolan in his 13th season at St. Cloud State and is currently the third-longest tenured assistant coach in the NSIC.
New this season is newly graduated Riley Ahern, who will handle the pitching staff as Assistant Coach and Volunteer Assistant Coach Rob Moone.
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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