St. Cloud State Baseball Hosts Minot State for Series, Senior Day

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Baseball (20-22, 16-16 NSIC) returns home to Joe Faber Field to host Minot State (16-25, 10-22 NSIC) for a three-game series this weekend. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 26, followed by a single nine-inning game on Sunday, April 27 at 12:00 p.m. CT.

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES

Game 1 vs. Minot State (7 innings) – Saturday, April 26 – 1:30 p.m. CT – St. Cloud, Minn. – Joe Faber Field – Live Stream – Live Stats
Game 2 vs. Minot State (9 innings) – Saturday, April 26 – 3:30 p.m. CT – St. Cloud, Minn. – Joe Faber Field – Live Stream – Live Stats
Game 3 vs. Minot State (9 innings) – Sunday, April 27 – 12:00 p.m. CT – St. Cloud, Minn. – Joe Faber Field – Live Stream – Live Stats

SENIOR DAY, OTHER WEEKEND FESTIVIES

The Huskies will honor their seniors for Senior Day on Sunday and their alumni and parents on Saturday for Alumni Day and Parents Day. On Saturday, the Huskies will honor its parents between the doubleheader games and will welcome back its alumni. A post-game social will take place at Maverick Steakhouse. Six Huskies will participate in Senior Day this season, which will take place Sunday following the game. Participating seniors include:

Senior Blaine Guthrie (Emerald, Wis.)
Redshirt junior Brayden Jacobson (West Fargo, N.D.)
Junior Christian Lessman (Spicer, Minn.)
Senior Ethan Navratil (Albany, Minn.)
Junior Brody Richardson (Gillette, Wyo.)
Redshirt senior Frankie Volkers (Maple Grove, Minn.)

NSIC TOURNAMENT COMING SOON

With eight games left in the regular season, the 2025 NSIC Baseball Tournament is fast approaching, and the playoff position is beginning to take shape. SCSU is currently sitting in eighth place at 16-16 in NSIC play, but is only two games out of Sioux Falls in fourth place at 18-14. Right now, only three games separate the four through 10 seed.

With six of its remaining eight regular season games against teams at .500 or below overall, the Huskies will look to finish in the top-four of the NSIC for the 15^th consecutive season dating back to 2010 (no conference games in 2020 due to the pandemic). The 2025 NSIC Baseball Tournament is scheduled for May 7-10 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

NAV SAVING HIS BEST FOR LAST

Four-year starting first basemen senior Ethan Navratil (Albany, Minn.) will look to continue making his place in the St. Cloud State record book in his final collegiate season. The Husky senior is putting together a banner season, hitting a career-best .333 with seven home runs and 46 RBI while leading the team in home runs and RBI. Previously, Navratil had not hit better than .289, which he hit in his 2023 sophomore campaign. Among conference leaders, Navratil ranks sixth in RBI (46).

Navratil has already joined SCSU's career top-10 list in home runs and RBI and will look to add his name to a few more categories before the season is over. His seventh long ball of the season was his 26^th career home run moved him into sixth place on SCSU's all-time home run list, matching Michael Jurgella (2012-15). The Husky senior tallied two RBI in the series against Wayne State (April 18-19) to bring his career total to 149, which ranks seventh on SCSU's all-time list. He could also join the top-10 lists in games played (currently at 187, No. 10 at 188) and extra base hits (currently at 62, No. 10 at 70).

TOUGH ON THE MOUND

Redshirt junior Brady Nelson (Oro Valley, Ariz.) has anchored the Huskies' starting rotation, boasting a 5-0 record with a 4.30 ERA in seven starts and 10 appearances. Before moving into the rotation, Nelson has posted scoreless efforts in each of his three reliefs appearances, including a 3.2 inning outing against No. 5 Augustana on Feb. 24 where he struck out a season-high seven and allowed only one hit. In his seven starts, Nelson has earned the victory in four games, including a season-long 8.0 inning performance with a season-high two strikeouts in a no-decision against UMary on April 12.

Among conference leaders, Nelson ranks fourth in wins (five), eighth in ERA (4.30), eighth in opposing batting average (.244) and ninth in home runs allowed (four).

WEAPON OUT OF THE 'PEN

Redshirt senior Frankie Volkers (Maple Grove, Minn.) has been a key contributor out of the bullpen for the Huskies, posting eight saves and a 2-1 record with a 3.57 ERA in 35.1 innings pitched over one start and 16 appearances. Volkers has been a strikeout machine, averaging 13.26 K/9 while holding opponents to a .228 batting average. The Husky senior's eight saves lead the NSIC and already rank as the second-most in a single season for a Husky, pulling even with Ryne Schwenke in 2011. Additionally, his eight saves rank 10^th nationally.

Volkers made his first start of the season against Minnesota Crookston on April 23, where he logged six innings while giving up three earned runs on five hits with nine strikeouts. The nine punchouts were the most by a Husky in a game this season.

For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.