Sam Riola

Photo by: Thomas Breach

Photo by: Kaitlyn Zuehl

Photo by: Ryan Roehl

Photo by: Kaitlyn Zuehl

Position:
Infielder/Righthanded Pitcher
Height:
6-1
Weight:
185
Class:
Redshirt Junior
Hometown:
Ham Lake, Minn.
High School:
Blaine

CAREER NOTES
Athletic: NCBWA First Team All-American (2022)…ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-American (2022)…D2CCA First Team All-American (2022)…ABCA/Rawlings Central Region Player of the Year (2022)…NCBWA First Team All-Central Region (2022)…ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Central Region (2022)…D2CCA First Team All-Central Region (2022)…NSIC Player of the Year (2022)…NSIC Newcomer of the Year (2022)…NSIC Batting Title (2022)...First Team All-NSIC (2022)…NSIC All-Tournament Team (2022)…

2022 (CHAMPLIN PARK LOGATORS) | RS-JUNIOR SUMMER:
Summer: Returned to the Minnesota Baseball Association with the Champlin Park LoGators and enjoyed another huge campaign, slashing .399/.489/.628 for a 1.117 OPS…scored 58 runs and drove in 40 while bashing 15 doubles, eight triples and four home runs…was 37-for-40 on stolen base attempts…made 13 appearances on the mound with nine starts, going 5-2 with a 1.81 ERA across 59.2 innings of work…struck out 94 and walked just 15 batters, scattering 33 hits for a .158 opponent average and a 0.80 WHIP…

2022 | RS-JUNIOR SEASON:
Season: Exploded onto the scene with one of the greatest single seasons ever recorded by a Husky, earning unanimous First Team All-American and All-Central Region honors while being named ABCA/Rawlings Central Region Player of the Year, NSIC Player of the Year and NSIC Newcomer of the Year…started 50 games between second base and designated hitter, slashing .429/.533/.890 for a herculean 1.423 OPS…broke Reese Gregory’s single season home run record with 22, adding eight doubles and five triples…scored 65 runs and piled up 66 RBI…stole 30 bases on 37 tries…produced a ridiculous .595 wOBA…drew walks at a 15.4% clip while striking out in just 11.5% of his plate appearances…was intentionally walked four times…collected 78 hits and boasted an eye-popping 258 OPS+…was one of just two NCAA DII players to homer 20+ times and steal 30 or more bases…won the NSIC Batting Title while leading the league in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, home runs and walks drawn…was second in the conference in stolen bases, RBI and triples while scoring the third most runs and collecting the third most hits…led the Huskies in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, runs scored, hits, triples, home runs, RBI, stolen bases, total bases and wOBA…ranked fourth nationally in slugging percentage, ninth in total bases, 11^th in home runs, 13^th in on-base percentage and 16^th in batting average…reached base in 48 of 50 games played with at least one hit in 42 of 50 games…held hitting streaks of 12 and nine with a pair of six-game hitting streaks…recorded 22 multi-hit games, four three-hit games, four four-hit games and one five-hit contest…drove in multiple runs 20 times…had five multi-homer games with three long balls in one contest…scored multiple runs 19 times…started 43 games at second base, logging a .953 fielding percentage and a 3.34 range factor/9 over 326.0 innings with just six errors…also made six appearances on the mound with a pair of starts, going 2-0 with a save…tossed 17.2 innings to a 2.55 ERA with an 18:2 K:BB ratio…allowed just 12 hits, two for extra bases, and held hitters to a .200/.231/.300 slash line for a .531 opponent OPS…recorded a 26.9% K rate and walked just 3.0% of batters faced…led the staff in K/B ratio, finished second in WHIP, opponent on-base percentage and walk rate while ranking third in opponent average and OPS against…three of his outings were scoreless…allowed one earned or less in five of six appearances…did not issue a walk in five of his six outings…

HSU Invitational (2/10-13): Went 5-for-16 with four runs scored, a double, a home run and two RBI in his Huskies debut weekend…blasted a two-run home run and was 1-for-5 on Opening Day against Henderson State…went 2-for-4 with a run and a double against Missouri Western…reached base three times with a hit and a pair of walks, scoring one run against Northwest Missouri…stole two bags and was 1-for-4 at Ouachita Baptist… Colorado Trip (2/26-3/1): Had a monster trip to Colorado, going 9-for-16 with 12 runs scored, five home runs, a triple, five stolen bases and eight RBI over four games…had three hits in four at-bats with a pair of home runs and three RBI at UC-Colorado Springs in game one…went 5-for-5 with five runs scored, a triple, two home runs and five RBI while stealing a pair of bags against Mary…reached base five times by going 2-for-4 with three walks, homering once and stealing three bases in the final at UC-Colorado Springs… Florida Trip (3/7-3/13): Had a base hit in all six games played, going 9-for-23 with seven runs scored, a home run and five RBI…went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a home run and three RBI against Ashland…set a new program single-game record with five stolen bases against Bentley as part of a 3-for-4 day at the plate, reaching base five times with a pair of walks and two runs scored… Augustana (3/19-20): Went 3-for-11 with a pair of runs scored and one multi-hit contest…went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in game two… Winona State (3/24): Went 1-for-3 with two walks, a run scored and an RBI in the second game of the doubleheader… Wayne State (3/26-27): Enjoyed a 3-for-10 series, driving in three runs while scoring a pair…was 2-for-4 with three RBI, a triple and a run scored in game two… Sioux Falls (4/3-4): Opened April with a ridiculous weekend, going 7-for-11 with six runs scored, a double, four home runs and seven RBI…blasted a home run, drove in three and went 2-for-4 in the opener…homered twice as part of a 4-for-4 second game of the series, scoring three runs and adding a double…crushed a two-run home run and was 1-for-3 with two runs scored in the finale, making his season debut on the mound with a 1-2-3 inning of relief… Concordia-St. Paul (4/10-11): Collected five hits in 11 at-bats with seven runs scored, five RBI and three extra-base knocks in the weekend series…was 2-for-4 in the second game of the set with two runs scored, a homer and two RBI…crossed home five times and went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and three RBI in the finale… Upper Iowa (4/12): Went 2-for-4 in the opener before plating a pair of runs and drawing two walks in the nightcap…made his first Huskies start on the mound in the opener, allowing one earned over 3.0 innings of four-hit ball…walked none and struck out two… Southwest Minnesota State (4/15-16): Had a hit in all three games, going 4-for-7 with two runs scored, a double, two home runs and seven RBI…was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI in the opener…drove in six runs as part of a 2-for-2 day, homering twice in the second game… Northern State (4/21): Went 3-for-7 in the midweek doubleheader with two runs scored and an RBI…had a two-hit day in game two, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs… Bemidji State (4/23-24): Annihilated the Beavers with a 7-for-12 weekend series, scoring seven runs and driving in five…was 4-for-6 in the opener, homering once while adding two runs and a pair of RBI…went 1-for-1 with a triple in game two, drawing three walks and scoring three runs…closed out the set with a 2-for-5 finale, plating a pair and scoring twice with one double… Minnesota Duluth (4/27): Made his second start of the season in the second game, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball to earn the win…allowed just two hits while walking a pair and striking out eight…had a hit in both games of the doubleheader, scoring two runs in game two… Minnesota Crookston (4/29): Was 3-for-7 at the plate in a midweek doubleheader, going 1-for-4 with a run in the opener and adding a 2-for-3, two-RBI finale… Mary (5/4): Scored a run in the opener… Minot State (5/6-7): Closed out the regular season with three multi-hit games in the weekend road sweep, going 9-for-13 with seven RBI…drove in three and tripled as part of a 3-for-4 opener…went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in game two…touched home twice and went 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI in the finale…earned his first save of the year in the second game of the series, retiring each of the four batters he faced while striking out one…picked up the win in relief to clinch the series sweep in the finale, allowing three runs on five hits over 3.2 innings while striking out four and walking none… NSIC Tournament (5/13): Earned NSIC All-Tournament honors after going 6-for-13 with five runs scored, a double, five home runs and 10 RBI over three games…gave the Huskies an unforgettable performance in the first round against Sioux Falls, blasting three home runs including a walk-off bomb while driving in seven and going 4-for-5, cracking a double to make it four extra-base knocks…went 1-for-4 with a solo home run against Minnesota State-Mankato…blasted his program record-breaking 22^nd home run of the season against Minot State on May 13, going 1-for-4 with a two-run shot…threw 3.2 scoreless innings of relief against Minot State, allowing a lone single while walking none and striking out three…

2021 (CHAMPLIN PARK LOGATORS) | RS-SOPHOMORE SUMMER:
Summer: Had a monster summer on the Minnesota Baseball Association circuit, playing in 37 games for Champlin Park...slashed .453/.488/.700 for a 1.188 OPS with nine doubles, five triples, six homers and 34 RBI...scored 45 runs and went 21-for-22 on stolen bases...made 16 appearances on the mound for the LoGators, starting seven games and going 9-0 with two saves...tossed 81.0 innings to the tune of a 1.11 ERA, striking out 112 and walking just 19 batters...allowed only 41 hits for a ridiculous 0.74 WHIP...

2021 (LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE) | RS-SOPHOMORE SEASON:
Season: Transferred to Lafayette and opened his redshirt-sophomore campaign as the Cajuns' Opening Day shortstop before an injury cut his season short...played in 19 games with 13 starts, scoring seven runs, driving in three and stealing a pair of bases...opened the season hitting .300 before tapering off to a .147 mark…reached base at a .310 clip…drew walks at a 15.6% clip...posted a 3.12 range factor and helped turn five double plays in six starts at short...fielded a strong .941 with a 2.67 range factor across six starts at third base...made two appearances on the mound with Louisiana-Lafayette, working 3.1 scoreless innings of one-hit ball...struck out four and walked none...

Tulane (2/19-21): Had a strong Opening Weekend, going 3-for-10 with three runs scored, three walks drawn and a pair of steals…had a hit in all three games…reached base seven times in the series…scored two runs in game two…went 1-for-3 and drew two walks in the finale while adding a run scored and an RBI… Louisiana Tech (2/23): Went 0-for-2 with a walk in the midweek tilt… LSU (2/24): Drew a walk and was 0-for-1 at the plate… Rice (2/26-28): Scored a run and took a pair of walks while playing in two games of the series, going 0-for-4 at the plate… Louisiana Tech (3/2): Was 1-for-3 with a two-run single… McNeese (3/3): Went hitless in two at-bats… Houston Baptist (3/6-8): Came off the bench twice, going 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter and scoring a run as a pinch runner… Mississippi State (3/10): Enjoyed a 1-for-3 day at the plate with a single off future College World Series starter Houston Harding… Southern Miss (3/13-15): Started the second game of the series and was 0-for-2… Nicholls State (3/16): Scored a run and was 0-for-2 at the plate… TCU (3/19-21): Started the weekend’s first two games and was 0-for-4 with a run scored… Sun Belt Conference Tournament (5/26-29): Made his debut on the mound for the Cajuns against Texas State, tossing a one-two-three inning of relief with two strikeouts...kept Lafayette’s hopes alive with 2.1 scoreless frames out of the bullpen in the Semifinal against Georgia Southern, allowing a lone single while punching out a pair…

2020 (CHAMPLIN PARK LOGATORS) | RS-SOPHOMORE SUMMER:
Summer: Played 30 games with the Champlin Park LoGators in the Minnesota Baseball Association, slashing .473/.582/.929 for a 1.511 OPS...belted nine doubles, 12 triples and six home runs...scored 42 runs and drove in 26...stole seven bags...made nine appearances with a pair of starts for Champlin Park, going 2-1 with three saves...worked 20.0 innings to a 1.35 ERA with a 21:5 K:BB ratio...

2020 (IOWA WESTERN CC) | RS-SOPHOMORE SEASON:
Season: Enjoyed an incredible season as the starting second baseman and closer for Iowa Western before the 2020 campaign was cut short by the pandemic...played in 20 games with 18 starts, slashing .371/.444/.452 for an .896 OPS with five doubles...scored 18 runs, stole two bags and drove in 14...fielded a .971 across 14 starts at second base with a 3.46 range factor...made three appearances on the bump as the Reivers closer, recording a pair of saves...did not allow an earned run over 3.2 innings of work, striking out three...had six multi-hit games, including a pair of three-hit performances...opened his Reivers career with a six-game hitting streak and had a hit in 14 of his first 16 games…reached base in all 18 games in which he had a plate appearance…

Garden City (2/15-16): Collected three hits in his debut series with Western, going 3-for-10 at the plate with three runs scored and three RBI…had a base hit in all three games in which he played…reached base three times in his debut, drawing a pair of walks while going 1-for-2 with a run and two RBI…scored a pair of runs in the third game of the series… Seward County (2/17): Had a monster series, going 4-for-8 at the plate with three runs scored, a double and two RBI…drove in two, scored a run and went 3-for-5 in the second game of the set… Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2/21): Had a 2-for-5 day at the plate with a double and two runs scored in the first game of the series…earned his first collegiate save in game two by retiring three of four batters faced, striking out one and working around a walk… Crowder (2/22): Ripped five hits in seven at-bats throughout the doubleheader, driving in one…went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the opener before going 3-for-3 in the nightcap… Cowley (2/29-3/1): Played three of the weekend’s four games, going 4-for-9 at the dish with five runs scored, a double and three RBI…went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI in the first game of the series…came on in relief in game three of the series, recording five outs with a punchout and allowing two unearned runs on a pair of hits while walking one… Iowa Lakes (3/7-8): Appeared in three games and had a pair of hits, one being a double…drove in two runs during the series and stole his first collegiate bag in game three… DMACC (3/11): Collected a multi-hit game in the opener, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored… Ellsworth (3/12-13): Played in three games, scoring two runs, driving in a pair and lacing a double…picked up his second save in game two with a three up, three down seventh that included one strikeout…

2019 (CHAMPLIN PARK LOGATORS) | REDSHIRT SUMMER:
Summer: Played 34 games with the Champlin Park LoGators in the Minnesota Baseball Association, slashing .446/.490/.754 for a 1.244 OPS with 10 doubles, nine triples and four home runs...scored 34 runs and drove in 26...went 13-for-14 on stolen bases...appeared in 11 games on the mound with eight starts, going 6-3 with a 0.82 ERA across 66.1 innings...allowed just 37 hits while striking out 103 and walking only 16 batters...

2019 (IOWA WESTERN CC) | REDSHIRT SEASON:
Season: Transferred to NJCAA power Iowa Western and redshirted in his first year with the program…

2018 (CHAMPLIN PARK LOGATORS) | FRESHMAN SUMMER:
Summer: Played with the Champlin Park LoGators in the Minnesota Baseball Association, making 11 appearances on the mound with six starts...worked 41.2 frames to a 2.81 ERA, striking out 51 and walking just 15...hit .292 in 26 games with an .863 OPS...had six doubles, two triples and two home runs...went nine-for-nine on stolen bases...

2018 (BETHEL) | FRESHMAN SEASON:
Season: Began his collegiate career at Bethel, battling injuries to serve as a key rotation piece for the MIAC Champions...made five starts on the mound, going 4-1 with a 1.30 ERA across 34.2 innings...tossed three complete games with a pair of shutouts...struck out 22 and walked just 11...allowed just 17 hits, holding hitters to a .143/.221/.202 triple-slash for a .423 opponent OPS...went 1-for-5 at the plate with a double, three runs scored and two RBI...each of his five outings were quality starts…tossed three scoreless outings…did not allow more than three runs in a single start…won his first three collegiate starts…

Wartburg (2/27): Made his collegiate debut as a pinch runner and scored a run… Buena Vista (3/8): Pinch ran and came around to score before grounding into a fielder’s choice in his first collegiate at-bat… Skidmore (3/11): Struck out in a pinch-hitting chance… Alfred State (3/13): Went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly for his first college RBI… Lakeland (3/15): Struck out as a pinch hitter… Northwestern (3/29): Won his first collegiate start with a complete game effort, tossing 7.0 innings of three-run ball while scattering six hits and walking none…struck out four batters… Macalester (4/23): Fired a complete-game shutout, limiting the Scots to a pair of hits and two walks while striking out six over 7.0 innings of work… St. Olaf (4/29): Made it back-to-back shutouts with a three-hit, three-walk gem…struck out three over 7.0 frames…came off the bench in the other game of the doubleheader and doubled in a run for his first collegiate knock… Augsburg (5/5): Took his lone loss of the season in hard-luck fashion, allowing just two runs over 6.2 innings…allowed five hits and walked three while striking out four batters… St. John’s (5/13): Earned the win in the 2018 MIAC Championship Game…carved up the Johnnies over 7.0 scoreless frames of one-hit baseball, striking out five and working around three walks...

Prep: A 2017 graduate of Blaine High School...MSHSL Class AAAA First Team All-State and First Team All-Metro as a senior...earned a Star Tribune High School Player of the Week nod during his senior season...as a senior hit .325 with four doubles and four triples while scoring 17 runs…starred on the mound as a senior, going 8-1 over 11 appearances and eight starts with a 0.99 ERA across 63.1 innings…struck out 51 batters and fired five complete games…held opponents to a .190 batting average…member of All-USA Minnesota Baseball team and led Blaine to a 2016 Northwest Suburban Championships...prep teammate of Huskies alumni Reid Conlee...

Personal: The son of Pete and Anne Riola...Environmental Studies major…