Manganro Steps Down as WSC Baseball Coach
Brian Disch Named Interim Head Coach
July 1, 2009 | WSC Release 
Wayne, Neb.--- Wayne State College Director of Athletics Eric Schoh announced today that John Manganaro has stepped down as the head baseball coach of the Wildcats to become President of the Ultimate Baseball Academy in Omaha and has promoted assistant coach and former Wildcat player Brian Disch to interim head coach of the Wildcat baseball program effective immediately.
Disch takes over a Wayne State program that was 45-15 this past season and set a new record for wins by a Northern Sun Conference team in league play, going 27-4, to capture a sixth straight NSIC regular season title. The Wildcats reached the title game of the NCAA Central Regional before falling to Mesa State 8-2. Disch, a Norfolk High School graduate, has served as the team’s hitting coach and third base coach for the last five seasons. WSC ranked fifth in NCAA Division II this season in runs scored per game (9.5) while also ranking fifth in home runs (93), a new school record, and seventh in slugging percentage (.569). Disch played at Wayne State under Manganaro from 1999-2004, earning First Team All-NSIC honors as a senior in 2004 after hitting .301 that season with 11 homers and 38 RBI’s. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 NSIC Tournament, helping the Wildcats to the tournament title.
The 55-year-old Manganaro served 20 seasons as a coach with the Wildcat baseball program, including the last 17 (1993-2009) as head coach. He built Wayne State into one of the top programs in NCAA Division II, winning the last six Northern Sun Conference regular season titles while guiding the Wildcats to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances and seven trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last nine seasons. Manganaro accumulated a 506-309-1 record (.620) and was 198-54 (.785) in Northern Sun Conference games. Wayne State is the 12th winningest team of the 2000’s in NCAA Division II baseball under Manganaro, going 368-157-1 (.701).
Manganaro is a four-time NSIC Coach of the Year Award recipient (2001), 2006, 2007, 2009) and led the Wildcats to five NSIC Tournament titles (2001, co-2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). He coached the Wildcats to a pair of NCAA Regional championship games, falling to Central Missouri in 2004 and Mesa State this season. Wayne State has produced All-Americans in six of the last seven seasons under Manganaro, including junior outfielder Joe Wendte (Sioux City Heelan) this season. The Wildcats have also had two players drafted in the last three years under Manganaro with pitcher Travis Mortimore selected in the 21st round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners and pitcher Nick Schumacher being drafted in the 28th round of the 2008 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres. (Read More)
Rawlings/ABCA All-Americans Announced
May 26, 2009 | ABCA Release
Joe Wendte and Eric Bond of Wayne State College and Jake Schmidt of Concordia-St. Paul were named 2009 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Division II Baseball All-Americans, which was voted on by Division II coaches across the country. Wendte, a junior outfielder, received First Team All-American honors while Bond, a junior shortstop, was named Second Team All-American as an infielder. Schmidt was a third team selection. This marks the sixth time in the last seven years that a Wayne State College baseball player has achieved All-American status, joining Travis McCarter and Brian Foy in 2003, Tim Richt in 2004, Brian Van Driel in 2005, Dustin Jones and Scott Bidroski in 2007 and Nick Schumacher last season. Schmidt became the first male Concordia athlete to earn All-America honors from a coaches association.
Wendte, a graduate of Sioux City Heelan (Iowa) High School, was named the 2009 NSIC Player of the Year after hitting .396 this season with 14 homers and a team-high 67 RBI’s to help the Wildcats win a sixth straight Northern Sun Conference regular season title. He set a new school record with 83 runs scored, which ranked fifth in NCAA Division II, and had a team-high 51 walks to rank eighth in NCAA Division II. Wendte was a three-time NSIC Player of the Week this season and he led the Wildcats this season in hits (78), doubles (20), stolen bases (19), slugging percentage (.741) and on-base percentage (.527). Wendte also received First Team Daktronics Inc. All-Central Region honors this season.
Bond, from Blue Springs, Missouri (Longview CC), was named the 2009 NSIC Newcomer of the Year and First-Team All-NSIC after hitting .365 with a team-high 19 homers and 61 RBI’s for the Wildcats this season. His 19 homers set a new single season Wildcat record for homers, breaking the previous mark of 18 set by Bill Schwartz in 1981. Bond led the team in at bats (211) and total bases (152) while ranking second in hits (77) and stolen bases (13).
Wayne State College finished the 2009 season with a 45-15 record, tying the school record for wins in a season set by the 2005 team that was 45-14. The Wildcats won a sixth straight regular season Northern Sun Conference title, going 27-4 in league play, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight season and the seventh time in the last nine years. WSC advanced to the NCAA Central Region title game before falling to Mesa State 8-2.
Schmidt went 7-2 for the second straight season and posted one save on the season in two relief appearances. He struck out a school record 103 batters including a career high 16 at Minnesota, Crookston. He finished his career with a school record 23-8 record and a career ERA in the low 4's. He struck out 273 career hitters to become Concordia's career strikeout champion. At the plate, Schmidt hit .365 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles and eight stolen bases.
In the field, Schmidt committed only one error in 47 games on the season between four different positions. He helped Concordia break the school wins record for the third time in his four year career.
Last week, Schmidt was named a Daktronics All-America honorable mention selection to become the second CU baseball player to receive Daktronics All-America recognition, joining Matt Borman, a 2007 Daktronics All-America First Team selection.
Schmidt was the ABCA/Rawlings and Daktronics Central Region Pitcher of the Year and the NSIC Pitcher of the Year. He was the NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year and a Preseason All-American. He earned NSIC Player of the Week honors three times in 2009 (Pitcher-2, Player-1).
In seven of his 11 starts he struck out at least 10 batters and leads the nation in strikeouts per nine innings at 13.43 and is a full strikeout per nine innings ahead of the next contender - a virtually insurmountable lead at this point in the season.
Schmidt was named the CU Male Athlete of the Year and was a five-time CU Male Athlete of the Week.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 15
May 18, 2009 | Full NSIC Release | Tournament Bracket
St. Paul, Minn. - The Wayne State baseball team went 3-2 at the NCAA Division II Central Regional baseball tournament and advanced to the championship game Sunday before falling to Mesa State 8-2 to end the season at 45-14. The 45 wins matches the school record for wins in a season, matching the 2005 team that was 45-14.
The Wildcats opened the tournament on fire scoring 39 runs on 53 hits in two games, defeating New Mexico Highlands 11-3 and outscoring Southwest Minnesota State Friday night 28-12 while setting several NCAA Division II Tournament records. Wayne State's 32 hits vs. the Mustangs were two more than the previous mark of 30 held by three different teams. The 27 RBI's tied the record held by Delta State (1981) and Florida Southern (1985) and the 28 runs were one shy of the tournament mark of 29 held by Florida Southern in 1985. Justin Hemauer was 7 for 8 at the plate and set an NCAA Division II Tournament record for hits in a game.
WSC then lost a 14-7 10 inning game in the winner's bracket final on Saturday to Mesa State, but bounced back Saturday night thanks to a complete game five-hitter from John Snyder to eliminate CSU-Pueblo 6-1. The Wildcats then faced Mesa State in Sunday's title game and lost by the score of 8-2.
Four WSC players were named to the Central Region All-Tournament Team - Catcher John Plasha, outfielder Joe Wendte, starting pitcher John Snyder and designated hitter Justin Hemauer. NSIC Newcomer of the Eric Bond led WSC in hitting at regionals with a .480 average, going 12 for 25 with four homers and eight RBI's. His four homers pushed his season total to 19, breaking the single season home run mark of 18 held by Bill Schwartz in 1981. 2009 NSIC Player of the Year Joe Wendte set a new single season school record with 83 runs scored while leading WSC in batting for the season at .396.
After starting the season 4-5, Wayne State came on strong and went 27-4 in the NSIC to win a sixth straight regular season Northern Sun Conference title while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight season and the seventh time in the last nine years. This is the second time that WSC has advance to the regional title game, also accomplishing the feat in 2004.
ABCA/Rawling All Central Region Teams
| 1st Team | ||
| 1B | Andrew Kinney | SMSU |
| 2B | Kevin Becker | Mesa State |
| 3B | David Olsen | Minnesota Duluth |
| SS | Matt Bodenchuk | Mesa State |
| OF | Jason Fobes | CSU-Pueblo |
| OF | Joe Wendte | Wayne State |
| OF | J.T. Putt | Regis |
| OF | Derek West | SMSU |
| P | Jake Schmidt | Concordia-St. Paul |
| P | Ryan Sheldon | Nebraska-Kearney |
| P | Chad Moreland | Wayne State |
| P | Logan Birr | St. Cloud State |
| RP | Nathan Kafka | Minnesota State |
| DH | Jason Carr | NM-Highlands |
| C | Chris Herbert | Concordia ST Paul |
| INF | Eric Bond | Wayne State |
| POY | Matt Bodenchuk, Mesa State | |
| Pitcher of Year | Jake Schmidt, CU | |
| 2nd Team | ||
| 1B | Crespin Perez | NM- Highlands |
| 2B | Jay Bresnahan | Minnesota State |
| 3B | Blake Cover | Nebraska-Kearney |
| SS | Jesus Arzaga | Regis |
| OF | Christian Garcia | NM-Highlands |
| OF | Mike Provencher | Mesa State |
| OF | Nate Baumann | Augustana |
| OF | Nate Swearer | Nebraska-Kearney |
| P | Pat Lenton | Minnesota State |
| P | David Deminsky | St. Cloud State |
| P | Matt Mattivi | CSU-Pueblo |
| P | Drew Vassil | NM-Highlands |
| RP | Aaron Guinn | Mesa State |
| DH | Alex Koch | Wayne State |
| C | Tony Pechek | CSU-Pueblo |
| INF | Geno Glynn | Minnesota State |
Wildcat baseball season ends with 8-2 setback to Mesa State in Central Region Final
May 17, 2009 | Box Score | Regional Site | Tournament Bracket | Live Stats
Grand Junction, Colo. - Mesa State's five-run third inning proved to be the difference Sunday afternoon as the top-seeded Mavericks defeated Wayne State 8-2 in the NCAA Division II Central Regional Baseball Tournament championship game played in Grand Junction, Colorado. The 29th-ranked Mavericks take a 43-13 record to the Division II College World Series next week while 26th-ranked Wayne State ends the season at 45-15.
Mesa State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as leadoff batter Kevin Becker hit a solo homer for a 1-0 Maverick lead. Mesa State then put together five hits for five runs in the bottom of the third inning to break the game open for a 6-0 advantage. Big hits for the Mavericks included a home run by Craig Lanzarotta and an RBI double from Matt Bodenchuck.
The score remained 6-0 until the bottom of the seventh inning when Mesa State plated a single run for a 7-0 lead. Wayne State scored both of its runs in the top of the eighth inning to get on the scoreboard as Justin Hemauer singled and scored on Eric Bond's double and Bond later scored when Treye Hacker grounded into a double play to account for the two Wildcat runs. Mesa State added a single run in the eighth inning to make the final score 8-2.
Mesa State had 11 hits in the game to five for the Wildcats. Bond's double was the lone extra base hit for WSC while Hemauer, Josh Yost, Brandon Polk and John Plasha each singled. For Mesa State, Kevin Becker finished 2 for 3 with two RBI's and two runs scored while Lanzarotta was 2 for 3 and Bodenchuck went 2 for 5 with two runs scored.
Josh Voth (3-6) suffered the pitching loss for WSC, working the first 2 1/3 innings and allowing five runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout. Austen Wisroth pitched the next 2/3 inning, allowing one run on one hit with two walks. Redshirt freshman Tom Doran then worked the next 4 1/3 innings, giving up just two runs on five hits with two walks while senior Jared Hegdahl closed the game registering the final two outs with one strikeout.
Chris Shea earned the win for Mesa State, pitching seven innings and allowing five hits and two rusn with five walks and three strikeouts. Closer Aaron Guinn worked the final two innings without allowing a hit and striking out two.
Wayne State placed four players on the Central Regional All-Tournament Team that was announced following Sunday's championship game. They included catcher John Plasha, outfielder Joe Wendte, starting pitcher John Snyder and designated hitter Justin Hemauer.
After starting the season with a 4-5 record, Wayne State came on strong and went 27-4 in the NSIC to win a sixth straight regular season Northern Sun Conference title while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight season and the seventh time in the last nine years. This is the second time that WSC has advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship game, also accomplishing the feat in 2004.
Central Region All-Tournament Team
C - John Plasha - Wayne State
1B - Andrew Kinney - SW Minnesota State
2B - Greg Laughlin - SW Minnesota State
SS - Matt Bodenchuk - Mesa State
3B - Oscar Sigala - NM Highlands
LF - Kevin Becker - Mesa State
CF - Joe Wendte - Wayne State
RF - Mike Provencher - Mesa State
DH - Justin Hemauer - Wayne State
SP - John Snyder - Wayne State
SP - Chris Shea - Mesa State
Most Outstanding Player - Matt Bodenchuk - SS - Mesa State
WSC's Snyder's complete game five-hitter carries WSC to 6-1 win over CSU-Pueblo at Central Regional
May 16, 2009 | Box Score
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Junior righthander John Snyder pitched a complete game five-hitter to lift the 26th-ranked Wayne State College baseball team to a 6-1 win over CSU-Pueblo Saturday evening in an elimination game at the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament in Grand Junction, Colorado. The win improved Wayne State to 45-14 on the season, matching the school record for wins in a season set by the 2005 team that went an identical 45-14, and sends the Wildcats into Sunday's championship game against top-seed and host Mesa State at 1 p.m. WSC would have to win twice to earn the regional title after the Mavericks outlasted the Wildcats earlier Saturday 14-7 in 10 innings.
Snyder improved to 8-1 on the season by pitching a complete game in the elimination contest, holding a potent CSU Pueblo offense to just five hits. Snyder took a 6-0 lead and a three-hitter into the eighth inning before CSU Pueblo used a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly to score their lone run of the game. The junior from Millard West allowed just five hits and one run, striking out six without a walk in the win.
The Wildcats gave Snyder plenty of early run support, scoring five runs in the first three innings. In the second, John Plasha singled and later scored on a Mike Bisenius single for a 1-0 lead. After a Brandon Polk single, Justin Hemauer ripped a two-run triple to right field that scored Bisenius and Polk for a 3-0 Wildcat advantage after two innings. WSC added two runs in the third when Joe Wendte led off the inning getting hit by the pitch and later scored on another Mike Bisenius RBI single to make the score 4-0. Treye Hacker walked and later scored on Nick Bidroski's sacrifice fly to give the 'Cats a 5-0 lead.
In the seventh inning, Joe Wendte connected on a solo homer to give WSC a 6-0 lead and then CSU-Pueblo scored its lone run of the game in the eighth to make the final tally 6-1.
Wayne State had 11 hits in the game to just five for CSUP. Bisenius paced the Wildcats at the plate with a 3 for 4 effort with two RBI's followed by Justin Hemauer going 2 for 5 with a triple and two RBI's. Eric Bond finished 2 for 5 and Wendte added a solo homer. John Plasha, Josh Yost and Brandon Polk also had hits for the Wildcats.
SMSU Ends Season with Heartbreaking Loss to CSU-Pueblo
May 16, 2009 | Box Score
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - No. 6 seed Colorado State-Pueblo rallied from 14-8 eighth inning deficit, including scoring two runs in the top of the ninth with two outs, to stun No. 5 seed Southwest Minnesota State 15-14 at the NCAA Central Region Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo.
SMSU, making its first ever NCAA tournament appearance, ends its season at 28-15, while CSU-P improves to 41-21. CSU-P will play Wayne State in an elimination game on Saturday night with the winner facing Mesa State on Sunday, May 17, for the region championship.
The game featured two of the top hitting teams in the country. CSU-Pueblo began the tournament ranked third in batting average, while SMSU ranked fifth. SMSU finished the game with 20 base hits, but the Mustang pitching staff allowed 15 hits, 10 walks and hit one batter in the contest.
SMSU closer Tyler Paulson retired the first two batters in the ninth inning, but a single, a double and a single gave CSU-P its first lead since the first inning and the eventual victory.
CSU-Pueblo took an early 1-0 lead off of Mustang starter Brad Haag in the top of the first inning on an RBI double by Jason Fobes.
SMSU answered back in the second inning as Matt Bauer doubled to lead off the frame and moved to third on a ground out by Derek West. Doug Stearns then singled to center to score Bauer and tie the game at 1-1. Jake Munsch then brought Stearns home with a hit-and-run double down the left field line to put the Mustangs in the lead. After a ground out for the second out, Scott Rambow belted a run-scoring double in the left-center field gap to score Munsch and extend the SMSU lead to 3-1 after two innings.
The Mustang offense continued to roll in the third inning as Greg Laughlin singled through the left side to start the inning and moved to third base on a single by Andrew Kinney that was then botched by the centerfielder putting runners at second and third base. Bauer scored both runners with a smash into the left-center field gap to make the score 5-1. West then walked and following a strike out by Stearns, Munsch was intentionally walked to load the bases. Josh Nolan made the move backfire as he bounced a single through the left side to score Bauer and West and push the lead to 7-1.
The Thunderwolves had a big answer in the top of the fourth plating three runs on two hits and two walks to trim the Mustang lead to 7-4 after three and a half innings.
But like CSU-Pueblo did in the top of the inning, SMSU had an answer of its own in the bottom half scoring two runs on three hits. Derick Swenson laced a solo home run over the left field wall to lead off the inning and was followed by a walk by Laughlin and back-to-back singles by Kinney and Bauer to load the bases. West hit into a fielder’s choice forcing Laughlin out at the plate for the first out, before Stearns walked on four pitches to force in another run and give SMSU a 9-4 advantage. CSU-P escaped further damage in the inning as Munsch and Nolan struck out to end the inning.
CSU-P answered again in the fifth inning as Haag walked the first two batters of the inning and then allowed a three-run home run to Tony Pechek to cut the Mustang lead to 9-7.
The Thunderwolves threatened in the top of the sixth putting two runners on base with a hit by a pitch and walk with one out, but lefty Chris Koep relieved Haag and recorded a pop out and a ground out to end the inning and keep SMSU in the lead.
SMSU then responded in the bottom of the sixth as Bauer singled, his fourth hit of the game, then with one out stole second base. Following a fly out, Munsch singled to right field to put runners on the corners. Nolan then hit a dribbler down the third base for an infield single to score Bauer and make the score 10-7.
CSU-P answered back with a single run in the top of the seventh with a two-out solo home run to pull to within 10-8, but again the Mustangs had an answer in the bottom half and it was a big one scoring four runs. Swenson led off the seventh with a single and stole his team leading 10th base of the season. A fly out moved Swenson to third base and he came around to score one batter later as Kinney smacked a run-scoring single down the first base line to push the lead to 11-8. It was Kinney’s 55th RBI of the season, the third highest total in a single-season in school history. A walk by Bauer put runners on first and second before West stepped to the plate and crushed a three-run home run over the left field fence to give SMSU back its six-run lead at 14-8. It was West’s ninth home run of the season and his first since April 24.
But once again SMSU couldn’t keep CSU-P off the board as Koep and Mustang closer Tyler Paulson walked four batters, gave up two hits and allowed five runs as CSU-P pulled to within 14-13. The Thunderwolves, trailing but just one run, had runners on first and second with one out but Paulson coaxed a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and keep SMSU in the lead.
Haag pitched 5.1 innings allowing seven runs on eight hits. Haag struck out two, walked five and hit one batter. Koep pitched two innings allowing six runs on three hits while walking four and striking out one. Paulson suffered the loss allowing two runs and four hits in 1.2 innings and dropped to 2-3 on the season.
Bauer finished the game 4-for-4 with four runs scored and two RBI, while Rambow and Kinney each finished with three hits. SMSU Notes: Andrew Kinney finished the season with 55 RBIs this season ranks as the third highest for one season in school history … Greg Laughlin finished his career with a school record 213 base hits.
#29 Mesa State outlasts #26 Wayne State in extra innings at NCAA Central Regional
May 16, 2009 | Box Score
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – #29 Mesa State, the top hitting team in NCAA Division II with a .380 average, scored seven runs in the top of the 10th inning and outlasted 26th-ranked Wayne State College 14-7 in 10 innings Saturday afternoon in the winner’s bracket final of the NCAA Division II Central Regional Baseball Tournament played in Grand Junction, Colorado. The host Mavericks now take a 42-13 record into Sunday’s championship game while the Wildcats fall to 44-14 and will play an elimination game Saturday evening against either Southwest Minnesota State or CSU-Pueblo.
The game was a pitchers duel for the first seven innings as WSC held a 5-3 lead, but Mesa State was able to turn the game into a slugfest late as the Mavericks racked up 11 runs in the final three innings to pick up the win.
The host Mavericks started the game by scoring two runs in the first inning off Wildcat starter Chad Moreland to take a 2-0 lead. Andrew Martinez singled and then scored when Mesa State shortstop Matt Bodenchuck, the Central Region Player of the Year, doubled down the right field line for the first run of the contest. Bodenchuck then scored on a Grant Vickers single up the middle for the second Maverick run in the first inning. WSC countered with a run in the bottom of the first inning when Eric Bond singled and later scored on John Plasha’s two-out single to center field to make the score 2-1 after one inning.
The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning when Bond belted a solo homer to center field for the Wildcats to knot the score at 2-2. It was Bond’s 19th homer of the season to set a new single season home run record at WSC, topping the previous school mark of 18 homers held by Bill Schwartz in 1981. Mesa State regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Bodenchuck singled and scored all the way from first with two outs when Grant Vickers singled to right field and the ball was bobbled by Wildcat right fielder Mike Bisenius allowing Bodenchuck to score for a 3-2 Maverick lead.
Wayne State battled back in the bottom of the seventh inning to even the score again as Justin Hemauer led off with an opposite field homer to left field to make the score 3-3. Later in the inning, WSC took their first lead of the game as John Plasha’s RBI single to right-center field, his fourth hit of the game, scored Eric Bond, to give the Wildcats their first lead of the game at 4-3. Nick Bidroski then laced a run-scoring single to right field to score Plasha and put WSC in front 5-3 after seven innings.
Mesa State took advantage of an error by Wayne State to score four runs (three unearned) in the top of the eighth inning to grab the momentum right back from the Wildcats. Maverick right fielder Mike Provencher reached on a one-out error by Wildcat shortstop Eric Bond to start the rally followed by Bodenchuck getting hit by the pitch to put runners at first and second. Grant Vickers then smacked a two-run double to right-center field, plating Provencher and Bodenchuck to tie the score at 5-5 that chased WSC starter Chad Moreland. Reliever Jared Hegdahl came into the game and struck out Craig Lanzarotta for the second out of the inning, but designated hitter Blake Carlquist followed with a two-run homer to left field to give the Mavericks a 7-5 lead.
Wayne State rallied again in the bottom of the eighth inning and tied the score at 7-7. Brandon Polk led off the inning with a single and Justin Hemauer reached on an error by Maverick third baseman Andrew Martinez. A sacrifice bunt by Eric Bond moved Polk and Hemauer to second and third and then Joe Wendte delivered a two-run single to right field to tie the score at 7-7, however Wendte was thrown out at second base trying to advance on the throw for the second out of the inning. Treye Hacker then popped up to third to end the inning.
In the top of the 10th inning, Mesa State catcher Grant Vickers started the inning by reaching second base when Wildcat second baseman Nick Bidroski dropped a fly ball. Following a bunt single by Craig Lanzarotta, Blake Carlquist doubled to left center to score Vickers giving the Mavericks an 8-7 lead. #9 batter Austin Buck then connected on a two-run double that scored Lanzarotta and Buck for a 10-7 Mesa State advantage. Kevin Becker’s RBI single then brought home Buck to push the Mesa State lead to 11-7 and chase Wildcat reliever Matt Meier. Following a walk to Andrew Martinez by new Wildcat reliever Sam Rathbun, Matt Bodenchuck crushed a three-run homer to right field to increase the Mesa State lead to 14-7. WSC was only able to get one runner on in the bottom of the 10th as Mesa State closer Aaron Guinn shut the door on the Wildcats and Mesa State went on to the 14-7 win in 10 innings.
Mesa State ended the game with 16 hits while Wayne State had 15. Wildcat catcher John Plasha was 4 for 5 with two RBI’s to lead WSC at the plate as each WSC starter recorded at least one hit on the day. Eric Bond was 3 for 5 with a solo homer and three runs scored while Brandon Polk added two hits and Justin Hemauer homered for the Wildcats. Mesa State’s top hitter was Central Region Player of the Year Matt Bodenchuck, who was 3 for 5 with a homer, four RBI’s and four runs scored. Grant Vickers and Kevin Becker added three hits apiece for the Mavericks.
WSC starting pitcher Chad Moreland worked the first 7 1/3 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Reliver Jared Hegdahl pitched the next 2/3 of an inning, giving up two hits and one run (unearned) with one strikeout. Matt Meier (5-1) was tagged with the loss, yielding five runs (three earned) in 1 1/3 innings on five hits with one strikeout while Sam Rathbun pitched the final 2/3 of an inning, surrendering two runs (both unearned) on one hit with one walk.
Records Fall as #26 WSC Manhandles SMSU 28-12 at Central Regional
May 16, 2009 | Box Score
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Wayne State College posted mammoth numbers Friday evening in manhandling Southwest Minnesota State 28-12 in the semi-finals of the NCAA Division II Central Region Baseball Tournament in Grand Junction, Colorado. The 26th-ranked Wildcats improved to 44-13 with the win and now face top-seeded and 29th-ranked Mesa State in the winner’s bracket final on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Central Time after the Mavericks outlasted New Mexico Highlands on Friday 15-13. The WSC/SMSU game last three hours and 25 minutes and featured a combined 40 runs with 48 hits between the two Northern Sun Conference teams that were facing each other for the first time this season.
The Wildcats set several NCAA Division II Tournament records in the offensive onslaught. The 32 hits are two more than the previous mark of 30 held by three different teams, (Valdosta State-1985, Lewis (Ill.)-1990 and Cal State Los Angeles in 2007). The 27 runs batted in tied a record held by Delta State in 1981 and Florida Southern in 1985. The 28 runs was just one shy of the record 29 runs scored by Florida Southern vs. Florida Atlantic in 1985 and the 13-run sixth inning was one run shy of the 14 runs scored by SIU-Edwardsville vs. Adelphi in 1997.
Individually, senior outfielder Justin Hemauer set a new single game NCAA Division II Tournament record for hits by going 7 for 8 at the plate. The previous record of six hits in a game was held by five different players and most recently set in 2004 by Jud Thigpen of Delta State.
Wayne State scored two runs in the first, nine in the third, three in the fifth, 13 runs in the sixth inning and one in the ninth to finish the game with 28 runs on 32 hits. In two tournament games, the Wildcats have produced 39 runs on 53 hits after recording a previous season-high 21 hits in Thursday’s 11-3 win over New Mexico Highlands.
In the first inning, Joe Wendte belted a solo homer while Justin Hemauer tripled and scored on Eric Bond’s sacrifice fly for an early 2-0 lead. After SMSU scored in the bottom of the first to make it a 2-1 score, WSC took control of the game by scoring nine runs in the third inning sending 14 batters to the plate. Bond had a two-run homer and Hemauer hit a two-run single for big hits in the inning while Wendte, Josh Yost and Brandon Polk each contributed run-scoring singles to give WSC an 11-1 lead after three innings.
Wayne State added three more runs in the fifth inning with John Plasha’s two-run single highlighting the inning to push the Wildcat lead to 14-3 after five innings. In the sixth inning, Wayne State sent 18 batters to the plate and scored 13 runs on 14 hits in the inning to blow the game wide open. Eric Bond hit his second homer of the night, a two-run shot, and later added an RBI single in the same inning while Brandon Polk connected on a three-run double for big hits in the inning. Nick Bidroski and John Plasha each had a pair of RBI singles in the inning as well as WSC held a 27-3 lead after 6 ½ innings. Southwest Minnesota State plated four runs in the seventh and added three more in the eighth off WSC reliever Trenton Lee to make the score 27-10.
Offensively, Hemauer’s record-setting night going 7 for 8 at the plate led a Wildcat offense that saw every starter produce at least two hits in the win. Junior shortstop Eric Bond was 4 for 7 with two homers, five RBI’s and four runs scored. His two homers pushed his season total to 18, matching the single season WSC home run record set by Bill Schwartz in the 1981 season with 18. Joe Wendte was 5 for 7 with a homer, four RBI’s and five runs scored. John Plasha was 4 for 7 with four RBI’s and three runs scored.
Freshman starting pitcher Austen Wisroth (8-1) was the beneficiary of the excessive run support by the Wildcats and earned the win on the mound, allowing seven runs on 11 hits over 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks. Trenton Lee worked one inning of relief, giving up three runs on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts while freshman lefthander Eric Schwieger finished the game, working 1 1/3 innings and yielding two runs on four hits with one strikeout and no walks.
MSU Eliminated from Baseball Regional After 13-4 Loss to CSU Pueblo
May 15, 2009 | Box Score
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Minnesota State (38-17) was eliminated from the NCAA Central Region Baseball tournament as they suffered their second loss in as many days, this time a 13-4 setback to CSU Pueblo (40-21). The Mavericks had four errors to go with only four hits in the game. The scored their 13 runs on 13 hits, with the nine runs coming in the sixth and seventh innings. More to come..
SMSU defeats Minnesota State at NCAA Regional
May 14, 2009 | Box Score
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – No. 5 seed Southwest Minnesota State snapped a 3-3 tie with two unearned runs in the eighth inning, then put the game away with a six-run ninth to earn an 11-3 victory over No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato in the opening round of the 2009 NCAA Central Region Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo.
SMSU, playing in its first-ever NCAA tournament, advances to play conference rival Wayne State on Friday night starting at 7 p.m. MDT. Wayne State, the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 4 seed New Mexico Highlands 11-3 on Thursday afternoon. SMSU is now 28-13 overall, while MSU drops to 38-16.
The Mustang offense smacked 16 total hits in the victory including a career-high four hits for Doug Stearns. Greg Laughlin added three hits and in the process tied Colby Pack’s school record for career base hits with 208.
SMSU started the game strong as Greg Laughlin smacked a one-out single and was followed just moments later by Andrew Kinney who belted a two-run home run over the right field wall to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead. It was Kinney’s 16th home run of the season, the second highest single-season total in school history.
The Mustangs took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second as Doug Stearns lead off the inning with an opposite field home run over the left-center field wall. SMSU looked to extend the lead putting two runners on base later in the inning but a ground out ended the threat.
MSU cut into the lead in the bottom of the second scoring a single run with the help of two hits and an SMSU error. The Mavericks started the inning with back-to-back singles and then used a Mustang error to score its first run of the game. SMSU starting pitcher Adam Schrader induced a ground ball to SMSU third baseman Matt Bauer, who stepped on the bag for the first out, but his throw to first for the double play sailed down the right field line scoring the runner from first base. With a runner on third base and one out, Schrader ended the Maverick threat with a strikeout and a ground out to keep SMSU with a two-run lead.
MSU had another answer in the bottom of the third as Corey LaPlante belted a lead off home run to cut the Mustang lead to 3-2. The Mavericks then tied the game in the fourth inning loading the bases with one out on a single and two bases on balls. LaPlante then singled over the head of SMSU left fielder Derek West to tie the game at 3-3. Schrader though kept the game tied, recording a pop out and a fly out to end the Maverick scoring threat.
SMSU had a golden opportunity to regain the lead in the fifth as Scott Rambow and Derick Swenson started the inning with singles but Laughlin and Kinney each flew out and neither runner could move up a base. Matt Bauer singled through the left side to load the bases, but West flied out to right to end the inning.
Schrader retired the Mavericks in order in the fifth and once again SMSU had a great chance to take the lead back in the top of sixth. Stearns led the inning off with a base hit and moved to second on a ground out by Jake Munsch. A walk and a wild pitch moved runners to second and third base with just one out, but pinch-hitter Matt Seehusen and Swenson each struck out against MSU reliever Josh Castanza and the game remained tied at 3-3.
The game remained tied into the seventh when Laughlin led off with an infield single for the Mustangs. But once again, SMSU failed to move him around the bases as a pop out, fly out and ground out ended the inning.
Schrader retired the first MSU batter in the seventh, but after a one-out walk, was relieved by Jared Pick. Pick did his job coaxing a fly out and strikeout to keep the game tied through seven innings.
In the top of the eighth, SMSU took advantage of poor MSU defense to score two runs and retake the lead. Stearns started the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Munsch. Josh Nolan then hit a grounder to the right of the MSU shortstop, who tried to throw Stearns out at third base, but his throw was high and SMSU had runners on first and third base. SMSU then scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball to score Stearns and advance Nolan to second base. Following a strikeout for the second out of the inning, SMSU scored another run on a throwing error by the MSU shortstop to make the score 5-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, Andy Williamson came on in relief and allowed a lead off single and was replaced by Max Zwart, who promptly retired the first batter on a pop out. Tyler Paulson then was then called into the game a retired the first batter he faced on a fly out. Following a single, Paulson closed the inning with a pop out to preserve the two-run lead.
SMSU added to the lead in the ninth as Kinney singled and moments later stole second base. Bauer then smashed a clutch single to left-center field to score Kinney and push the lead to 6-3. The Mustangs then put together three more hits, including a two-run double by Munsch to extend the lead to 8-3. Nolan then plated another run with a sac fly to make the score 9-3. Following a ground out, Swenson drilled an RBI double to score Stearns and Laughlin capped the inning with a run-scoring single to make the score 11-3 in favor of SMSU.
Pick earned his fifth victory of the season after retiring his two batters in the seventh. Paulson closed out the game for his fifth save of the season. Schrader earned a no-decision pitching 6.1 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, two earned runs, while striking out four and walking four batters. Swenson, Kinney and Bauer all added two hits apiece to held lead the Mustang attack. Friday night’s game between SMSU and Wayne State will be the first meeting between the two schools this season.
WSC defeats NM Highlands at NCAA Regional
May 14, 2009 | Box Score
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The 26th-ranked Wayne State College baseball team pounded out a season-high 21 hits as the Wildcats cruised to an 11-3 win over New Mexico Highlands Thursday afternoon in the opener of the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament played in Grand Junction, Colorado. All nine starters had at least one hit for the 43-13 Wildcats, who snapped an eight-game NCAA Tournament losing streak that dated back to the 2005 season. (Wayne State’s last NCAA Tournament win was May 19, 2005 when the ‘Cats blanked Nebraska-Omaha 3-0).
Starting pitcher Josh Voth (3-5), who was working on just four days rest after pitching a complete-game nine inning 10-4 win over Upper Iowa on Saturday at the NSIC Tournament, pitched 6 2/3 solid innings to get the win for the Wildcats. The junior from Altona, Manitoba (Des Moines Area CC) allowed just three runs on seven hits and received plenty of run support, something he has not been accustomed to this season.
The Wildcats offense was consistent throughout the game, scoring at least one run in seven of the eight innings against the Cowboys. WSC also got clutch hitting in the win, scoring four of their first six runs with two outs. Joe Wendte, the 2009 NSIC Player of the Year, opened the scoring in the first inning with a solo homer to give WSC a 1-0 lead. In the second inning, Nick Bidroski and Brandon Polk produced back-to-back two out doubles to put the ‘Cats in front 2-0. Eric Bond’s leadoff homer in the third inning gave WSC a 3-0 advantage. The Wildcats scored again in the fourth as Polk doubled with two outs and scored on Justin Hemauer’s single up the middle for a 4-0 Wildcat lead.
New Mexico Highlands put together a two-out rally in the fifth inning and scored twice to cut the Wildcat margin to 4-2. Joe Mulroy singled and David Bustillos doubled off Wildcat starter Josh Voth to put runners at second and third, then Voth hit Oscar Sigala and Christian Garcia to score the first run followed by an RBI single off the bat of Jason Carr giving the Cowboys their second run.
WSC answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning Joe Wendte and Treye Hacker hit back-to-back doubles followed by a Mike Bisenius two-out single to push the Wildcat lead to 6-2 after five innings. The Cowboys used another two-out rally in the seventh to score their final run of the game, chasing WSC starter Josh Voth. Bustillos walked and Sigala was hit by the pitch, then Garcia singled to score Bustillos to make the score 6-3, ending the day for Voth. Wildcat reliever Matt Meier then came on and retired Carr on a strikeout to end the scoring threat for New Mexico Highlands.
The Wildcats scored a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning on two-out doubles from Polk and John Plasha, making the score 7-3. WSC added four insurance runs in the eighth inning to make the final score 11-3. Wendte walked and scored on Hacker’s double to push the lead to 8-3, pinch hitter Josh Yost had a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by New Mexico Highlands pitcher Andy Herman that scored Hacker to make the score 9-3. Nick Bidroski’s single to center field plated Yost and Plasha’s RBI double to right field scored Mike Bisenius, who walked, to close out the Wildcat scoring.
WSC had a season-high 21 hits in the win while holding New Mexico Highlands to just eight hits. The Wildcats were led by Nick Bidroski, who was 5 for 5 on the day. Brandon Polk finished 3 for 5 with two RBI’s while Justin Hemauer, Eric Bond, Joe Wendte, Treye Hacker and John Plasha each chipping in two hits in the win. Wendte and Bond each homered for the ‘Cats.
Voth was the winning pitcher with strong relief help from Matt Meier, who pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit with one strikeout and no walks. Wayne State will now play in the winner’s bracket semi-finals on Friday evening at 8:00 p.m. Central Time against Southwest Minnesota State.
DAKTRONICS ALL-CENTRAL REGION BASEBALL TEAM
May 13, 2009 | PDF Release
PUEBLO, Colo. – Mesa State shortstop Matt Bodenchuk and Concordia-St. Paul pitcher Jake Schmidt have been voted as the Daktronics NCAA Division II Central Region Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.
Bodenchuk has batted .436 for the Mavericks, chucking 15 home runs and putting up a region-best 82 RBI so far this season. A 2007 first-team selection to the Daktronics all-Central Region team, Bodenchuk redshirted in 2008 and returned for his senior season in 2009, when he was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference player of the year.
Schmidt, the 2009 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Pitcher of the Year, was an everyday player for Concordia-St. Paul, anchoring the rotation as well as playing in middle infield and centerfield for the Golden Bears. Schmidt pitched in 13 games, going 7-2 and striking out 103 batters in 69 innings. Schmidt was also voted as a first-team selection as a utility player to the Daktronics All-Central Region team and was a first-team all-Central Region selection in 2008.
Mesa State, the top-seeded team in the NCAA Division II Central Regionals, led all schools with four members on the first team. Three schools – Colorado State University-Pueblo, Concordia-St. Paul and Southwest Minnesota State – each boasted two members on the all-region first team.
Three 2009 all-region members, including Schmidt, Mesa State’s second-teamer, outfielder Mike Provencher, and Concordia-St. Paul outfielder, Brenden Furrow, are repeat selections to a Daktronics all-region team. Schmidt, who was a first-teamer in 2008, was joined by Provencher, an all-West Region second-team in 2008 as a shortstop, and Furrow, a second-team selection as a junior.
The Daktronics All-Central Region team was voted upon by sports information directors throughout the Central Region. Each of the 15 first-team all-region selections will now be listed on the Daktronics Division II Baseball All-American ballot, with the announcement of those All-American teams expected Friday, May 22.
2009 DAKTRONICS DIVISION II BASEBALL ALL-CENTRAL REGION TEAMS
Pitcher of the Year: Jake Schmidt, Concordia-St. Paul (Sr., Oakdale, Minn.)
Player of the Year: Matt Bodenchuk, Mesa State (Sr., Boulder, Colo.)
First Team
Catcher: Chris Herbert, Concordia-St. Paul (Sr., Bear Lake, Minn.)
First Base: Andrew Kinney, Southwest Minnesota St. (Jr., Coon Rapids, Minn.)
Second Base: Kevin Becker, Mesa State (Jr., San Jose, Calif.)
Third Base: David Olson, Minnesota-Duluth (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.)
Shortstop: Matt Bodenchuk, Mesa State (Sr., Boulder, Colo.)
Outfield: Jason Fobes, Colorado St.-Pueblo (Sr., Longmont, Colo.)
Outfield: Joe Wendte, Wayne State (Neb.) (Jr., South Sioux City, Neb.)
Outfield: Derek West, Southwest Minnesota St. (Sr., Chamberlain, S.D.)
Designated Hitter: Jason Carr, New Mexico Highlands (Puyallup, Wash.)
Utility: Jake Schmidt, Concordia-St. Paul (Sr., Oakdale, Minn.)
Starting Pitcher: Patrick Lenton, Minnesota St.-Mankato (RJr., Maple Grove, Minn.)
Starting Pitcher: Ryan Sheldon, Nebraska-Kearney (Sr., Kearney, Neb.)
Starting Pitcher: Jason Fronczak, Mesa State (Sr., Bishop, Calif.)
Starting Pitcher: Mario Mattivi, Colorado St.-Pueblo (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.)
Relief Pitcher: Aaron Guinn, Mesa State (Sr., Vancouver, Wash.)
Second Team
Catcher: Tyree Abshire, Metro State College of Denver (Sr., Paonia, Colo.)
First Base: Jordan Stouffer, Metro State College of Denver (So., Fort Collins, Colo.)
Second Base: Jay Breshnahan, Minnesota St.-Mankato (Sr., Edina, Minn.)
Third Base: Blake Cover, Nebraska-Kearney (Jr., Kearney, Neb.)
Shortstop: Matt McConnell, Metro State College of Denver (Sr., Mesa, Ariz.)
Shortstop: Eric Bond, Wayne State (Neb.) (Jr., Blue Springs, Mo.)
Outfield: J.T. Putt, Regis (Colo.) (Jr., Evergreen, Colo.)
Outfield: Christian Garcia, New Mexico Highlands (Jr., San Luis, Ariz.)
Outfield: Brenden Furrow, Concordia-St. Paul (Sr., Johnston, Iowa)
Outfield: Mike Provencher, Mesa State (Sr., El Paso, Tex.)
Designated Hitter: Ben Kincaid, Minnesota St.-Mankato (Fr., Eau Claire, Wisc.)
Utility: Matt Wismann, Colorado St.-Pueblo (Sr., Palo Alto, Calif.)
Utility: Alex Koch, Wayne State (Neb.) (Sr., Omaha, Neb.)
Starting Pitcher: Chris Kimpton, Concordia-St. Paul (Canberra, Australia)
Starting Pitcher: Chad Moreland, Wayne State (Neb.) (Sr., Sioux City, Iowa)
Starting Pitcher: Ross Hellenbrand, Winona State (Jr., Middleton, Wisc.)
Starting Pitcher: Adam Schrader, Southwest Minnesota St. (Jr., Easton, Minn.)
Relief Pitcher: Nathan Kafka, Minnesota St.-Mankato (Sr., Denmark, Wisc.)
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 14
NCAA Central Region Baseball Announced
May 11, 2009 | Full Release | Tournament Bracket | NCAA Region Release
INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division II Baseball Committee has selected the 48 teams that will participate in the 2009 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship. The championship provides for eight regional sites - six sites will host six teams, the West region will host four teams and the South region will host eight teams. All regionals are double-elimination tournaments and will be played at on-campus sites May 14-18. Regional champions will advance to the double-elimination championship finals May 23-30 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The finals will be hosted by Mount Olive College and the town of Cary, North Carolina.
Thursday, May 14 - NCAA Central Region Tournament
Grand Junction, Colo.
No. 4 N. M. Highlands (39-18) vs. No. 3 Wayne State (42-13) - 1:00 pm CT
No. 5 SMSU (27-13) vs. No. 2 Minnesota State (38-15) - 4:30 pm CT
No. 6 CSU-Pueblo (39-20) at No. 1 Mesa State (39-13) - 8:00 pm CT
May 7-10 St. Cloud, Minn.
Click for NSIC Baseball Tournament Information
Minnesota State Wins NSIC Baseball Tournament
May 10 , 2009 | Tournament Bracket
St. Cloud, Minn. - Minnesota State defeated Wayne State twice Sunday to claim the 2009 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball tournament championship held at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud.
The Mavericks, who lost its opening game of the tournament Thursday, won five games in a row to capture the title, including two wins over Wayne State today. MSU won the first game today, 6-5, to force a second game, which it also won, 10-9.
Trailing 8-5 after six innings in the second game, the Mavericks scored four times in the top of the seventh to take a 9-8 advantage. After senior first baseman Travis Taran was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score a run and junior third baseman Mike Kinsel’s fielder’s choice plated another, sophomore catcher Steven Helget singled to right to score two runs.
Wayne State got one back in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game, but sophomore leftfielder Danny Miller singled up the middle in the top of the eighth to score junior shortstop Kosuke Hattori with the game-winning run.
Senior righthander Nathan Kafka, who threw the final three innings, got the win and now stands 6-2 for 2009.
Senior second baseman Jay Bresnahan went four-for-five in the game to pace the Mavericks offensively.
The Mavericks, who are now 38-15 on the year, earn the league’s automatic berth to the 2009 NCAA Division II tournament with the field scheduled to be announced Monday morning. MSU will enter the postseason go-round having won 11 of its last 13 games.
NSIC Tournament Notes: Four Minnesota State players were named to the 2009 NSIC All-Tournament Team - senior third baseman Geno Glynn, senior first baseman Travis Taran, senior pitcher Jimmy Dale and junior pitcher Josh Castanza. Glynn, who hit .545 (12-for-22) with nine runs scored, two home runs and 10 runs batted in in five games, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
C: John Plasha-WSC
1B: Travis Taran-MSU
2B: Nick Bidroski-WSC
3B: Geno Glynn-MSU
SS: Eric Sorensen-UIU
OF: Kreston Albirght-UIU
OF: Jake Munsch-SMSU
OF: Derek West-SMSU
UT: Brandon Polk-WSC
P: James Dale-MSU
P: Adam Schrader-SMSU
RP: Josh Costanza-MSU
MVP: Geno Glynn
Thursday, May 7, 2009
No. 2 Minnesota State 5 vs. No. 5 Upper Iowa 16
No. 1 Wayne State 8 vs. No.6 Augustana 7 (10 Innings)
No. 3 Winona State 6 vs. No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State 9
Friday, May 8, 2009
No. 2 Minnesota State 14 vs. No.6 Augustana 4 (Augie Eliminated)
No. 1 Wayne State 13 vs. No. 3 Winona State 9 (WSU Eliminated)
No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State 5 vs. No. 5 Upper Iowa 8
Saturday, May 9, 2009
No.1 Wayne State 10 vs. No. 5 Upper Iowa 4
No. 2 Minnesota State 6 vs. No. 4 SMSU 5
No. 2 Minnesota State 12 vs. No. 5 Upper Iowa 3
Sunday, May 10, 2009
No.1 Wayne State 5 vs. No. 2 Minnesota State 6
No.1 Wayne State 9 vs. No. 2 Minnesota State 10
NSIC Baseball All-Conference Release
May 8, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Year
#20 Joe Wendte
(OF, 5-11, Jr., South Sioux City, Neb. / Heelan HS )
Wayne State College
Wendte led Wayne State in most offensive categories this season, helping the Wildcats win a sixth straight NSIC regular season title. In NSIC play, Wendte hit .420 with seven homers and 34 RBI’s. He led the league in NSIC games in on-base percentage (.579), runs scored (50) and walks (29) while ranking third in batting average (.420), slugging percentage (.818) and RBI’s (34) and sixth in total bases with 92. In all games, Wendte leads Wayne State with a .408 average and has 11 homers and 55 RBI’s and has made just one error all season manning center field for the Wildcats.\
NSIC Pitcher of the Year
#29 Jake Schmidt
(P, 6-3, 205, R/R, Sr., Oakdale, Minn. / Tartan HS)
Concordia University-St. Paul
The NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year lived up to his billing, breaking the single game, season and career strikeout records for Concordia while posting a 7-2 record. With a career-high 16 strikeouts in 7 innings at UM, Crookston, Schmidt became the career strikeout leader at CU and with his 14 K’s in his next and final start at Bemidji State, he finished the year with 103, breaking his mark of 100 a year ago. He currently leads all Division II pitchers in K/9 with 13.43. He reached double-digit strikeouts in seven of his 11 starts in 2009 with five complete games, a shutout and a save. He finished with a 3.78 ERA while hurling 69.0 innings. In his career, he is CU’s all-time wins leader with a 23-8 record and 273 strikeouts. At the plate, Schmidt was CU’s leadoff hitter, centerfielder and first and second baseman and hit 10 home runs, 10 doubles and stole eight bases. In games he pitched, he helped his own cause with a .471 average in 11 games with 15 runs and 10 RBI. He earned two NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors and one NSIC Player of the Week and was a five-time CU Male Athlete of the Week.
NSIC Newcomer of the Year
#4 Eric Bond
(IF, 5-10, 160, Jr., Blue Springs, Mo.)
Wayne State College
Bond made quite an impact for the Wildcats’ offense in his first year with the club, hitting .337 in NSIC games with 11 homers and 32 RBI’s. Bond tied for the league lead in NSIC games with 11 homers and ranked fourth in NSIC games in RBI’s (32) and total bases (75) while ranking sixth in slugging percentage (.743). Overall, Bonds hit .350 for the Wildcats this season with 14 homers and 46 RBI’s while ranking second on the team with 111 total bases.
NSIC Freshman of the Year
#17 Logan Birr
(RHP , 6-4 185, FR.,R/R, St. Cloud, Minn. / Apollo HS)
St. Cloud State
Birr led the NSIC in ERA (2.93) and held opponents to a conference low .215 mark. He was third in the conference in strikeouts (72) and wins (8) while striking out a season-high 11 batters against Minnesota, Crookston on March 20. He had his first career save and fifth win of season in same doubleheader against Minnesota Duluth on April 3, by pitching a total of six innings and striking out seven. He hurled two straight complete games on April 10 and 19, striking out eight and allowing one earned run at Concordia-St. Paul on the 10th. Birr threw his second of those with eight strikeouts in 8-4 win over Augustana on the 19th. He appeared in his first collegiate game against Midland Lutheran in the Metrodome, striking out both batters he faced. He picked up his first career victory after striking out four in three innings of work against Wisconsin-Parkside on Feb. 8. Birr won 4 straight starts on two separate occasions during the 2009 season.
NSIC Coach of the Year
John Manganaro
17th Season
Wayne State
Manganaro coached the Wildcats to their sixth straight regular season NSIC title this year, going 27-4 in league play. The 27 wins are the most ever by an NSIC team as the Wildcats topped their previous record of 25 wins (25-5) in the 2007 season. It’s the fourth time, and the third time in the last four years, that Manganaro has captured NSIC Coach of the Year honors. Manganaro picked up his 500th career win on May 3 in a 19-7 win over Minnesota, Crookston. He has coached the Wildcats to a 198-54 record (.785) in NSIC play since WSC joined the league in 1999.
| 2009 All-Conference First Team | ||||||
| # | Name | Pos. |
Yr. |
School | Hometown | |
29 |
Jake Schmidt | P |
Sr. |
Concordia-St. Paul | Oakdale, Minn. | |
20 |
Pat Lenton | P |
Jr. |
Minnesota State | Maple Grove, Minn. | |
27 |
David Deminsky | P |
Jr. |
St. Cloud State | Sartell, Minn. | |
17 |
Chad Moreland | P |
Sr. |
Wayne State | Sioux City, Iowa | |
18 |
Nathan Kafka | R-P |
Sr. |
Minnesota State | Denmark, Wis. | |
11 |
Chris Herbert | C |
Sr. |
Concordia-St. Paul | White Bear Lake, Minn. | |
25 |
Andrew Kinney | 1B |
Jr. |
SMSU | Coon Rapids, Minn. | |
8 |
Jay Bresnahan | 2B |
Sr. |
Minnesota State | Edina, Minn. | |
4 |
Eric Bond | SS |
Jr. |
Wayne State | Blue Springs, Mo. | |
12 |
David Olson | 3B |
Sr. |
Minnesota Duluth | Lakeville, Minn. | |
17 |
Danny Miller | OF |
So. |
Minnesota State | Eden Prairie, Minn. | |
4 |
Derek West | OF |
Sr. |
SMSU | Chamberlain, S.D. | |
20 |
Joe Wendte | OF |
Jr. |
Wayne State | South Sioux City, Neb. | |
23 |
Nate Baumann | OF |
So. |
Augustana | Marshall, Minn. | |
10 |
Alex Koch | DH |
Sr. |
Wayne State | Omaha, Neb. | |
9 |
Jared Anderson | IF |
So. |
Winona State | Vadnais Heights, Minn. | |
2009 All-Conference Second Team |
||||||
# |
Name | Pos. |
Yr. |
School | Hometown | |
17 |
Logan Birr | P |
Fr. |
St. Cloud State | St. Cloud, Minn. | |
2 |
Anders Engberg | P |
Fr. |
Minnesota Duluth | Burnsville, Minn. | |
27 |
Curtis Smith | P |
So. |
SMSU | Calgary, Alberta | |
34 |
Ross Hellenbrand | P |
Jr. |
Winona State | Middleton, Wis. | |
10 |
Brett Severtson | R-P |
So. |
Augustana | Flanreau, S.D. | |
28 |
Nate Hammes | C |
Jr. |
St. Cloud State | Lake Elmo, Minn. | |
9 |
Brock Spangenberg | 1B |
Sr. |
Upper Iowa | Red Oak, Iowa | |
3 |
Seth Fox | 2B |
Jr. |
Upper Iowa | Pottstown, Pa. | |
10 |
Tyler Erickson | SS |
So. |
Minnesota Duluth | Alexandria, Minn. | |
34 |
Geno Glynn | 3B |
Sr. |
Minnesota State | Waseca, Minn. | |
11 |
Tom Longoni | OF |
Jr. |
Upper Iowa | Tucson, Ariz. | |
3 |
Brenden Furrow | OF |
Sr. |
Concordia-St. Paul | Johnston, Iowa | |
13 |
Will Dahlgren | OF |
Jr. |
Minnesota Duluth | Burnsville, Minn. | |
25 |
Justin Hemauer | OF |
Sr. |
Wayne State | Moundsview, Minn. | |
17 |
Tyler Liffrig | DH |
Jr. |
University of Mary | Williston, N.D. | |
1 |
Andy Leer | IF |
Jr. |
University of Mary | Williston, N.D. | |
NCAA Central Region Baseball Rankings
May 6, 2009 | NCAA Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division II Baseball Committee has released the NCAA Division II baseball poll. The top teams in the NCAA Central Region (NSIC & RMAC), with records through May 2, are listed below. The top six teams in the region will be selected to play in the 2009 NCAA DII Central Regional Tournament on May 14-17.
| Central Region | Overall Rec |
In-Region Rec |
Last Week |
|
1 |
Mesa State (RMAC) | 39-11 |
39-11 |
1 |
2 |
Wayne State (NSIC) | 39-11 |
33-7 |
2 |
3 |
NM Highlands (RMAC) | 36-16 |
30-15 |
3 |
4 |
Minnesota State (NSIC) | 33-14 |
28-8 |
4 |
5 |
SMSU (NSIC) | 26-11 |
20-10 |
5 |
6 |
CSU-Pueblo (RMAC) | 35-19 |
32-18 |
6 |
7 |
Augustana (NSIC) | 27-21 |
19-15 |
NR |
8 |
Metro State (RMAC) | 27-22 |
24-22 |
8 |
Dropped Out: #7 St. Cloud State
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 13
NSIC Baseball Tournament Bracket Released
May 4, 2009 | Full Release | Tournament Bracket
St. Paul, Minn. - The 2009 Baseball Tournament field has been set and the top six teams in the final standings will battle it out in St. Cloud, Minn. at Joe Faber Field on May 7-10 to determine the 2009 NSIC Baseball Tournament Champion and automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. Day one of the double elimination tournament will take place on Thursday, May 7th. The first game of the day will pit second seeded Minnesota State versus fifth seeded Upper Iowa at 12:00 p.m. Top seeded Wayne State will take on sixth seeded Augustana College at 3:30 p.m. followed by third seeded Winona State and fourth seeded Southwest Minnesota State in the night cap at 7:00 p.m. A full tournament bracket will be released Monday morning.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
No. 2 Minnesota State vs. No. 5 Upper Iowa 12:00 p.m.
No. 1 Wayne State vs. No.6 Augustana 3:30 p.m.
No. 3 Winona State vs. No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State 7:00 p.m.
NSIC Player of the Week
#20 Joe Wendte
5-11, Jr.,
South Sioux City, Neb.
Heelan HS
Wayne State
Joe Wendte hit a sizzling .714 in six games during the week, going 15 for 21 at the plate with four homers, 20 RBI’s, 14 runs scored and a 1.524 slugging percentage. Wendte was 5 for 7 with three RBI’s, including a key two-run triple that fueled a three-run rally in the seventh inning, in a 6-5 win over St. Cloud State on Wednesday. In a four-game series at Minnesota, Crookston over the weekend, Wendte was 10 for 14 with four homers, two doubles and 17 RBI’s. His best game was a 3 for 4 effort with eight RBI’s in a 16-0 win over the Golden Eagles on Sunday as the Wildcats earned their third straight NSIC Regular Season Championship. This marks the third time this season Wendte has been named NSIC Player of the Week.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#27 David Deminsky
LHP, 6-3, 185, Jr., L/L
Sartell, Minn.
Sartell HS
St. Cloud State
David Deminsky threw a complete game shutout against the NSIC’s second place team in Minnesota State on Sunday. The junior struck out seven and in the process, set the St. Cloud State single season record for strikeouts with 88. , breaking the 46 year-old record that was held by Larry Vergin. The complete game victory was Deminsky’s second straight, as he threw one against Northern State last weekend as well. He finishes the season 7-1 with a 3.12 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. This marks the second time this season that Deminsky has been named NSIC Pitcher of the Week.
NCAA Central Region Baseball Rankings
April 29, 2009 | NCAA Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division II Baseball Committee has released the NCAA Division II baseball poll. The top teams in each region, with records through April 26, are listed below.
| Central Region | Overall Rec |
In-Region Rec |
Last Week |
|
| 1 | Mesa State | 37-9 |
37-9 |
1 |
| 2 | Wayne State | 33-11 |
27-7 |
2 |
| 3 | NM Highlands | 33-15 |
27-14 |
3 |
| 4 | Minnesota State | 27-13 |
23-7 |
5 |
| 5 | SMSU | 22-7 |
16-6 |
7 |
| 6 | CSU-Pueblo | 32-18 |
29-17 |
4 |
| 7 | St. Cloud State | 35-13 |
23-9 |
8 |
| 8 | Metro State | 26-19 |
23-19 |
NR |
Dropped Out: #6 Winona State
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 12
April 28, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#11 Ben Smothers
SS, Sr., Waconia, Minn.
Apple Valley HS
Winona State
Smothers tore the cover off the ball during the six games WSU played last week. Smothers hit .579 for the week with 11 hits in 19 atbats. He scored seven runs, batted in seven more and completed the cycle for the week with a double, two triples and a home run for a 1.000 slugging percentage and .619 on base percentage. He also was flawless in the field with no errors in 22 total chances. Smothers had a sterling series against the University of Minnesota Duluth with 9 hits in 13 atbats for .692 batting average. He had four runs scored, four runs driven in, two triples and a home run.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#43 Tom Doran
RHP, 6-4, 245, R-Fr.
Oakdale, Minn.
Tartan HS
Wayne State
Doran pitched a complete-game three hitter, allowing an unearned run in the first inning, in Sunday’s 9-1 win over Minnesota State. Doran struck out five and walked three while allowing just the three hits. It was his second straight complete game in NSIC play after throwing a complete game three hitter in last Monday’s 10-1 win at Northern State. For the season, Doran is now 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA.
Top Two Teams in NSIC Battle In Baseball
April 25, 2009
Wayne, America -- The second and fifth ranked team in the NCAA Central Region will battle it out in a four game series this weekend. The NSIC's top team, Wayne State (31-9, 19-2 NSIC) hosts second place Minnesota State (25-11, 18-2) in what very well could determine the regular season championship. Both Saturday's and Sunday's doubleheaders are set to begin at 12:00 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Complex. The Wildcat's two losses come at the hands of Augustana College and St. Cloud State, while the Mavericks two blemishes come at the hands of Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth. The 2009 NSIC Baseball Tournament will take place May 7-10 in St. Cloud, Minn.
NCAA Central Region Baseball Rankings
April 22, 2009 | NCAA Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division II Baseball Committee has released the NCAA Division II baseball poll. The top teams in each region, with records through April 19, are listed below.
| Central Region | Overall Rec |
In-Region Rec |
Last Week |
|
| 1 | Mesa State | 34-6 |
34-6 |
1 |
| 2 | Wayne State | 28-8 |
22-4 |
2 |
| 3 | NM Highlands | 29-13 |
23-12 |
3 |
| 4 | CSU-Pueblo | 31-13 |
28-12 |
4 |
| 5 | Minnesota State | 23-11 |
19-5 |
5 |
| 6 | Winona State | 22-11 |
17-5 |
6 |
| 7 | SMSU | 19-6 |
13-5 |
7 |
| 8 | St. Cloud State | 30-10 |
14-6 |
8 |
Dropped Out: None
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 11
April 21, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#35 Mike Bisenius
OF, 6-3, 200, R-Fr.,
Sioux City, Iowa
Heelan HS
Wayne State
Bisenius hit .550 in six games last week with four homers, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored and a 1.300 slugging percentage. Bisenius had at least one hit in all six games last week and homered in all four games vs. Northern State on Sunday and Monday. He was 3 for 5 with a homer, three RBI’s and two runs scored in a 18-8 win over Northern State Sunday and was 2 for 4 with a double, homer and three runs scored in a 19-7 win over the Wolves on Sunday in the second game.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#2 Anders Engberg
RHP/INF, 6-0, 175, Fr.,
Burnsville, Minn.
Burnsville HS
Minnesota Duluth
Engberg tossed six shutout innings in UMD’s 4-0 game two victory over Bemidji State on Sunday afternoon in Bemidji, Minn. The righty allowed just five Beaver hits, striking 11 of the 24 batters he faced while earning his second victory of the season at the BSU Baseball Field. His earned run average now stands at 2.36, tops among 2009 UMD pitching regulars and has rung up 35 batters in 26.2 innings of work in 2009.
NCAA Central Region Baseball Rankings
April 15, 2009 | NCAA Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division II Baseball Committee has released the NCAA Division II baseball poll. The top teams in each region, with records through April 12, are listed below.
| Central Region | Overall Rec |
In-Region Rec |
Last Week |
|
| 1 | Mesa State | 34-5 |
34-5 |
|
| 2 | Wayne State | 24-8 |
18-4 |
|
| 3 | NM Highlands | 28-12 |
22-1 |
|
| 4 | CSU-Pueblo | 30-13 |
27-12 |
|
| 5 | Minnesota State | 22-10 |
18-4 |
|
| 6 | Winona State | 19-10 |
14-4 |
|
| 7 | SMSU | 15-4 |
9-3 |
|
| 8 | St. Cloud State | 29-9 |
13-5 |
Dropped Out: N/A
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 10
April 13, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#29 Jake Schmidt
P, 6-3, 205, R/R, Sr.,
Oakdale, Minn.
Tartan HS
Concordia-St. Paul
Schmdit parked five home runs in six games last week to help the Golden Bears to a 4-2 record in six Northern Sun games. For the week, he hit .400 with a .520 OBP and a 1.150 slugging pct. He drove in 11 runs and scored six. Playing centerfield in five games, he was error free with 14 putouts and an assist. Schmidt parked three of his five home runs in a second game 14-3 win over Northern State on Wednesday. He finished with seven RBI in the game. He also homered in the first game of the day for a four home run day and delivered his fifth home run in the sixth inning of the third game of the weekend against SCSU to cut the Husky lead to 6-4 in the late innings.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#27 Gavin Mason
RHP, 5-10, 195, So.
Naperville, Ill.
Naperville North HS
Upper Iowa
Mason threw a three-hit, complete game shutout in the first collegiate start of his career. Mason was awesome on the mound forcing Winona State into ten ground ball outs, two of which he made the play on in back-to-back at bats. Mason allowed only three hits in his seven innings of work. The right hander picked up the win to improve his record to 2-1 and lower his ERA to 3.20.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 9
April 6, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#19 Ben Kincaid
DH/OF, 5-10, 195, Fr.,
Eau Claire, Wis.
Eau Claire Memorial HS
Minnesota State
Ben Kincaid went 4-7 in the two games with Southwest Minnesota State this past weekend. He had a multi-hit game in both games and was the only Maverick to do so in either contest. In the 6-1 win, Kincaid had two runs and two RBI. His two-run homerun gave the Mavericks a 4-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#31 Greg Sieck
P, 6-2, 190, Sr.,
Grinnell, Iowa
Kirkwood CC
Upper Iowa
Greg Sieck threw a no-hitter in the final game of the UIU-UMC series to move Upper Iowa back to .500 in the NSIC. Sieck had struggled early in the 2009 season, but on Saturday in Fayette, he was in total command from the first batter to the last. Sieck allowed two base runners in the game; one on a walk and one on an error by the Peacock defense. The UIU starter threw all seven innings striking out seven Golden Eagles. Sieck erased the walk he issued with a slick pickoff move that left the baserunner stunned. With the no-hit victory, Sieck improved to 2-1 on the season and lowered his ERA below six.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 8
March 30, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#20 Joe Wendte
5-11, Jr.,
South Sioux City, Neb.
Heelan HS
Wayne State
Joe Wendte hit .476 for the week going 10 for 21 with 10 runs scored. He had four doubles, one homer and nine RBI with 17 total bases and a .810 slugging percentage for the week. He had three multiple hit games during the week while hitting safely in all six games. He was 2 for 4 with a grand slam homer in Wednesday's 10-8 win at Washburn and was 2 for 3 with three RBI and three runs scored that included a key two-run double to highlight Wayne State’s six-run seventh inning in Sunday's 12-6 win over Minnesota Duluth to complete a four-game sweep over the Bulldogs. This marks the second time this season Wendte has been named NSIC Player of the Week.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#27 David Deminsky
LHP, 6-3, 185, Jr., L/L
Sartell, Minn.
Sartell HS
St. Cloud State
David Deminsky took a perfect game into the sixth inning in 9-0 win against Wisconsin-Superior on Sunday, moving his record to a perfect 5-0 this season. Deminsky struck out six and gave up only one hit to the 15 batters he faced over five innings of work. He was ranked second in Division II in strikeouts per nine innings with a 13.49 mark heading into Sunday's doubleheader with the Yellowjackets.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 7
March 23, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#17 Danny Miller
LHP/OF, 6-1, 180, So.,
Eden Prairie, Minn.
Eden Prairie HS
Minnesota State
Danny Miller broke MSU’s consecutive hits record with 11 consecutive hits in the first three conference games against Northern State Friday and Saturday. Miller went 3-3, 4-4 and 4-4, breaking Jason Pfingsten’s 10 consecutive hits during the 1996 season. Miller batted .786 with a 1.143 slugging percentage, and added 11 hits, two doubles and a homerun in the four-game sweep at NSU. He also had seven RBI and one walk. In the field, Miller had eight putouts and zero errors for a 1.000 fielding percentage.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#20 Patrick Lenton
RHP, 6-1, 215, Jr.,
Maple Grove, Minn.
Maple Grove HS
Minnesota State
Patrick Lenton pitched a one-hit complete game shutout in the 9-0 win against Northern State last Friday. The win put Lenton at 4-1 on the season, leading the Mavericks to their first conference win and first shutout of the season. Lenton had a 0.00 ERA, struck out eight and walked one of the 24 batters he faced.
Augie Takes Two From CU
March 21, 2009 | Box Scores
Minnetonka, Minn. - Behind a pair of strong pitching performances, the Augustana baseball team was able to beat No. 18 Concordia, St. Paul 2-1 in both doubleheader games Sunday in Minnetonka, Minn. Augie took three out of four games in the weekend series.
The Vikings improve to 11-6 on the season and 3-1 in the Northern Intercollegiate Conference, while the Golden Bears drop to 16-6 overall and 1-3 in the NSIC. (Read More)
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 6
March 16, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#4 Derek West
OF, 5-11, 205, Sr., R/R
Chamberlain, S.D.
Chamberlain HS
Southwest Minnesota State
Derek West helped SMSU to a 4-0 weekend in Ft. Myers, Fla., batting .600 in four game with 9 hits in 15 at bats. West belted three home runs, two triples and one double in the four games while finishing with seven RBI and 23 total bases for a 1.533 slugging percentage and scored nine runs.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#13 Tony Mueller
P, Fr.,
La Crosse, Wis.
Logan HS
Winona State
Tony Mueller went 8 innings of a 9-inning, 4-0 win over Lewis (IL) last week. He he didn’t allow a run, walked only two and scattered three hits, while striking out nine of the 29 batters he faced. He held his opponents batting average to.111 as he improved to 4-0 on the year. Mueller was the NSIC Player of the Week last week.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 5
March 10, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#13 Tony Mueller
OF/P, Fr.,
La Crosse, Wis.
Logan HS
Winona State
Tony Mueller burned up the pitching he face in the six games Winona State played in Florida. Mueller finished with a .630 batting average on 17 hits in 27 at bats. He also scored ten runs, hit for the cycle during the week with a double, triple and home run to go with his 14 singles. That gave him an .852 slugging percentage and an on base percentage of .667. He also was three-for-three in the stolen base department.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#20 Kyle Schroeder
LHP, So.,
Dickinson, N.D.
Dickinson HS
University of Mary
Kyle Schroeder allowed no earned runs over six innings in his first start of the season, an 8-4 win over MSU-Billings in Mesa, Ariz.. The sophomore lefty struck out six and allowed just three hits and two walks in the outing. Schroeder has a 0.00 ERA and is holding his opponent batting average to .154 on the season.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 4
March 3, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#17 Bryan Lippincott
IF, 6-3, 190, Fr., L/R
Des Moines, Iowa
Johnston HS
Concordia-St. Paul
Bryan Lippincott was the catalyst in propelling Concordia to a pair of wins over St. John’s last week. He picked the most dramatic spot to hit his first career home run, a walk-off solo blast over the Metrodome’s “Baggie” in right centerfield in the bottom of the seventh to give Concordia a first game 8-7 win. In the second game, Lippincott delivered his second career home run to right center, a shot that broke a 7-7 tie and would prove to be the game-winning run in the fourth inning as Concordia cruised to a 17-7 win over the Johnnies. In the two game week for Lippincott, he hit .333 (3-9) with three extra base hits as he would also sock a double, drove in three runs and slugged 1.111. The rangy shortstop also was perfect in the field in six opportunities.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#13 Ben Lemke
P/IF, 6-1, 180, Fr., R/R,
Rosemount, Minn.
Rosemount HS
Concordia-St. Paul
Ben Lemke threw 4.1 innings of no-hit relief work to earn his first collegiate victory in only his third career appearance. Lemke, who was Concordia’s third string quarterback in the fall, struck out four and walked just one batter as he blanked a St. John’s team that had scored 14 runs in a span of six innings against Concordia before he took the hill in the bottom of the third inning in a 7-7 tie game. Lemke is now 1-0 on the season with a save and a 1.12 ERA in eight innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. He is holding opposing batters to a .138 average in three appearances on the season.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 3
February 24, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#20 Joe Wendte
5-11, Jr.,
South Sioux City, Neb.
Heelan HS
Wayne State
Joe Wendte hit .400 in four games at Pittsburg State, going 6 for 15 with one homer, three doubles, five RBI’s and seven runs scored. Wendte was 5 for 8 with five RBI’s and six runs scored in Monday’s 11-2 and 10-8 sweep at Pittsburg State. He went 3 for 4 with a solo homer, RBI double and two run single in the ‘Cats 11-2 win over Pittsburg State.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#33 Chris Odegaard
RHP, 6-3, 190, Jr.,
Glencoe, Minn.
Glencoe - Silver Lake HS
Minnesota State
Chris Odegaard went the first five innings in 6-1 season-opening win at Southwest Baptist, Feb. 20th. He gave up one hit and one earned run vs. the Bearcats. He did not allow a walk and fanned seven of 21 batters in getting the decision.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 2
February 17, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#10 Tyler Erickson
SS, 5-9, 160, So.,
Alexandria, Minn.
Jefferson HS
Minnesota Duluth
Tyler Erickson went 6-for-7 (.857 batting average) at the plate for UMD in its two non-conference matchups with NSIC foe Concordia-St. Paul, last Tuesday morning at the H.H.H. Metrodome in Minneapolis. The second-year starter scored four runs, drove in two more and ended the doubleheader with three triples, including a pair in the the Bulldogs’ 9-1 victory in game two, CU’s first loss of the season. Erickson sported an .857 on-base percentage, an eye-popping 1.714 slugging percentage and was also successful in swiping a bag in the two games.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#31 Tim Scott
LHP, 6-3, 200, Jr. ,
Ely, Minn.
Ely HS
University of Nebraska
St. Cloud State
Tim Scott picked the Huskies up in game three of their series with Missouri Southern, as the junior transfer from Nebraska posted five no-hit innings en route to his second victory of the year. Scott pitched six innings against the Lions, allowing just one hit and striking out two. Scott has given up just two earned runs in 12 innings, and is one of two Huskies on staff with a 2-0 mark thus far.
NSIC Baseball Weekly Release No. 1
February 10, 2009 | Full Release
NSIC Player of the Week
#4 P.J. McIntee
2B, 5-9, 185, R/R, Sr.,
Randolph, Minn.
Randolph HS
Bemidji State
Patrick (P.J.) McIntee led Bemidji State last week in four games as he went 5-of-9 (.556) from the plate with two doubles and a team-high seven RBI with three runs scored leading the Beavers to a 3-1 start for the first time since the 2002 season. In Bemidji State’s two game series with Northern State, McIntee batted 4-for-5 (.800) from the plate with five RBI two doubles and one run scored with three stolen bases. The next day against Minnesota, Crookston the senior second baseman went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. He also drew two walks in the four games and was 3-for-3 in stolen bases. In the field he added eight putouts and ten assists.
NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#29 Jake Schmidt
P, 6-3, 205, R/R, Sr.,
Oakdale, Minn.
Tartan HS
Concordia-St. Paul
NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Jake Schmidt opened 2009 in midseason form for the unbeaten (4-0) Golden Bears, winning his first start by hurling a two-hit shutout over seven innings while tying a career-high 13 strikeouts with just one walk surrendered in a 4-0 win over Northern State at the Metrodome last Wednesday. Needing just 89 pitches to finish off the gem, Schmidt held the Wolves to a .089 batting average for the night. He struck out the first six of the game before ending the game by striking out the side in the seventh. Six of his seven innings pitched retired the Wolves 1-2-3. At the plate, Schmidt belted a three-run home run in CU’s fourth win of the week, a shot over the left center field fence estimated at over 375 feet. He hit .417, scoring five runs with four RBI, a double and a homer while stealing two bases in as many chances. He slugged .750 and had a .500 on base pct. and made a game-ending diving catch in center field in CU’s third win of the week against U-Mary. He hit safely in all four games to start the year.
Wayne State Gets Nod in Pre-Season Baseball Coaches' Poll
January 28, 2009 | Full Release
St. Paul, Minn. - Wayne State was selected by the NSIC Baseball Coaches as the 2009 preseason favorite. The Wildcats amassed 149 points after receiving six first place votes (coaches can’t vote for their own team). The Wildcats, the NSIC Regular Season Champions in 2007 & 2008, have now been picked to win the league the last six years in a row.
New league member Minnesota State was picked second in the poll with 142 points (four first place votes) while last year’s NSIC Tournament Champions of Concordia-St. Paul, who boasts both NSIC Preseason Players of the Year, came in third with 135 points (three first place votes).
Coaches rank each team from 13 to 1 with the top team receiving 13 points, second 12, third 11 etc.
The NSIC Baseball season gets underway on Sunday, February 1 with St. Cloud State and Augustana College in non-conference action.
1 |
Wayne State (6) | 149 |
2 |
Minnesota State (4) | 142 |
3 |
Concordia-St. Paul (3) | 135 |
4 |
Winona State | 113 |
5 |
Upper Iowa | 105 |
6 |
St. Cloud State | 102 |
7 |
SMSU | 101 |
8 |
Minnesota Duluth | 75 |
9 |
Bemidji State | 70 |
10 |
U-Mary | 59 |
11 |
Augustana | 58 |
12 |
Northern State | 37 |
13 |
Minnesota, Crookston | 24 |
| First place votes in ( ) | ||
NSIC Preseason Players of the Year
#3 Brenden Furrow
OF/DH, 6-0, 210, R/R, Sr.,
Johnston, Iowa
Johnston HS
Iowa Western CC
Concordia-St. Paul
Furrow was a Rawlings/ABCA All-Central Region First Team member, a Daktronics All-Central Region Second Team member, All-NSIC First Team Outfielder and was named NSIC Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2008. He set single season school hits record with 65 after he opened the season with 21 game hitting streak (two games carried over from end of 2007). He finished second in the NSIC and 29th in Division II in average, hitting .433 overall while he was the 26th ranked slugger in the nation with a .753 pct. Furrow finished second in the NSIC batting title race (NSIC games only) by hitting .435 in 26 league games and also ranked in the top 100 of Division II in RBI (1.12 per game, 70th), home runs (11 total, 83rd), doubles (0.35 per game, 86th) and runs (1.12 per game, 94th). He had 17 multi-hit performances and hit safely in 35 of 43 games. In his best game of last year he went 4-5 with career-high seven RBI with three runs, two doubles and a home run at Bemidji State (3/30/08).
NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year
#29 Jake Schmidt
P, 6-3, 205, R/R, Sr.,
Oakdale, Minn.
Tartan HS
Concordia-St. Paul
Schmidt is coming off a season where he earned Rawlings/ABCA and Daktronics All-Central Region Second Team, All-NSIC First Team, NSIC Tournament Most Valuable Pitcher and All-Tournament Team and was selected as NSIC Pitcher of the Week three times. He set a school record for single-season strikeouts with 100 and finished third in the nation in strikeouts/nine innings with 12.28 and ranked 16th in the nation in total strikeouts. Schmidt was not saved for big games as he pitched the second most innings in school history in a single season with 73.1 and his seven wins on the season tied for the fourth most in a season in school history. He led the NSIC in strikeouts, strikeouts looking (44) and ranked second in the NSIC in ERA, opposing batting avg. (.222), innings pitched and fewest runs allowed (27). One of his top games was a career-high 13 Ks in a complete game win over U-Mary (4/5/08), allowing only three hits and a walk and one run.
