Saints Predicted to Claim 19th Straight UMAC Baseball Title in 2015
2015 UMAC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. 49 Points – College of St. Scholastica (7 First Place Votes)
2. 40 Points – University of Northwestern
3. 36 Points – Bethany Lutheran College (1)
4. 35 Points – Northland College
T-5. 22 Points – Martin Luther College
T-5. 22 Points – University of Minnesota Morris
7. 12 Points – Crown College
8. 8 Points – North Central University
1. College of St. Scholastica Saints
2014-15 Overall Record: 30-12
2014-15 UMAC Record: 19-1
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 1st
Starters Returning: 11
Starters Lost: 4
For the second straight year in 2014, the St. Scholastica baseball team did not play a single regular season game at Wade Stadium. However, that did not deter the Saints as they won their 18th consecutive UMAC regular season championship and 17th straight UMAC Tournament title. The Saints out-scored conference opponents 231-31 during the regular season.
Entering the 2015 season, for the first time since 1999, the St. Scholastica baseball team will open its season down in Florida on its annual spring pilgrimage to Fort Pierce in March. The Saints are receiving votes in the D3baseball.com Preseason Top 25 poll and return nine starters from last year’s 10th straight NCAA Tournament squad.
Leading the returnees is second team all-region shortstop Tyler Duex, who may move to second this season. Also back is 2014 D3baseball.com Midwest Region Rookie of the Year Trevor Bernsdorf. Mickie Keuning, Jordan Risse and Pad Getchell are also back in the pitching rotation.
Look for Saints baseball to have more home games this season with the newly-installed turf at Wade Stadium. The Saints are scheduled to have their home opener on March 25 against UW-Superior. It would be the earliest known home game in program history.
2. University of Northwestern Eagles
2014-15 Overall Record: 20-19
2014-15 UMAC Record: 14-7
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 3rd
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 5
Excitement has been building for the last 12 months, and what University of Northwestern head coach Dave Hieb and his roster have been anticipating is about to come to fruition: the Eagles’ first season on their brand new, all-turf field. The new Reynolds Field will offer true hops, an illuminated sky when the horizon is dark, and the ability to play baseball when most other area facilities are still awaiting Mother Nature to melt the remaining snow.
Hieb has much of his 2014 roster that went 14-7 in UMAC play intact for the coming season, but will be without the league’s player and co-pitcher of the year in Andy Peterson, who graduated following his senior year of eligibility. Peterson finished his career with a .385 batting average and a 1.55 ERA, leaving a hole in both the Eagles’ lineup and pitching rotation. However, UNW returns outfielder and All-UMAC First Team selection, sophomore Tyler Osborn, who compiled a .358 average at the plate while posting top 10 marks in the conference in runs, doubles, triples, home runs, and total bases. Also back is sophomore Ryan Sutterer, who led the UMAC with five home runs and hit .305 with a .511 slugging percentage a year ago.
Of the 39 games played last season, 18 of the pitchers who started those contests have graduated, leaving Northwestern with some room on the mound. Connor Olson returns as the most experienced pitcher in an Eagles uniform. Olson started eight games in 2014, going 2-3 overall with a 5.65 ERA in 51 innings pitched. Troy Nelson also returns after 48 innings of work last year, which included eight starts. Nelson’s 33 strikeouts from last season leads all UNW returners.
3. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings
2014-15 Overall Record: 14-22
2014-15 UMAC Record: 12-9
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 4th
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 8
Four All-UMAC players return to a Bethany squad looking to return to the UMAC Postseason Tournament for its tenth straight season.
The Vikings led the conference in batting a season ago with a .320 team batting average and that figures to be the strength again of this team in 2015 with three 2-time All-UMAC First Team selections leading the way. Lucas Herd was second in the UMAC a season ago with a .411 average and .473 on-base percentage. He will be joined in the outfield by Adam Geiger. He has been a consistent bat in the Bethany lineup for three seasons. The right side of the infield brings strong hitting and fielding play from Joe Tuholsky and Tyler Hebrink who both batted over .300.
Bethany goes into this season with question marks on the mound as they try to replace 2-time All-UMAC hurler Cory Ferm. A pair of Division II transfers will be vying for rotation spots in Ronald Donley (Minnesota State, Mankato) and Brandyn Olsen (Southwest Minnesota State). The Vikings will look to fill voids on the left side of the infield and behind the plate as past All-UMAC performers Mitch Sellers, Dylan Gass, and Deric Poldberg have moved on.
4. Northland College LumberJacks
2014-15 Overall Record: 22-17
2014-15 UMAC Record: 15-6
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 2nd
Starters Returning: 6
Starters Lost: 3
Head Coach Ernie May enters his second season at the helm of the LumberJack baseball team after earning the title of Coach of the Year for the 2014 UMAC Baseball season. The LumberJacks are hopeful to continue their success from the 2014 campaign where the overall record was 22-17, 15-6 in conference play. Finishing the regular season in second place, Coach May’s squad reached the conference tournament and accomplished the highest finish since joining the UMAC. The 2014 season also tied the school record for overall wins in a season.
The 2015 roster will be composed of nine returning players as well as 30 newcomers. The Jacks will rely on leadership from experienced players, most notably senior Dan Kollauf who excels as an outfielder as well as his performance on the mound, senior Matt Lennon who will anchor the infield as shortstop, and junior Mitch Howard whose batting percentages continue to be impressive. The Jacks will add exciting new faces to the starting lineup, including junior transfer Luis Victoria (Santa Domingo, DR.) who brings high-level playing experience to the group of Jacks catchers as well as Xavier Baez (Lehigh Acres, Fla.) and Anthony Corrado (Joliet, Ill.) who both had an outstanding fall season and emerged as leaders in the outfield.
The Jacks’ season will also showcase seniors Kyle Strom, Logan Schuman and junior Jake Smith who will share time on the mound. Freshman Alex Elliot (Middleton, Wis.) has earned recognition after the fall season and will contend for a starting position at first base.
T-5. Martin Luther College Knights
2014-15 Overall Record: 12-17
2014-15 UMAC Record: 9-12
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 6th
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 7
The Martin Luther College baseball team is looking to improve on its 12-17 season in 2014 in the hopes of returning to the top half of the standings and the UMAC Postseason Tournament, which it reached back in 2013.
The Knights must replace eight key players from last season, including several all-conference performers, but do return a talented group of pitchers. Andrew Nemmers missed part of last season due to injury, but posted a 0.60 ERA in his 15 innings of work and figures to lead the rotation this year. Matt Olson and Jonathan Kock were two of the Knights’ top three starters a season ago and give coach Randy Cox three experienced starters heading into the season. Veterans James Hemmelman, Travis Kretsch and Wyatt Weimer give the team depth on the mound, while newcomer Ethan Roeseler also figures into the mix.
In the field, the Knights must replace its four most experienced outfielders, but most of the infield remains intact. Olson and Hemmelman return to anchor the left side, while Nemmers likely moves to first base after hitting .323 with six extra base hits and a team-best .446 slugging percentage in 2014. Kretsch and Thomas Keller are likely to receive most of the playing time at second base, while Roeseler provides depth to both positions on the left side of the infield. Jason Lindemann started eight games behind the plate as a freshman in 2014, and will enter 2015 as the likely starter.
First-year player Erich Osterman is likely to start the season in center, while fellow freshman Karl Kuschel figures to see time at one of the corners. Kock also could see action at the corners or first base, while several other newcomers will have the chance to earn a spot when the team goes on its annual trip to Fort Pierce, Fla., to open the season.
T-5. University of Minnesota Morris Cougars
2014-15 Overall Record: 15-19
2014-15 UMAC Record: 10-11
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 5th
Starters Returning: 11
Starters Lost: 4
Minnesota Morris is coming off their best season since 1998 and is looking to improve further as they bring back a majority of their team from last year’s squad that finished fifth in the UMAC with a 10-11 record. Eight starting position players return as does three of their four starting pitchers. Also back is the UMM closer, Devin Waldvogel, who had five saves last year for the Cougars.
All-UMAC performers Eric Terres and Cody Reinke will lead an offense that is hoping to lead the Cougars into the UMAC Tournament this season. The top five hitters in terms of batting average are also back on the roster this season providing a solid core for the Cougars.
The pitching staff also returns a majority of their staff including starters Joey Hyde, Brodie Raymond, and Mitch Reller. Newcomer Weston Brinkman looks to add additional depth to the staff in 2015.
7. Crown College Storm
2014-15 Overall Record: 6-27
2014-15 UMAC Record: 3-17
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 7th
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 4
The Storm baseball program is still in a building mode, and it could be a couple of years away from making an impact in the UMAC. The team will rely heavily on very young players this year. Even though the team is young, there is some real talent in the incoming recruiting class.
Coach Gmetro is taking a wait and see approach with this young team. He notes that they are making great strides getting ready for the season and is anxious to see how the young guys adjust to the college game. Gmetro has been very impressed with how close knit this year’s team has become in a relatively short amount of time together.
Crown will rely heavily on the leadership of top returning players, Ryan Denison and Harry Ballantyne. Newcomers to the program will add a much needed strength with Brandon Hudson, Dalton Wintersole, David Sherwood, and Trent Krekelberg all looking to have an impact this year.
8. North Central University Rams
2014-15 Overall Record: 1-27
2014-15 UMAC Record: 1-20
2014-15 UMAC Finish: 8th
Starters Returning: 7
Starters Lost: 2
The North Central University baseball team will be led by two returners David Babcock and Cody Van Sickle. Both will be serving as team captains for Rams. David Babcock will spend the majority of his time back at shortstop this season, which will give the infield some needed stability. He will also be one of the top hitters in this season’s lineup. Cody Van Sickle will be most effective in his game while pitching, but also finds himself developing as a great hitter as well. When he is not pitching he will most likely be playing the field at shortstop or centerfield. Van Sickle and Babcock were first and second on the team with .310 and .297 respective batting averages in 2014.
The newcomers that can be difference makers this year are Jordan Fair, Michael Cardinalli and Gregory Cardenas. Jordan Fair (Boyne City, Mich.) will play outfield and pitch for the Rams. In his senior season his team went to the sectional finals and lost to the eventual state champion. Michael Cardinalli (Saginaw, Mich.) will contribute his talents in both infield and outfield, and has already proven to have strong arm from all positions through pre-season practices. Gregory Cardenas (El Paso, Texas) rounds out the newcomers, he is coming off an injury and hopes to contribute at third and first this season. Cardenas had a great high school career in three seasons as varsity player. He had three 1st team all-conference awards and was a member of three conference championship teams and one section championship team.
Following a full slate of nonconference games to start the season, all eight UMAC teams will begin their league schedules on Friday, March 27. After conference play, the top four teams will gather at Wade Stadium in Duluth, Minn. on May 7-9 for the 2015 UMAC Tournament, with the winner earning an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.