Saints Predicted to Claim 20th Straight UMAC Baseball Title in 2016
ST. PAUL, Minn. --- Over nearly two decades, the College of St. Scholastica baseball program has risen to the top of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) claiming each of the last 19 regular season conference titles and 18-straight tournament championships.
With a core of returning players under reigning Coach of the Year Corey Kemp for the 2016 season, the Saints were a unanimous selection to claim their 20th-consecutive UMAC championship with 64 points in the 2016 UMAC Baseball Coaches’ Poll announced Tuesday.
Kemp returns 10 starters from the 2015 squad that finished the season 20-1 against UMAC opponents and 32-13 overall including 2016 UMAC Player of the Year honoree Trevor Bernsdorf and Pitcher of the Year selection Daniel Wood.
After being named the 2014 Rookie of the Year, Bernsdorf became the 13th player in program history to earn the top baseball honor after leading the UMAC in seven hitting categories against UMAC opponents during his sophomore campaign in 2015. Bernsdorf also earned all-region honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).
Wood became the 14th Saints hurler to earn the league’s top award for pitching after going 9-0 against UMAC teams during his junior season. He boasted a league-best 1.56 earned run average (ERA) and walked just seven batters in 69.1 innings pitched.
The Saints also welcome back Rookie of the Year Steven Neutzling – who ranked in the top five in the UMAC in multiple categories – as well as four additional All-UMAC picks.
In 2015, the Saints earned their sixth-straight berth to the NCAA regional tournament under Kemp. During Kemp’s six-year tenure, the Saints have posted at least 30 wins in five seasons and have lost just four games in the UMAC schedule.
After finishing second a year ago, the University of Northwestern-St. Paul was a close second for the coaches claiming 57 points in Tuesday’s poll. In 2015, the Eagles finished 13-8 in the regular season under long-time coach Dave Heib. The Eagles lost five starters from last season’s roster, but return eight including All-UMAC selection Tyler Osborn who finished the season batting .368.
Bethany Lutheran College pulled in 45 points to place third in the poll after placing fourth a year ago before facing St. Scholastica in game seven of the UMAC tournament. The Vikings lost all three All-UMAC selections from last season to graduation, but will look to sophomore honorable mention hitter Nick Caldeen to lead a talented group of first-year players.
New-to-the-league University of Wisconsin-Superior was just three points behind the Vikings picked fourth. Though the Yellow Jackets will miss six starters and 11 seniors from a year ago, the young squad will lean on Richard Vanden Branden and Jake Lewis to navigate a new conference schedule.
Northland College was picked fifth by the UMAC coaches with 39 points despite a third-place finish in the standings last season. The LumberJacks lost three All-UMAC players to graduation, but should find success behind honorable mention pitcher Mitch Howard.
The University of Minnesota-Morris claimed the sixth spot with 32 points after losing five starters from last year’s lineup. The Cougars return honorable mention pitcher Mitch Dockendorf to lead a core group of returning pitchers.
Crown College was picked seventh with 19 points, while Martin Luther College came in just one point behind in eighth. North Central University rounded out the poll in ninth with eight points.
UMAC teams begin action March 4 before opening up the conference portion of the schedule on April 9. The UMAC baseball tournament will be held May 12-14 at the high-seed host location.
2016 UMAC Men's Baseball Coaches' Poll
1. 64 Points – College of St. Scholastica (8 First Place Votes)
2. 57 Points – University of Northwestern (1)
3. 45 Points – Bethany Lutheran College
4. 42 Points – University of Wisconsin-Superior
5. 39 Points – Northland College
6. 32 Points – University of Minnesota Morris
7. 19 Points – Crown College
8. 18 Points – Martin Luther College
9. 8 Points – North Central University
Team Previews
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1. College of St. Scholastica
2015 Overall Record: 32-13
2015 UMAC Record: 20-1
2015 UMAC Finish: 1st
Starters Returning: 10
Starters Lost: 2
The St. Scholastica baseball team brings back a wealth of talent and experience this season.
Reigning UMAC Coach of the Year Corey Kemp, returns the UMAC Player of the Year Trevor Bernsdorf, UMAC Pitcher of the Year Daniel Wood and UMAC Rookie of the Year Steven Neutzling. Bernsdorf and Wood were also ABCA All-Region performers, as was returning outfielder Austin Colvard. Neutzling had a stint in the Northwoods League after only one season of collegiate baseball.
Other First Team All-UMAC performers returning are infielder/DH Tyler Duex, third baseman Brian Minks and catcher Jake Kuschke. Also back are honorable mention performers in second baseman Al Marolt and pitcher/outfielder Jordan Risse.
The biggest loss for the Saints was outfielder/pitcher Padraic Getchell. Getchell, a First Team All-UMAC performer, had the second-lowest earned-run-average on the team last season and finished the year reaching base in 21 consecutive games.
The depth of the pitching staff will be the biggest unknown for the Saints heading into this season. Wood, Risse and Gino Strebing are back of those that started at least five games last season. Sam Sorenson, who missed all of last season due to injury, is also back. Sophomore Jake Turner will look to take over the closer role from the departed Zack Farmer.
2. University of Northwestern
2015 Overall Record: 21-21
2015 UMAC Record: 13-8
2015 UMAC Finish: 2nd
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 5
The University of Northwestern baseball team returns a strong group to the diamond this spring, as the Eagles will look to build on last year’s UMAC success. UNW finished the 2015 campaign with a 13-8 conference mark.
Head Coach Dave Hieb, now in his 21
st season as the skipper, brings back a number of players from a season ago. Braxton Lindow, Tyler Osborn, Ryan Sutterer, John Hietpas, Benjamin Jenney and Aaron Rau highlight Hieb’s returners. Osborn, who hit at a blistering .368 clip in 2015, was a First Team National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) selection, in addition to being named First Team All-UMAC. The group of seasoned veterans will be joined by a number of newcomers who will look to make an immediate impact. Fans can look for newcomers Aaron Krahn, Bradley Spencer and Matthew White to make contributions right out of the gates.
The Eagles will get their first taste of game action March 4 during their annual spring break trip to Florida.
3. Bethany Lutheran College
2015 Overall Record: 19-21
2015 UMAC Record: 11-10
2015 UMAC Finish: 4th
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 4
The Bethany Vikings baseball team enters the 2016 baseball season with holes to fill, and plenty of questions to answer.
After losing key starters Lucas Herd, Adam Geiger, Tyler Hebrink, Joe Tuholsky, and Ronnie Donley, the Vikings will look to a combination of youth and experience to fill that void. Returning for the Vikings will be Nick Caldeen, who garnered UMAC honorable mention honors a season ago. The sophomore hit .338 with two homeruns as a freshman. Also returning this season will be junior first baseman, Drew Quame who led the team in home runs last season with three. On the mound, the Vikings return sophomore pitcher Cody Leitner who finished last season with a 2-5 record and a 4.83 era. Joining Leitner will be junior Brandyn Olsen who went 3-4 a season ago. Olsen will also be looked upon to hit in the middle of the Viking order as he hit a respectable .338 last season in 77 at-bats.
Head Coach Ryan Kragh will also look to a few newcomers this season to help get Bethany back to the UMAC postseason tournament. One of those players is Alek Zentzis who transferred to Bethany from Rochester Technical and Community College. Zentzis will be relied upon heavily as he projects to be a top of the rotation starter, as well as, hit in the middle of the order for the Vikings. Joining Zentzis as a key newcomer will be freshman left-handed pitcher, Anthony Radloff and freshman shortstop, Neil Eichten.
4. University of Wisconsin-Superior
2015 Overall Record: 6-33-1
2015 UMAC Record: 2-22
2015 UMAC Finish: N/A
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 6
The spring of 2016 will be a spring of transition for the UW-Superior baseball team. A year after a disappointing 6-33-1 campaign that saw the Yellowjackets miss the WIAC post-season, they enter their first-season of play in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference excited about the challenges that lie ahead with a new set of foes. And it will be a youthful team taking the field, as the Yellowjackets graduated 11 players from the 2015 squad that played a lot of innings over the past four years.
Among the key returners are starting pitchers Richard Vanden Branden and Jake Lewis. Vanden Branden, despite a 1-6 record was a top pitcher for the Yellowjackets a year ago, making eight starts and posting four complete games. Positionally, Seth Wage, a converted pitcher, returns to his spot in the outfield. He comes back with one of the top batting averages among returners. Also returning to the lineup is Chad Patko, who batted .235 a year ago but had his season cut short by an injury after just 13 games.
Newcomers that are expected to make an immediate impact include outfielder Drew Thomas, left-handed pitcher Boone Elkins, and infielder Stephen Albertson. The trio will lead a freshman class that carries high expectations not only for 2016, but for the future of Yellowjacket baseball.
Guiding the Yellowjackets in his third season as head coach will be Nick Bursik.
5. Northland College
2015 Overall Record: 18-25
2015 UMAC Record: 13-8
2015 UMAC Finish: 3rd
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 5
Head Coach Nick Weinmeister enters his first season at the helm of the LumberJacks. Weinmeister is no stranger to the LumberJack Baseball Program after being an assistant coach on staff for the past two seasons. The LumberJacks look to continue their success from those past two seasons, finishing the regular season in second place in both. The Jack’s placed seven on the UMAC all-conference lists last season and hope to build off of their 13-8 conference record.
The Jacks graduated 5 seniors last season and will have to fill in the gaps left by their departure. The 2016 roster will feature 19 returning players and 11 new arrivals. The Jacks will look for production from senior Mitch Howard who has been a consistent player throughout his career and will be a leader in the outfield. They also expect significant contributions from their returning leadoff batter and outfielder, sophomore Jakob Freele, sophomore third baseman Alex Elliot who showcased his power at the plate throughout last season, sophomore catcher Alex Loberger who displayed athleticism and leadership behind the plate. The Jacks return two pitchers in sophomore Dylan Porter and Senior Jacob Smith who logged innings in some big games for the LumberJacks.
This season will also bring new talent to the roster with the additions of freshmen, pitcher Carson Ferry, infielder Jake Morris, and outfielder Sam Lehman. All three had tremendous fall seasons and will compete for significant time on the field. The Jacks are hoping for big things from this year’s freshmen class.
6. University of Minnesota Morris
2015 Overall Record: 16-23
2015 UMAC Record: 10-11
2015 UMAC Finish: 5th
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 5
Minnesota Morris will have to fill some big shoes in 2016 but a core group of players are back for coach Grant Harding. UMAC Honorable mention pitcher Michael Dockendorf is back after picking up five wins in 2015.
Also back are three other starting pitchers from last season. The Cougars will welcome back regular starters in the field as well. Jackson Gessel and Chandler Erickson lead a group of six starting field players who return from last season.
Coach Harding is also excited about the addition of a recruiting class that features a few players who will be called upon to make an immediate impact in 2016.
7. Crown College
2015 Overall Record: 14-24
2015 UMAC Record: 7-14
2015 UMAC Finish: 7th
Starters Returning: 8
Starters Lost: 1
Crown College baseball program took a much needed step forward last year. The team improved both offensively and defensively. Crown returns eight starters from a year ago, which will help the team to build in the right direction in 2016. The top returners from last year are Daryl Taylor, David Cruz, and Harry Ballantyne. Crown will rely heavily upon them this upcoming season. Crown does have a few nice additions to the pitching staff in Tanner Pruett (Newman, CA) and Gideon Dunn (Tampa, FL).
On a whole, the team remains intact from last year. Crown has also added depth at every position. Crown College is hoping to take another positive step forward in 2016.
8. Martin Luther College
2015 Overall Record: 10-27
2015 UMAC Record: 9-12
2015 UMAC Finish: 6th
Starters Returning: 6
Starters Lost: 4
Martin Luther College will feature a young roster this season as it chases a trip back to the UMAC Postseason Tournament following a 9-12 record in conference play last season.
Junior catcher Jason Lindemann returns to lead the line-up following a First Team All-UMAC season in 2015 in which he hit .325 with 12 doubles and 25 runs batted in. Shortstop James Hemmelman returns at shortstop after an all-conference season last year, as will senior Travis Kretsch and junior Tom Keller, who give the Knights experience at second and third base. Newcomers Dillon Solomon, Jared Lindemann, Nate Goelzer and John Marquardt also figure to see time at different spots around the infield.
Erich Osterman is back for his sophomore season, and figures to play most of the games in center field while hitting at the top of the order. Sophomore Karl Kuschel brings a left handed bat that came on down the stretch of his first season in left field, while junior Jonathan Kock will see time in right field after hitting .275 last season while splitting his time between the outfield and the mound. Jacob Schultz looks to push those three returning players, as well as provide good depth at the different positions in the outfield.
Kock returns as the team’s top pitcher after recording a 4-3 record last season with a 3.38 ERA in 56.0 innings. Kock was second on the team last season in all three categories, and led the team with six complete games. Kretsch and Hemmelman also return on the mound with experience, while newcomers Solomon, Marquardt and Goelzer also figure into the mix, either in the rotation or in relief.
9. North Central University
2015 Overall Record: 6-27
2015 UMAC Record: 1-20
2015 UMAC Finish: 8th
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 5
Rams Baseball will be a combination of old and new in 2016. North Central returns quality starters and adds new depth as they look to improve on their six-win campaign of a year ago. The Rams will be led by 2015 UMAC honorable mention player, senior Taylor Madrinich who was a true utility player a year ago including playing both infield, outfield and ranking second in innings on the mound for NCU. Madrinich figures to contribute most as a pitcher and catcher in 2016. Senior Cody Van Sickle should provide more quality innings on the mound as his work load has increased each year at NCU. Van Sickle will also be one of the Rams top offensive weapons at the plate while he plays outfield and pitches.
Freshman Cory Kukkola will come in and start at shortstop this season allowing players like Madrinich and Van Sickle more opportunities to play their natural positions as North Central gains depth and experience. The Rams will open their season with a spring break trip to Fort Myers (Fla.) on February 29-March 3 and embark on a new year looking to improve on last season’s eighth place UMAC finish.
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