ST. PAUL, Minn.---After a shortened spring in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a return to the baseball diamond in 2021 couldn’t have been much more exciting in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) as the University of Northwestern compiled one of the program’s and conference’s best seasons in history finishing just one win shy of the NCAA Division III World Series.
The Eagles are expected for another season of similar success – and potentially more – in 2022 topping the UMAC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll Thursday with 48 points and six first-place votes. Bethany Lutheran College and Crown College are expected to test the Eagles, though, with each team picking up a first-place nod to slate in second (42 points) and third (37 points), respectively.
Northwestern finished with a nearly-perfect 15-1 conference record before cruising through the conference tournament and earning the opportunity to host an NCAA regional. The Eagles’ storybook season ended with a program-best 35-12 record after falling to John’s Hopkins University 3-2 in the regional final.
This season, Northwestern brings back all but one starting pitcher to its talked line up from a year ago. Headlining the talented lineup is the pitching duo of Owen Boerema – the 2021 UMAC Pitcher of the Year – and Bryce Crabb. Boerema recorded a 7-2 record with 92 strikeouts and a 2.08 earned run average (ERA), while Crabb earned nine wins on the mound with a 1.52 ERA and 70 strikeouts. He also added to a balanced hitting line up with 23 runs batted in (RBI). Keegan Vercoe was also an All-UMAC First Team selection with 53 hits and 44 RBI.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethany Lutheran won back-to-back UMAC tournament championships (2018, 2019) and returns five of its top hitters from last season and three starting pitchers which should help the Vikings challenge the Eagles. Three-time All-UMAC and All-Region selection Ross Buemer tops the Vikings’ returners after hitting .342 with 29 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 2021. All-UMAC catcher Hunter Pearce will also anchor the Vikings behind the plate.
Crown has now made back-to-back UMAC tournament appearances and looks to make a third thanks to the return of 2021 UMAC Player of Year Seth Betts and Rookie of the Year Mason Brock. In UMAC games, Betts ranked in the top two for batting average (.485), slugging (.924), runs (28), hits (32), doubles (10) and stolen bases (18). Fellow First Team selections Kyle Schroedle and Eric Newman will also help the Storm push for the program’s first title.
The fourth-and-final postseason berth could belong to the University of Wisconsin-Superior which pulled in 33 points for fourth in the poll, but the University of Minnesota Morris could also be in position for a spot tallying 25 points in fifth. The Yellowjackets haven’t missed the UMAC tournament since joining the UMAC and first-year head coach TJ Oakes is positioned to bring the team back with the return of two-time All-UMAC performers Ryan Rodriguez and Bryce Flanagan. Rodriguez compiled six wins and 73 strikeouts on the mount while Flanagan boasted 25 RBI and a .317 average.
The Cougars will look for continued improvement as they welcome back 7-of-9 position starters and all starting pitching while bringing in 15 new players this spring. Leading the experience veterans is short stop Alex Baumann who was an All-UMAC First Team honoree in 2021 with a .320 average.
The UMAC poll rounds out with three teams looking to make moves in 2022 with Northland College seventh (17 points), North Central University eighth (15 points) and Martin Luther College ninth (7 points). Northland will need senior pitcher Jesse Carmona to lead a young squad with 22 new players added to the roster in the last 18 months. North Central has Honorable Mention players returning in Daniel Montana and Jack Parker to lead the team, while Martin Luther will need Honorable Mention picks Mason Cox and Jonas Lindemann to lead the Knights to success.
UMAC teams start action when the calendar turns to March, while the UMAC conference season is slated to begin Tuesday, March 29. With eight conference teams this season, the UMAC schedule consists of 21 games per institution with each team competing in a three-game series. Travel partner teams will play three single-game, mid-week contests, and all other series will consist of single-game contests on Fridays followed by a Saturday doubleheader.
The UMAC conference tournament is scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, May 12-14 at the site of the No. 1 seed. The winner will earn the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament.
2022 UMAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Pl. | School | Pts. |
| 1. | Northwestern | 48 (6) |
| 2. | Bethany Lutheran | 42 (1) |
| 3. | Crown | 37 (1) |
| 4. | Wisconsin-Superior | 33 |
| 5. | Minnesota Morris | 25 |
| 6. | Northland | 17 |
| 7. | North Central | 15 |
| 8. | Martin Luther | 7 |