Setting up Shop

Rated 13th in last week's NCBWA DII Top 25 Poll, Minnesota State (34-7) is set to take on Minnesota Crookston (25-10) in the opening game of the final-four double-elimination portion of the NSIC Baseball Tournament at noon Wednesday in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 

Facing Minnesota Crookston

Minnesota State is 15-1 in an all-time series vs. Minnesota Crookston. The Golden Eagles won their first game against the Mavericks in the last matchup, March 26, 2019, in Mankato.

With a 25-10 overall record and 18-10 conference mark this season, Minnesota Crookston finished fifth in the NSIC standings. The Golden Eagles bested Minot State in the first round of the NSIC Tournament to make their way to Sioux Falls. They own a team batting average of .272 and .515 slugging percentage. When pitching, UMC sports a team earned run average of 6.00 and an opponent batting average of .272.


Facing Augustana

Minnesota State is 62-22 in an all-time series against Augustana that dates back to the 1970 season. In the last 10 matchups, the Mavericks are 5-5 against the Vikings. This season, the Vikings took both games of a weekday doubleheader from the Mavericks (April 28).

Augustana finished the regular season second in the NSIC with a 27-9 conference record. Behind a 33-9 overall record, The Vikings top the NSIC in batting average (.322), slugging percentage (.535) and average the most runs per game (8.26) in the conference. When pitching, AU sports an earned run average of 3.59 and opponent batting average of .230.


Facing St. Cloud State

The MSU baseball program is 103-65 in the all-time series against in-state rival St. Cloud State. In the last 10 matchups, the series is deadlocked with five wins going each way. In a three-game series at St. Cloud earlier this season (April 2-3), the Mavericks bested the Huskies two games to one.

At a 22-12 overall record and 18-9 conference mark this season, St. Cloud State finished third in the NSIC standings. The Huskies sport the NSIC's second best team batting average (.321) and slugging percentage (.508). When pitching, SCSU has a team earned run average of 4.01 and an opponent batting average of .216.


Last Time on the Diamond

Minnesota State swept its first-round matchup of the NSIC Tournament against Sioux Falls last week with a 10-4 win Thursday before clinching the best-of-three series 10-6, Friday at Bowyer Field.


500-Win Plateau

Now in his 13th season as the MSU skipper, head coach Matt Magers hit the 500-win plateau following the Mavericks' 10-6 win over Sioux Falls, last Friday. Magers has produced a 500-158 (.760) record and sits in second place for all-time wins at Minnesota State behind his predecessor Dean Bowyer (1977-2008 / 990 wins). Magers is 1-of-3 coaches at MSU who has passed the 200-win mark (Jean McCarthy: 1964-76 / 250 wins).


Mavericks Ranked 13th in the NCBWA Poll

The Minnesota State baseball team was ranked 13th in last week's National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Division II Top 25 Poll. It marked MSU's seventh consecutive week in the poll since breaking into the Top 25 ranking for the first time since Feb. 5, 2020, (No. 25 in 2020 NCBWA DII Preseason Poll).


The Big One

Maverick senior outfielder Joey Werner has been named NSIC Player of the Week twice this season (March 22 & 28). The Hastings, Minn., native batted 14-for-30 (.467) during the hot stretch with a home run in five-straight games that helped him rake in 17 RBI and the back-to-back weekly honors. 

Werner is the Mavericks' top hitter this season. He leads MSU in batting average (.434), home runs (10), RBI (48), total bases (101) and slugging percentage (.743). Werner had a team-high 40-game on-base streak was snapped April 28 in MSU's 1-0 loss to Augustana.


Take Two (or Four)

Teddy Petersen leads MSU with 27 free passes this season in the form of 19 walks and 8 times being hit by a pitch. A native of Glencoe, Minn., Petersen, sports a .370 batting average, owns the Mavericks' second-most hits (54), home runs (6), RBI (28) and total bases (85).


The Maverick Staff

The MSU pitching staff owns the nation's best ERA in DII baseball so far this season at a 2.56 mark. Over 41 games, opponents are batting .216 against MSU. Minnesota State leads the NSIC in both categories.


The MSU Rotation

The Mavericks have had six different starting arms this season. All together, MSU starters have combined for 41 starts and 51 appearances mustering 251 innings pitched. In that span, Maverick starting arms have struck out 291 of 1,104 opposing batters faced.


Minnesota State Ace

For the second time in his career, senior right-handed pitcher Jon Ludwig was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week (Week One - March 8) after allowing one run to Missouri-St. Louis in his Opening Day start on Feb. 26. Last week, Ludwig opened his postseason slate by pitching four innings of relief work in game one vs. Sioux Falls (May 13). In the appearance, Ludwig struck out five of the 14 batters he faced while surrendering one walk and one hit while earning his first save of the season.

A product of Osseo HS, Ludwig owns a team-best and conference-high 26 strikeouts vs. 235 batters faced this season. In 10 starts, which leads the Mavericks, Ludwig has MSU's most innings pitched (61) while garnering a 2.07 earned run average, .185 opponent batting average and .77 WHIP this season.


You Don't Knoll Me

Junior right-handed pitcher Brendan Knoll garners the Mavericks' best earned run average of any starting arm this season with a 1.86 ERA. In 48.1 innings over 11 appearances this season, the product of Kasson-Mantorville HS owns MSU's second-best opponent batting average among starting pitchers at .209.


Dirty Denk

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Collin Denk owns the Mavericks' best ERA among the starting rotation at 1.37. In NCAA DII, Denk's ERA is tied for fifth in the national rankings. This season, the Lakeville, Minn., native owns a .222 opponent batting average and a perfect 9-0 record in nine starts which is the best in the NSIC.


Slick Nick

Minnesota State sophomore right-handed pitcher Nick Altermatt was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week for his outing two weeks ago (May 5) vs. Sioux Falls.This marked Altermatt's first time being tabbed with NSIC weekly honors.The Wanda, Minn., native pitched a seven-inning one-hit complete game shutout to lead the Mavericks to a 2-0 victory. Altermatt walked two in the win while moving to 4-1 in seven starts this season. He struck out a season-high 11 of the 24 Cougar batters he faced.


Can You "Zig" It?

Sophomore right-hander Jack Zigan has pitched in 23.2 innings this season over 13 games which featured one start (March 25). A product of Eden Prairie HS, Zigan sports a 2.28 ERA and .270 opponent batting average.


Maverick Closer

Senior right-handed reliever Hunter Even is the Mavericks closer. Even leads MSU with nine saves this season and owns the Mavericks' best ERA at 1.00 over 18 innings pitched. He has allowed nine hits, seven runs (two earned) and walked seven while striking out 24 others. He owns a .148 opponent batting average in 15 appearances this season.


Fantastic Freshman 

Leading Maverick youngsters this season is freshman infielder Adam Schneider. In 38 games, Schneider has made 32 starts this season and owns the Mavericks fourth-best batting average at .296.


Maverick Two-Way Players

Minnesota State baseball has a pair of two-way players this season in junior Cam Kline and sophomore Nick Altermatt. Kline has seven starts on the mound and sports a 3.89 ERA while Altermatt has pitched seven starts on the hill for a 1.42 ERA. With the bat, Altermatt is hitting .272 this season while Kline carries a .219 batting average.


Big-Time Hitters

Among Minnesota State's best extra-base hitters this season are senior outfielder Teddy Petersen, who leads the Mavericks with nine doubles,  and senior catcher Ben Livorsi, who is tied for the Maverick triples lead with Petersen and Joey Werner at a pair. Werner leads the MSU home runs effort with nine in 2021. He also frontruns the slugging percentage effort at a .743 mark.


Maverick Ironmen

This season the Mavericks have one player who has appeared in each MSU game during the 2021 campaign. Senior outfielder Jack Waletich has touched the field in all 41 games for the Mavericks and made 39 starts. Teddy Petersen and Nick Altermatt each have 40 starts and appearances this season in the purple and gold.


2021 Maverick Captains

The Minnesota State Maverick baseball captains this season are Teddy Petersen and Jack Waletich.


40-Win Club

Minnesota State has recorded nine 40-or-more-win seasons in its 80 previous seasons of competition. Seven of those seasons have come under current head coach Matt Magers.


Minnesota State History

The 2021 season marks the 81st for Maverick baseball. MSU owns an all-time record of 1,854-884-7 (.675) in 2,745 total games. Minnesota State has five Northern Intercollegiate Conference titles (1968, 1969, 1979, 1980, 1981), 19 North Central Conference championships (1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007), six Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championships (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2021) and five NSIC Tournament crowns (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017). The program has made 37 appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019) and eight in the NCAA Division II World Series (1971, 1979, 1980, 1986, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014) including third-place finishes in 2012 and 2014 and a national runner-up performance in 2013. Additionally, the Mavericks have earned All-American selections 19 times.

-30-