Continuing NSIC Action
Minnesota State (9-3, 2-1 NSIC) continues on in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action this week with a midweek doubleheader against Bemidji State (3-14, 0-3 NSIC) Wednesday before taking on the University of Mary (8-7, 0-0 NSIC) Saturday and Sunday.
The slate begins with a seven and nine-inning doubleheader against BSU Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at ISG Field before ending the week hosting UMary Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. seven and nine-inning doubleheader prior to a nine-inning finale Sunday at noon at Bowyer Field.
Last Time in the Lot
MSU opened NSIC action last weekend with a series win, two games to one, over the Minot State Beavers. After opening the series with a pair of wins (7-0 and 14-7) on Saturday at Gustavus Field in St. Peter, Minn., the Mavericks fell in the finale (3-2 in 13 innings) at ISG Field in Mankato on Sunday. The loss put a seven-game winning streak to rest for the Purple and Gold.
After week one of conference play, the Mavericks are tied for second in the NSIC with a 2-1 league record.
A Look Back at the RussMatt
The Mavericks opened the new campaign with a 7-2 record at the RussMatt Central Florida Baseball Invitational. After opening their week-long trip with a 2-2 record, which featured victories over Gannon and Findlay before taking losses to Findlay and Tiffin, before rattling off five-straight wins over Northwood, D'Youville, USciences, Notre Dame College and Seton Hill to close out the early-season schedule. MSU outscored its opponents 92-39 in the nine games.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Minnesota State wrapped up the 2021 season with a 39-10 overall record and finished 28-6 in conference play. The Mavericks were the 2021 NSIC Regular Season and Tournament Champions before finishing third in the NCAA DII Central Regional with a 2-2 record in the tournament.
No. 5's Alter ego
Junior infielder and right-handed pitcher Nick Altermatt was named last week's NSIC Player of the Week after he played and started in three games at RussMatt Invitational for the Mavericks, which included one game where he served as a two-way threat while pitching and hitting against USciences (March 8). The Wanda, Minn., native tied for tops in MSU batting average at a .500 mark and led the Mavericks with a slugging percentage of 1.250. Additionally, he led the Mavericks with 10 RBI on the week and set a single-game high with seven RBI and a pair of home runs in MSU's 21-3 victory over Notre Dame College, March 9.
Altermatt was noted as MSU's player to watch by the NSIC during the preseason after he was named a D2CCA Third Team All-American selection last season as a utility player/pitcher. Altermatt saw action in 48 of MSU's 49 games in 2021. On the hill, the Wabasso High School product had the Maverick pitching staff's best ERA at 1.90 (12th in NCAA). Opponents batted .188 vs. Altermatt in nine appearances that saw him throw 52 innings over the course of nine starts for a 5-2 record in 2021. Altermatt finished the season with MSU's second-best WHIP (0.88) which was good for 13th in the nation. With the bat, Altermatt was .278 hitter with a .444 slugging percentage. In 124 at bats, the right-handed batter mustered six triples, a double and four home runs. Last season marked Altermatt's first All-American honor.
The Walloping Wickman
Junior outfielder Ryan Wickman is a new face for Maverick baseball this season and is off to a hot start by making an immediate impact. The Iowa Central CC (NJCAA) transfer is leads the Mavericks in batting average at a .400 mark and has started in each of MSU's 12 games so far this season. Wickman also leads MSU in runs (15), hits (18), doubles (6) and total bases (29).
New Bats on the Block
Additionally, some other new faces for the Mavericks' include sophomores Jackson Hauge and Aidan Byrne as well as redshirt freshman Ryan Bachman. In terms of batting average, Bachman and Byrne are tied for sixth with a .333 average while Hauge stands at seventh batting .325.
The Maverick Staff
Among NCAA DII ranks a season ago, the MSU pitching staff owned the nation's best ERA at a 3.11 mark while also leading in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.99), WHIP (1.13) and walks allowed per nine innings (2.11). Over the course of 49 games, opponents batted .235 against the Mavericks.
This season, the Mavericks stand third in the country and first in the NSIC with a 3.91 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 12 games. Additionally, the MSU arms rank fourth in NCAA DII and first in the conference for WHIP at a 1.11 clip.
You Don't Knoll Me
Junior right-handed pitcher Brendan Knoll had an 8-1 record in eight starts and 13 appearances last season with a 2.64 ERA. In 61.1 innings, the product of Kasson-Mantorville High School tied for MSU's third-best opponent batting average at .200. Knoll was a member of the All-NSIC Second Team.
After making his third start of the season against Minot State to open the last series (March19), Knoll owns the lowest ERA (1.29) of any Maverick starting arm on the roster. He is off to a 3-0 start and owns MSU's best opponent batting average (.176) among starters (fourth-best on staff).
Dirty Denk
Denk, a right-handed pitcher from Lakeville, Minn., was honored as NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year in January after he was named the NSIC Pitcher of the Year a season ago. Last season, he was also named a D2CCA Third Team All-American after finishing among the best in national ranks for NCAA Division II pitchers. He held the 27th-lowest earned run average in the nation at 2.22. In 11 starts, Denk owned a 10-0 record which came in at fourth in terms of wins. He was efficient in his outings with an 15.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio (second in NCAA). While facing 282 batters last season, Denk struck out 77 batters and issued five walks to ride the nation's best walks per nine innings rating (0.65). Denk was named honorable mention for NCBWA All-American honors while being named to the 2021 NCBWA All-Central Region First Team and All-NSIC First Team.
After making one start and a relief appearance on the spring trip, Denk made one more relief appearance in the series finale against Minot State (March 20). Denk pitched eight innings and worked into extra frames where he allowed two runs (none earned) on five hits while walking one and striking out nine.
Putting the "Bull" in Bullpen
Senior right-handed relief arm Jackson Uner is off to a dominant start in 2022. Uner has yet to allow an earned run this season. In four appearances and six innings pitched, Uner owns a .150 opponent batting average, which ranks second among the Maverick staff.
Liv to See Another Season
Among Minnesota State's best extra-base hitters last season was junior catcher Ben Livorsi, who led the Mavericks with three triples. Additionally, Livorsi led Maverick catchers with a .995 fielding percentage, which saw him make just a pair of errors on 371 chances.
This season, Livorsi leads the Mavericks with four home runs and stands 28th in NCAA DII and third in the NSIC for home runs per game (0.40).
2022 Maverick Captains
The Minnesota State Maverick baseball captains for this season are Jack Friedges, Ross Indlecoffer and Brendan Knoll.
Mavericks in the NCBWA Poll
The Minnesota State baseball team recieved votes in last week's edition of the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Division II Top 25 Poll (March 16). It marked the Mavericks first time appearing in the poll since they recieved votes exactly a month prior.
The Skipper
Now with 13 seasons under his belt as the MSU skipper, head coach Matt Magers hit the 500-win plateau last season following a Mavericks' 10-6 win over Sioux Falls, May 14, 2021. Magers was named the NCBWA Central Region and NSIC Coach of the Year last season. He has produced a 514-164 (.758) 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 eclipsed the 200-win mark (Jean McCarthy: 1964-76 / 250 wins).
Minnesota State History
The 2022 season marks the 82nd for Maverick baseball. MSU owns an all-time record of 1,868-890-7 (.668) in 2,765 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 six NSIC Tournament crowns (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2021). The program has made 38 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, 2019 and 2021) 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 30 times.
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