Continuing NSIC Action

Rated No. 19 in this week's edition of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Top 25 poll, Minnesota State (27-5, 20-3 NSIC) continues Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action this week with a Wednesday doubleheader at Sioux Falls (24-19, 16-12 NSIC) as well as a three-game home series with Upper Iowa (9-24, 7-15 NSIC), Saturday and Sunday.

MSU travels to Sioux Falls for a midweek doubleheader, Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., before hosting Upper Iowa for a three-game series at Bowyer Field, Saturday and Sunday. The weekend series begins at 1:30 p.m. Saturday with a seven and nine-inning NSIC doubleheader and finishes with one nine-inning league game Sunday at noon.


Last Time in the Lot

For the second time this season, MSU is riding a seven-game win streak and is closing in on a season-best streak of nine games won consecutively from March 27-April 10. Last Tuesday, the Mavericks defeated the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears 6-4 in game one before claiming an 11-0 victory in game two with the 10-run rule in seven innings to sweep the doubleheader.

Following the sixth week of conference play, MSU remained first in the NSIC for a second straight week with a 20-3 league record. Also in the conference standings, Sioux Falls checks in at fifth while Upper Iowa stands at 13th.


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 NSIC regular season and tournament champions before finishing third in the NCAA DII Central Regional with a 2-2 record in the tournament.


Mavericks in the NCBWA Poll

The Mavericks were ranked #19  in the last edition of the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Division II Top 25 Poll (April 13), marking their first time ranked since the preseason edition was released (Jan. 24). MSU received votes four times in the previous eight releases dating back to the preseason.


Altermatt Does it All!

Junior infielder and right-handed pitcher Nick Altermatt was noted as MSU's player to watch by the NSIC following a season where he was named a D2CCA Third Team All-American selection 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 pitch 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.

This season, Altermatt is leading the way for MSU on the offensive in batting average (.405), hits (47), runs batted in (47), home runs (10), total bases (84) and slugging percentage (.802). He was named NSIC Player of the Week six weeks ago (March 14) following the RussMatt Invitational.


Got Hits?

Junior infielder Mikey Gottschalk stands second in the Mavericks' batting average rankings with a .367 mark in 90 at bats this season. After going 7-for-12 four weeks ago in the series against UMD (April 2-3), Gottschalk was named NSIC Player of the Week. He hit his first four career home runs in the series, including three the opposite way.


Wickman the Whackman

Junior outfielder Ryan Wickman is a new face for Maverick baseball this season and rolling. The Iowa Central CC (NJCAA) transfer is third on the Mavericks in terms of batting average (.360) and leads MSU in on-base percentage (.503). He is the only Maverick to see action in each game this season while making 32 starts in centerfield. Wickman also leads the Mavericks in hit by pitch this season (14) after he was hit eight times five weeks ago in a series against UMary (March 26-27). He matched a single-game NCAA DII record set by Cole Kwiatkowski (Findlay vs. Ohio Valley on March 5, 2021) when he was plunked five times in the Mavericks first game against UMary (March 26).


New Bats on the Block

Some other new everyday faces for the Mavericks' include sophomores Jackson Hauge and Aidan Byrne. In terms of batting average, both Mavericks are batting nearly .350 through the first 32 games of the season. Hauge leads the way ranking fifth among Maverick hitters with a .350 average while Byrne stands .345, which ranks sixth on the squad.


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 ranks second on the Mavericks with six home runs and a .676 slugging percentage.


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 2.70 earned run average in 32 games. Additionally, MSU arms rank third in NCAA DII and second in the NSIC for WHIP (1.08) as well as hits allowed per nine innings (6.99). Lastly, the Mavericks check in at second in NCAA DII and first in the league in terms of strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.98).


The Mighty MavPen

Senior right-handed pitcher Jackson Uner is off to a dominant start in 2022. The Stillwater, Minn., native owns the lowest ERA of any Maverick this season at a 0.77 clip. In addition, in 11.2 innings on the hill, he owns a .150 opponent batting average which is lowest among any other pitchers on the Maverick staff this season.


You Don't Knoll Me

Junior right-handed pitcher Brendan Knoll owned 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 seventh start of the season against Winona State April 15, Knoll saw his ERA, now 1.23, remain the best of any starter on the team as well as the second best on the staff for the season. He is off to a 6-1 start and owns the third-best opponent batting average (.180).


Can We Spell Culley with a K?

Sophomore southpaw Nathan Culley had superb day last outing, where he pitched six complete innings against Concordia-St. Paul and struck out 15 opposing hitters. Culley shutout CSP, 11-0, along the way as well, surrendering a pair of hits and one walk.

This season, Culley owns a 1.46 ERA which ranks third on the staff and second among Maverick starters. He is 3-1 on the season with a 1.13 WHIP and .207 opponent batting average.


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 DII). While facing 282 batters, Denk struck out 77 opponents 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.

This season, Denk owns a 2.77 ERA with five starts and seven appearances under his belt. In 39 innings pitched, Denk sports a .233 opponent batting average.


2022 Maverick Captains

The Minnesota State Maverick baseball captains for this season are Jack Friedges, Ross Indlecoffer and Brendan Knoll.


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 opponents 92-39 in the nine games.


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 532-166 (.762) 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 1,886-892-7 (.678) in 2,785 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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