SIOUX FALLS -- The University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (15-23, 12-10 NSIC, 6th), which has won 10-of-16 and sit sixth place in the NSIC, will host Wayne State (18-19, 13-11 NSIC, 7th) in a crucial league matchup on Wednesday with a doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Harmodon Park.
This weekend (Saturday-Sunday, April 25-26), the Cougars will also face first place (tied) Minnesota State, Mankato (29-4, 19-3 NSIC, 1st) as the Cougars close out their home schedule. The doubleheaders with MSU will start at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday. Also on Sunday, USF will recognize its four seniors Henry Ojeda, Eric Brothers, Wesley Kroupa and Jordan Jeske.
The games on Wednesday are crucial in the NSIC standings as USF is sixth at 12-10 while Wayne State is just behind the Cougars at 13-11.
A year ago, the Cougars lost 3-of-4 to Wayne State with a 5-4 win on April 6, 2014 as Jordan Jeske's double plated the game-winning run. Henry Ojeda, who had 3 1/3 innings of no hit relief pitching, earning the win. WSC opened the series with a 3-0 win and also recorded victories of 13-3 and 5-3.
The Wildcats come into the matchup with USF having won 6-of-9, including taking 3-of-4 against Augustana.
Later this weekend Cougars will battle the league's hottest team in Minnesota State, which has won 12 straight games as they have tied SCSU with a 19-3 record and stand 29-4 overall. The Mavericks come off a four-game sweep against Concordia-St. Paul. In 10-of-11 games, MSU has scored at least seven runs and they had a four-game sweep against Bemidji State when they scored double digits in four straight games, including a 41-20 win that drew national attention. In that series, they scored 86 runs or 21.5 per game.
How things stack up for the Cougars
USF comes into the series stinging from a series loss to Winona State on the road. For the first time this year, the Cougars were shut out in consecutive games (4-0, 11-0). On Friday, USF totaled 25 hits in splitting a doubleheader. In a 7-1 loss, they had hits in every inning, totaling 13, but scored just once. However, the Cougars piled up 12 hits and eight runs in an 8-5 win in game two when senior Eric Brothers tossed 3 2/3 innings of no hit relief, racking up six strikeouts among the 10 batters he faced in recording a save.
Last Wednesday, USF split a doubleheader with SMSU, falling 7-6 in extra innings and earning a 1-0 game two victory on the road. In that win, freshman left Kacey Myrlie pitched a five-hit, 1-0 shutout. In the7-6 loss, USF led 6-2 before SMSU rallied to tie it in the seventh and then won it on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Myrlie steps up with best effort to date in 1-0 shutout win
Kacey Myrlie's 1-0 shutout on the road against SMSU is the first while USF has been a member of NCAA DII and the first since current assistant coach Derek Fischer tossed a 5-0 shutout on March 29, 2014. It is also the first 1-0 shutout by a USF pitcher since Brett Swim threw a three-hit shutout over Doane College on April 18, 2008. Myrlie is the first freshman Cougar to throw a shutout since Noah Coleman tossed a 6-0 shutout over Northwestern College (Iowa) on April 28, 2011.
This season, Myrlie has a 3-1 record with nine appearances and five starts through April 19. He has worked 46 2/3 innings with 33 strikeouts and 10 walks. Also, he has allowed 54 hits, 26 runs, 25 earned runs with a 4.82 ERA. Myrlie has three straight starts of six innings or and four overall. With the complete game shutout, he now has two complete games.
Wayne State ranks 3rd in NSIC in ERA
Wayne State opened the season 4-5 and later had an eight-game losing streak in the NSIC before rebounding with six wins in nine games, including taking 3-of-4 from Minnesota-Crookston and took 3-of-4 against Augustana. The Wildcats are one of the league's top pitching units, ranking third in ERA at 4.80. Leading the way is Eric Browning, who is 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA with eight starts and nine appearances. He has 45 strikeouts in 46 innings. Dylan McGill is 5-0 with a 4.50 ERA with eight starts. He has worked 44 innings with 51strikeouts and just 12 walks. The Wildcats, which ranked 14th in the league with a .281 batting average is led by slugger Nathan Ackerman, who lead the NSIC with 14 HR and ranks fourth in RBI with 45. He is hitting .365 with 14 doubles and four triples (1st, NSIC), which gives him 32 extra base hits. Another offensive weapon is Michael Herman at .291with 39 hits and 23 runs.
MSU leads league in batting at .440
MSU, which opened the season with five straight wins, is 29-4 and 19-3 in the league after 12 straight wins. The Mavericks are doing it both at the dish and the mound as they lead the NSIC in batting with a .373 mark and sit second in ERA at 4.31. MSU, which has two one-run losses among its four setbacks, has not lost since falling 4-3 at UMD on April 4. The Mavericks have five of the top 10 hitters (all hitting over .400) in the league with Max Waletich, ranking second in the league in batting at .461. Waletich, who has eight HRs and 37 RBI, is joined by Kevin Kramer at .423, 7th; Dylan Dresel, .407, 7th; Nolan Johnson, .406, 8th; and Taylor Branstad, .402, 10th. Johnson is fifth in hits with 52 and lead NSIC in doubles with 16. On the mound, MSU is led by Brody Rodning, who is 6-0 with a 2.77 ERA and two complete games. He has 31 strikeouts and 11 walks in 39 innings. Aaron Rozek is 5-0 with a 3.78 ERA with eight starters. Rozek, who has allowed five HRs, has a solid strikeout to walk ratio with 26 Ks and nine free passes. The closer is Dakota Belter, who is 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA and seven saves. He has 17 strikeouts and seven walks in 18.2 innings.
Cougars look to regain footing
After losing the weekend series to Winona State, the Cougars will look to get back on the winning track against Wayne State on Wednesday at Harmodon Park, where USF stands 6-4 this year. USF, which ranks 11th in the NSIC with a .287 batting average, ranks 10th in runs scored with 227 and ninth with 201 RBI. The Cougars have 76 doubles (5th, NSIC) and 10 triples (4th, NSIC) with its 14 HRs, 12th in the league. USF has twice as many HRs this year as a year ago. The Cougars, which have been hurt by 245 strikeouts, has 36 steals, which ranks fifth. On the mound, USF has a 7.64 ERA, which is 12th in the NSIC. USF is fourth in innings pitched with 287.1.
Mrylie leads the Cougars with a 3-1 record and 4.82 ERA. He also has a solid strike to walk ratio at 33-t0-10. Freshman Alex Wall has a team-best four wins (4-5) and has a 5.29 ERA with seven starts and 12 appearances. He has gone 47.2 innings with 28 strikeouts and 13 walks. Senior Henry Ojeda, who has a 7.55 ERA, is 2-3 on the season with 12 appearances and nine starts. He has gone 47 2/3 innings with 40 strikeouts and 14 walks. Patrick Anderson is 2-1 with a 5.19 ERA with four starts, 26 innings and 15 strikeouts. Senior Eric Brothers is 1-6 with a 7.83 ERA. He has made 11 appearances and seven starts. Brothers has 31 strikeouts and 26 walks in 43.2 innings.
Minnick ranks 10th in league in RBI, runs and hits
Freshman outfielder Matthew Minnick of Rapid City, who had a 13-game hitting streak end in the doubleheader loss to Winona State last Saturday, is hitting .382 or 14th in the league. Minnick, who ranks second in the NSIC with 15 doubles, has 36 RBI, which is 10th in the league. He has six HRs with his 50 hits and 37 runs scored ranking 10th in the league. On the season, Minnick has 12 multi-hit games, including five games with four hits and seven with at least three base knocks, and has eight multi-RBI efforts with four games of four RBI or better.
Noah Durkin, a junior outfielder from Loveland, Colo., added five points to average this week and is hitting .292 with 42 hits, including 13 doubles. He has 18 RBI and a slugging percentage of .417, Durkin, who had a 14-game hitting streak earlier, has nine multi-hit games.
Designated hitter Austin Richey, a redshirt sophomore from Winner, is second on the team with a .370 batting average and has eight multi-hit games with four multi-RBI efforts.
Tony Stanich, a freshman first baseman, is hitting .290 with a HR and 26 RBI in 36 starts. Stanich, who ranks tied for first with Minnich in multi-hit games with 12 has seven multi-RBI games.
Senior outfielder Jordan Jeske of Cottage Grove, Minn., is also faring well at the plate with a .313 batting average.
A sophomore catcher, Michael Downs hit .545 with six hits in 11 trips in a recent stretch of six games, when he started four behind the plate. Downs scored two runs and had two RBI. He had a .615 OBP while recording 29 put outs and four assists (1.000 fielding percentage) as USF was 2-4 during the stretch. Downs was 3-of-3 with an RBI in an 8-5 victory over Winona State. This season, he is hitting .347 with 15 starts and 20 games played. He has 17 hits with three doubles and a 408 slugging with a .407 OBP. Downs has a .980 fielding percentage with 12 assists and 85 putouts.
Odds and Ends
In one-run games, USF is 8-17 in away games and 6-4 at home. USF owns a 6-2 mark vs. left handed pitchers and are 9-21 vs. right-handed pitchers. They sit 7-7 when they score 6-to-9 runs and 8-5 when they hold opponents to 3-to-5 runs. When the opponents score first, the Cougars are just 7-18 but they have an 8-5 record when USF strikes first. The Cougars, which sit 11-1 when they outhit opponents, are 10-3 when leading after six innings. Also, USF is 15-22 in day games and 2-2 in extra innings. The Cougars have been outscored by opponents, 304-227, including 72-to-43 in the first two innings. When they have hit a HR, they are 5-3 and 2-1 with multi-HR games.
USF's Probable Starting Lineup
1B – #25 Tony Stanich, R/R, 6-5, 175, Fr., San Diego, Calif. (Mission Hills HS), 36 starts, .290 BA, 40 hits, 22 runs, 26 RBI, .319 OBP, .406 slugging pct., .984 fielding pct.
2B – #4 Brent Jarvis, R/R, 5-9, 175, Fr., San Diego, Calif. (Mission Hills HS), 37 starts, .255 BA, 36 hits, 31 runs, 11 doubles, triple, HR, 20 RBI, 8-8 SB, .348 OBP, .369 slugging pct., .955 fielding pct.
SS -- #6 Gunner Peterson R/R, 6-1, 175, RSo., Brookings, S.D. (Brookings HS), 21 starts, .308, 20 hits, 12 runs, 16 RBI, six doubles, 3-4 SB, .357 on-base percentage, .400 slugging pct., .934 fielding percentage
3B -- #9 Tanner Olthoff, L/R, 6-0, 170, Fr., Oceanside, Calif. (El Camino HS), 35 starts, .231 BA, 28 hits, 14 runs, three doubles, 17 RBI, .316 OBP, .256, slugging pct., 884 fielding pct.
CF – #15 Noah Durkin, L/R, 5-11, 180, Jr., Littleton, Colo. (Columbine HS), 38 starts, .292 BA, 33 runs, 42 hits, 5-7 SB, 18 RBI, .370 OBP, .417 slugging pct., 15 walks, .977 fielding percentage
RF – #35 Jordan Jeske, L/L, 6-0, 183, Sr., Cottage Grove, Minn. (U. of Dubuque), 23 starts, .313, 20 hits, 14 runs, 12 walks, .344 slugging percentage, .429 OBP, .940 fielding percentage
LF -- #16 Matt Minnick, R/R, 6-1, 185, Fr., Rapid City, S.D., 35 starts, .382, 37 runs, 50 hits, 15 doubles, six HR, 36 RBI, 87 TB, .434 OBP, .664 slugging pct., 5-6 SB, .909 fielding pct.
C – #12 Connor Merriam, R/R, 5-9, 160, Fr., Rapid City, S.D., 23 starts, .292, 19 hits,7 runs, HR, 10 RBI, .385 slugging percentage, .418 OBP, .976 fielding percentage
or
C – #19 Michael Downs, R/R, 5-11, 150, So., Pueblo, Colo. (Pueblo County HS), 15 starts, .347 BA, 17 hits, .408 slugging pct., .407 OBP, .980 fielding percentage
DH – #19 Austin Richey, R/R, 5-9, 200, RSo., 23 starts, .370, 27 hits, 12 runs, 4 doubles, 2 HR, 17 RBI, .478 OBP, .507 slugging percentage
Pitchers
#24 Henry Ojeda, RHP, 6-0, 175, Sr., San Diego, Calif. (Southwestern CC), 12 appearances, 9 starts, 2-3 (9-8 career), 7.55 ERA, 47 2/3 innings, CG, 82 hits, 54 runs, 40 earned runs, 40 strikeouts, 24 walks
#17 Alex Wall, RHP, 6-0, 165, Fr., Oceanside, Calif. (El Camino HS), 4-5, 5.29 ERA, 12 appearances, 7 starts, 2 CG, save, 47 2/3 innings, 72 hits, 35 earned runs, 28 earned, 28 strikeouts, 14 walks
#31 Kacey Myrlie, RHP, 6-6, 175, Fr., Lester, Iowa, 3-1, 4.82 ERA, 9 appearances, 5 starts, 2 CG, 46 2/3 innings, 54 hits, 26 runs, 25 earned runs, 10 walks, 33 strikeouts
#34 Eric Brothers, RHP, 6-3, 205, Sr., Valley Center, Calif. (Valley Center HS), 1-6, 7.83 ERA, 7 starts, 11 appearances, 43 2/3 innings, 53 hits, 45 runs, 38 earned, 26 walks, 31 strikeouts
#13 Kenton Johnson, LHP, 6-1, 185, RJr., McKinleyville, Calif. (College of the Redwoods/McKinleyville HS), 1-2, 7.59 ERA, 10 appearances, 5 starts, 21 1/3 innings, 29 hits, 26 runs, 18 earned, 12 strikeouts, 20 walks
#27 Patrick Anderson, RHP, 6-4, 180, Jr., Virginia, Minn. (Riverland CC), 2-1, 5.19 ERA, 7 appearances, 4 starts, 26 innings, 29 hits, 16 runs, 15 earned, 15 strikeouts, 8 walks
#36 Tucker Bishop, RHP, 5-6, 175, Jr., Benicia, Calif., 0-2, 15.63 ERA, 10 appearances, 12 2/3 innings, 28 hits, 26 earned runs, 22 earned, 9 strikeouts, 6 walks
#51 Connor Gibson, LHP, 6-2, 220, So., Toronto, Canada (St. Michael's College), 9.00 ERA, 1-0, 13 appearances, 12 innings, 14 hits, 20 runs 12 earned runs, 20 walks, 9 strikeouts
#21 Dylan Garvin, 1-1, 10.59 ERA, 10 appearances, 17 innings, 30 hits, 24 runs, 20 earned runs, 10 walks, 2 strikeouts
NSIC Tourney note
The 2015 NSIC Baseball Tournament will include the top eight teams in the final NSIC Standings. The double elimination tournament will be held May 6-9 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Cougars picked 11th in the league
In the NSIC Preseason Poll released earlier, the Cougars were picked 11th. All-NSIC pitcher Henry Ojeda and centerfielder Noah Durkin were named “Players to Watch.” In the poll, USF received 72 points, finishing just four behind Minnesota-Duluth (76) for 10th. Minnesota State, Mankato, which won the league a year ago with a 28-4 mark (48-11 overall), was selected as the top team in the NSIC for the sixth straight season. In the poll, the Mavericks received 194 points, including 12 first-place votes, with St. Cloud State in second with 172 points and a first place vote.
About USF Baseball Coach Matt Guiliano
In his eighth season, Guiliano has a 156-193 record for a .447 winning percentage. A native of San Diego, Calif., he was named to lead the Cougars in May, 2007 and recently picked up his 150th career win (21-17 over Minnesota-Crookston). This season, Guiliano's team is 15-23 and 12-10 (sixth place) in the NSIC. In 2014, Guiliano directed the Cougars to an 18-31 record overall, including 12-24 for 12th in the NSIC.
For the first time since the transition to DII, the Cougars had an All-NSIC player with Henry Ojeda (7-5, 2.64 ERA, 46 K) earning second-team honors. Outfielder Noah Durkin was 19th in hitting at .361. USF impressed many during the 2013 season, its first competing in the highly competitive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Picked to finish 12th in the league's preseason coaches poll, the Cougars went 22-22 with a 14-14 league mark to finish ninth in the standings. The Cougars were a run away from qualifying for the NSIC postseason tournament on their first try; falling just short when Winona State held on for a 9-8 win in the regular season finale for both programs. The Cougars also received attention from the league office; with junior pitchers Noah Coleman and Derek Fischer each being tabbed the NSIC Pitcher of the Week. Coleman earned his POW certificate for leading the Cougars to splits with both Augustana College and Wayne State College. In 2012, Guiliano steered the Cougars through the challenging transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II athletics.
USF opened its provisional DII campaign with a 20-game road trip that carried them from Missouri to California and the Cougars would only play 13 games at Harmodon Field, their home turf. The challenges were not limited to just a brutal travel schedule, as the Cougars ended the season with eight straight rainouts that deprived two outstanding seniors of their final jumps across the foul line. The Cougars enjoyed a pair of impressive wins in 2012; knocking off No. 15 Minnesota State in the final game of a four-game home-stand and later notching a thrilling 6-5 win over crosstown rival Augustana College. In 2011, Guiliano coached first-team All-GPAC and GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Gold Glove winner Cody Burgener. In addition, pitcher Brady Nolz and first baseman Jimmy Maxwell were tabbed as second-team performers while catcher/infielder Corey Vazquez and pitchers Brandon Compton and Noah Coleman were named All-GPAC honorable mention. In just his third season at his alma mater, Guiliano guided the Cougars to a 33-17 record in 2010, the most wins in school history. The Cougars' finished second in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) regular season standings with a 19-5 mark, also a new school record. USF won nine of its first 10 games, scored at least 10 runs in 11 games and racked up a 13-game winning streak during the season. Guiliano's 2010 squad also set a new school record with 132 stolen bases. Although the Cougars made an early exit from the 2010 GPAC postseason tournament, USF was awarded with 10 players on the All-GPAC Team.
Under Guiliano's direction in 2009, the Cougars finished the season 13-11 in conference play and 18-23 overall. The Cougars advanced to the GPAC tournament as the no. 8 seed, where they knocked off top seed Nebraska Wesleyan University in the first round before being eliminated on day two of the tournament. Jordan Ahrendt, Andrew Jenkins and Todd Neu each received honorable mention all-conference recognition that season. The Cougars capped the 2009 season with a 4-2 exhibition win against the Sioux Falls Canaries, the local minor league squad. Guiliano took the helm of the Cougar baseball program in 2008 and completed his inaugural USF campaign with a 16-28 record and a 12-12 conference mark. Three Guiliano's players were named all-conference.
Guiliano is a graduate of USF, and his name still dots the school's record book. Guiliano remains in the top-5 of several statistical categories, including: single season hits (first, 92), runs scored (first, 67), triples (first, nine) and batting average (second, .511). He is third on the Cougars' all-time career batting average (.452) and ranked first in career triples (10). In 2006, Guiliano was recognized both as the first team All-GPAC shortstop and the GPAC Player of the Year. He also took home NAIA Region III Player of the Year and NAIA All-American (second team) accolades. Following his collegiate career, Guiliano joined the San Angelo Colts of the North American League, but a knee injury prematurely ended his professional playing days. Guiliano returned to Sioux Falls in 2007 and became the student assistant for the USF baseball coaching staff. He also completed a bachelor's degree in exercise science with a minor in business. Guiliano and his wife, Melissa (a USF softball alumnus) reside in Sioux Falls. They have two sons, Brady and Cody.
