SIOUX FALLS. -- The University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team, which has recorded 19 or more wins in three of the five seasons in NCAA DII, opens the 2018 season at 1 p.m., Friday with a nonconference matchup against Metro State (1-4)  in Denver, Colo., with hopes of getting off to a fast start.

The Cougars, picked 11th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll, have had a strong offseason, accordingto USF Head Coach Grant Hieb, who  is upbeat about the prospects for his team. As the Cougars face MSU, pitching and defense will play a key role.

"If we can throw strikes and take care of the baseball we should have a great 2018 season," said Hieb, who led the Cougars to a 19-31 record in his first season at the helm of the Cougars' program. "We have a lot starters returning in the field and I'm hoping that experience will help us put up even better numbers at the plate than we did last year.  I think the lineup will be very balanced with some guys who can run and some guys in the middle that can hit for power.  If our pitching staff can take that next step, like they showed signs of doing during the fall, it should be a good season," he said.

USF, which returns seven starters and 25 letter winners, will play MSU in a three-day set concluding Sunday, Feb, 18. USF's home opener will be against Bemidji State on March 17-18 at Sioux Falls Stadium (The Birdcage). MSU has opened with a 1-4 record, defeating Nebraska-Kearney, 15-12, in their opener Feb. 2. Since then MSU, which is hitting .342 with a 9.42 earned run average, has lost four straight. A year ago (Feb. 24-26, 2017), the Cougars lost two of three games at MSU, losing twice by 6-4 scores and taking a 7-4 decision. Fans can follow the games through  live stats or live video.
Cougars feature one of league's top offenses

A year ago, the Cougars, which had one of the league's top offenses, will try and improve on a 9-17 mark in games decided by two runs or less. USF ranked second in hitting at .307, seven in home runs with 29, tied for first with 16 triples, second in steals with 97, fourth in slugging at .430, third in OBP at .386, fourth in runs scored with 312 and RBIs with 279 while ranking fifth in hits with 496. 

Leading the Cougars are Rehwaldt and Gavin, who have earned player to watch recognition by the NSIC.

Rehwaldt, a 6-6, 240 pound junior first baseman, was named to the All-NSIC first-team and to the 2017 National Collegiate Writers Association DII All-Region Team. A year ago, he ranked in the NSIC top 10 in seven hitting categories. He had six HRs, finished sixth in hitting at .379, was fifth in hits with 74, fourth in doubles with 17, fifth with 49 RBI, ninth in slugging at .600, second in triples with four, and seventh in total bases with 117. In two seasons, he has a career average of .373 with 10 HR, 34 doubles, five triples, 86 runs scores, 90 RBI, 220 total bases, .563 slugging percentage, .410 OBP, 17 stolen bases, .981 fielding percentage and 40 assists.

Gavin, a senior from Pueblo, Colo., was named All-NSIC in 2015-16. A year ago, Gavin was 1-2 with a 5.59 ERA in six starts with 14 strikeouts in 29 innings. He hit .238 with a home run and nine RBIs in 12 starts. In 2015-16, he put together an 8-1 record, which ranked first in the NSIC. He had a 4.80 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.  Also that season, he hit .331 in 45 games with five home runs, 31 RBIs and 15 multi-hit games as an infielder. Overall, he has a .312 career batting average in 61 games with six home runs, 40 RBI and a .446 slugging percentage.

"The key returners for us on offense are our group of upperclassmen.  Josh (Rehwaldt) had a great season for us last year and we're hoping for him to have an even better season this spring.  The key will be getting guys on base for him at the top of the order and I'm hoping Rob (Johnson) and Brent (Jarvis) will do that for us this year," said Hieb. "Robbie has great speed and we're hoping his legs can cause havoc on the base paths along with taking away hits in center field.  Matthew (Minnick) has looked great all year and I'm hoping he's saving his best season for his last.  Connor (Merriam) will be a staple behind the plate again this year and should be the leader of our defense," he said.

The Cougars welcome back standout catcher Connor Merriam, who had a two-year stretch of 101 straight starts at catcher end late last year. He hit .268 with five home runs, .988 fielding percentage, and 42 assists, including throwing 13 runners out (5th, NSIC). OF/DH Matthew Minnick, who was named All-NSIC in 2015, also returns after hitting .282 with two home runs, 33 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and a .350 OBP. He has career marks of 17 HR, 111 RBI, .507 slugging mark and a .332 batting average in 145 games.  

Senior infielder Brent Jarvis come back after hitting .282, with three home runs, 25 RBI, 11 steals and 48 hits.  In 140 career games, he owns a .283 batting average with nine home runs, 75 RBI, 34 stolen bases and .391 OBP. Another veteran return is center fielder Rob Johnson, who hit .326 a year ago and led the NSIC with 25 stolen bases. In 119 career games, he has seven home runs, 65 RBI, .387 OBP and 35 career steals. Newcomer Grant Lung of Peoria, Ariz., has a reliable glove and steady bat and could start at shortstop.

The Cougars also return a solid pitching core led by junior Dan Johnson, who was 3-4 with a 3.72 ERA in eight starts in 2016-17. USF returns senior right-hander Stuart Maes, who was 2-5 with a 5.48 ERA with a team-high 16 appearances a year ago. Keenahn Coyle (0-3, 12 games, 6.51 ERA, 22 strikeouts, 47 innings), Cody Blackwell (1-0, 10 games, 6.92, 11 strikeouts, 13 innings), Mitchell Lyall (0-4, 17 games, 7.58 ERA, eight strikeouts, 19 innings), as well as Christian Lazar 91-0, 10 games, six strikeouts, 8.2 innings) and Jackson Olson (0-1, eight games,, three strikeouts in 6.2 innings) also will contribute in the bullpen. Newcomers Brandon Roesler of Kindred, Neb., and Payton Livingston could also play key roles on the staff after strong fall camps.

"We're still sorting things out on the mound," said Hieb. "There will be a lot of familiar faces pitching for us this year though.  Keenahn Coyle has a good shot to start for us again.  He looks like he's made some strides from his freshman year.  Stuart Maes should also log a lot of innings for us this spring but whether that's as a starter or closer is still yet to be determined.  Another starter who we're hoping to have a big senior year not only as a starting pitcher but also at the plate is Dylan Gavin," he said.