BURNSVILLE, Minn.— The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) office released on Thursday the NSIC Preseason Release and Coaches Poll. The University of Sioux Falls Baseball team received 31 points in the Preseason Coaches Poll, placing the Cougars at 14th in the conference.
For the second consecutive season, in-town rival Augustana was tabbed the NSIC favorite, earning 195 points and 13 first-place votes. In at second, and receiving the other two first-place votes is Minnesota State with 184 points. Rounding out the Top 5 in the preseason poll is St. Cloud State (164 points), Wayne State (153), and Minot State (152).
The Cougars will look to make improvements from the program's 13-37 record in the 2019 campaign. The Cougars finished 12th in the NSIC in 2019 after going 11-25 in conference play.
USF had a daunting offense who scored 212 runs a year ago, as well as being tied fourth in the NSIC in triples (14). The Cougars were also a Top-10 NSIC team in home runs, sending 25 pitches out of the park.
As a team offensively, USF averaged 6.64 hits per game, while pitching had an earned run average of 5.85, based on nine-inning games.
The Cougars are led on offense by junior shortstop Grant Lung who had a batting average of .256 on 44 hits in 50 games, which includes 34 career runs batted in. Lung had an average of .295 with runners in scoring position, while moving runners at a mark of .505 in those situations.
The pitching staff will lean on the experience of senior right-handed pitcher Keenahn Coyle, who a year ago amassed 46 strikeouts in 58.2 innings pitched.
The Cougars start the 2020 in Pueblo, Colo., on Feb. 14-16 to face Montana State-Billings for a pair of games, as well as a game against host CSU-Pueblo in between. After the Cougars' seven-game stance in Florida (Mar. 6-10), USF will start with conference play at The Birdcage for a three-game weekend series against Minot State on Mar. 14-15.
Players to Watch
Junior SS Grant Lung | Peoria, Ariz.
- Hit .256 with 44 hits in 50 games and 34 RBIs which was second on the team a year ago.
- Collected 10 multi-hit games a year ago and eight multi-RBI games.
- Hit first career home run against Bemidji State on April 7, 2019 in a 20-2 win.
- First multi-homer game (2) and career-best six RBIs as USF defeated UMD, 7-4, on April 9, 2019.
- Hit 18-of-61 for .295 with runners in scoring positions and moved runners at a .505 mark.
Senior RHP Keenahn Coyle | Sioux Falls, S.D.
- Recorded eight starts in 14 appearances
- Had an ERA of 5.68 in 2018, an ERA that gradually declined as the season progressed
- Allowed two or less runs in six appearances, including two scoreless appearances
- Recorded 46 strikeouts in 2019
- Amassed wins against Winona State and Concordia-St. Paul, throwing eight innings of two-run baseball against the Golden Bears
