UPDATE 3/24/16 10:35 a.m.: Due to field conditions and inclement weather predictions for Mankato, the Friday/Saturday doubleheaders have been postponed to next Monday, Mar. 28 at 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday, Mar. 29 at 12:00 p.m.The University of Minnesota Duluth will return to the diamond after a two-week layoff opening Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play against Minnesota State University (R.V.) in a four-game set in Mankato, Minnesota this weekend.
UMD (7-5) wrapped its annual trip to Florida with a split against regional rival Wayne State (Mich.) University and will look to keep the momentum going of a 6-2 week as it opens the conference campaign against Minnesota State
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS | 9-5, 0-0 NSIC, R.V.
Minnesota State knocked off Mankato rival Bethany Lutheran College (NCAA III) by a score of 23-8 on Tuesday afternoon in its return to the diamond after a road trip to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside last week was cancelled due to inclement weather ... the Mavericks knocked off Ohio Dominican University 9-4 and Walsh University 5-3 in their Florida trip, two teams the Bulldogs handed defeats in the Sunshine State as well ... junior right-hander Mitch Bauer, who pitched for the Duluth Huskies alongside Bulldogs senior lefty
Bo Hellquist this past season, leads the MSU starting staff alongside sophomore righty Dalton Roach, a First Team All-NSIC selection a season ago ... Bauer owns a 2-0 record in 13.0 innings across three starts while Roach has collected 20 strikeouts in 18.0 innings ... junior infielder Eric Peterson leads the Mavericks with a .378 batting average and .508 on-base percentage while scoring a team-best 17 runs on the year ... senior outfielder Taylor Branstad has driven in a team-high 15 runs while slugging .520 on the season ... Matt Magers is in his eighth season as the Minnesota State skipper ... the Mavericks are 53-10 all-time against UMD, but the Bulldogs split a four-game series with Minnesota State last season at Wade Stadium, including a 5-1 victory in a no-hitter by Hellquist on Apr. 3, 2015.
CIRCLING THE BASESAfter its last outings at the RussMatt Central Florida Invite on Mar. 11, the Bulldogs ranked fourth in the nation in team on-base percentage (.451) and seventh in both batting average (.360) and slugging percentage (.560) ... senior first baseman
Alex Wojciechowski continued to have a presence in the national statistical rankings, ranked ninth in the country with his eight home runs and second with 26 runs batted in at an average of 2.17 per game. His 1.000 slugging percentage ranks third in the country ... freshman third baseman
Tyler Wojciechowski also ranked among the best in the nation after his first few collegiate games, second overall reaching base at a .657 clip while batting .571, fourth-best in the country ... junior outfielder
Grant Farley also ranked in the top-25 in reaching base, sitting 24th at .556 on the year ... senior right-hander
Wes Mleziva ranks just outside the top-25 with his three saves on the season - 26th - and four off the pace of the national leader. Three Bulldog right-handed pitchers have posted spotless ERAs yet this season: junior
Colton Sinning in 4.1 innings over four appearances, striking out five, senior
Matt Mattiacci in 2.1 innings over three appearances, and freshman
Connor Crabtree in 1.2 innings over two appearances ... senior southpaw
Spencer Diedrich leads the Bulldog starting staff with a 2.08 ERA in two starts, including a shutout start last time out against St. Joseph's on Mar. 7. Junior lefty
Kevin Stocke has a 2.53 ERA in two appearances, going 7.0 innings without allowing an earned run in his lone start of the season last time out against Wayne State on Mar. 10.
| Poll | UMD | MSU |
| NCBWA National Top 25 (Mar. 22) | -- | RV |
| CBN National Top 30 (Mar. 21) | -- | -- |
| NCBWA Regional Top 10 (Mar. 22) | RV | 4 |
WEATHER EYEMonday: Sunny ... High 55, Low 36 ... S 7mph ... Precipitation: 0%
Tuesday: Partly Cloudy ... High 61, Low 47 ... Winds SSE 17 mph ... Precipitation: 0%
HOW TO FOLLOWLive Stats (all games)
WHAT'S NEXT?All NSIC doubleheaders feature one seven-inning game followed by a nine-inning game. If the first game goes to extra innings, then the second reverts to a seven-inning game as well. UMD and Minnesota State will get the season started Monday afternoon in Mankato. The Bulldogs will take their first hacks at an opening pitch set for 2:00 p.m.
