SAINT MARY’S CARDINALS
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2023: 10-18 Overall
BETHANY LUTHERAN
Home | Roster | Stats | Schedule
2023: 18-8 Overall
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SMU-BLC * LAST MEETING:
March 8, 2014 * Tucson, Ariz.
L, 9-3; W, 7-2 * Series History
SAINT MARY’S * LAST ACTION:
April 28, 2023 * Winona, MN
Concordia * W, 10-3; W, 9-5
BETHANY LUTHERAN * LAST ACTION:
April 28-29, 2023 * Mankato, MN
Crown * W, 12-8;; W, 14-11; W, 13-6
SAINT MARY’S * UP NEXT:
May 2, 2023 * St. Paul, MN
Hamline * 4 p.m./7 p.m.
BETHANY LUTHERAN * UP NEXT:
May 5, 2023 * Mankato, MN
North Central (Minn.) * 3 p.m.
SAINT MARY’S SCOUTING REPORT:
• FOR THE RECORD: The Cardinals head into their nonconference doubleheader against Bethany Lutheran sitting at 10-18 overall, including a 6-10 showing MIAC play.
• LAST TIME OUT: The Cardinals erupted for 19 runs in sweeping past Concordia on Friday at Max Molock Field — scoring a season-high 10 runs in routing the Cobbers 10-3 in the opener, before completing the sweep with a 9-5 win in the nightcap.
• AT THE PLATE: Saint Mary’s boasts a three players who are hitting above .300 this season, led by Cameron Weber (Holmen, Wis.), who has gone 34-for-99 en route to a team-best .343 batting average. Mason Coyle (Madison, Wis.) is second on the team, hitting .333, followed closely by Riley Bauman (Stratford, Wis.) at .320. … As a team, Saint Mary’s is hitting .261 (216-for-821).
• ON THE RUN: The Cardinals have plated 123 runs in 28 games thus far this season. Riley Bauman has scored a team-leading 20 runs, five more than both Weber and Trevon VanEgtern (La Crosse, Wis.), while Coyle (13), Brandon Merfeld (La Crosse, Wis. / 12), and Tanner Bauman (Willmar, Minn. / 10) have also reached double figures in runs scored. … Coyle and Brandon Merfeld (La Crosse, Wis.) each scored a career-high four runs in a game a year ago — Merfeld’s coming against Rose-Hulman on March 3, 2022, while Coyle achieved the feat against Carleton on May 8, 2022.
• HIT PARADE: Weber sits atop the team lead in hits with 34, two more than Riley Bauman, with VanEgtern (27), Merfeld (26), and Coyle (25) have also reached the 20-hit plateau. … Weber has collected a team-best 11 multiple-hit games, one in front of Riley Bauman and three up on Coyle. … Coyle and Daniel Marxen (Maple Grove, Minn.) each own two of SMU’s seven, three-hit games, with Weber and VanEgtern accounting for the other two.
• FIRST AS A CARDINAL: Saint Mary’s has had seven players record their first collegiate hits this season — Ryan Campbell (New Berlin, Wis.), Jaxon Vance (Eau Claire, Wis.), Daniel Sherman (Richfield, Minn.), Patrick Schork (Janesville, Wis.), Reese Berg (Green Bay, Wis.), Alex Crusan (Bloomington, Minn.), and Noah Lahner (Waukesha, Wis.).
• EXTRA, EXTRA: Saint Mary’s has collected 216 hits in its first 28 games, including 46 for extra bases — 33 doubles, three triples, and nine home runs. … Coyle leads the team with six doubles, two more than Weber and Schork, while Coyle, Merfeld, and Campbell own the team’s three triples.
• BOMBS AWAY: After belting 15 home runs a year ago, SMU has hit nine round-trippers this season. Riley Bauman launched his team-leading fourth HR of the season — a three-run shot — against Concordia on Friday. Coyle is second with three home runs, while VanEgtern and Marxen have launching the other two. … Bauman’s first home run of the season against Franklin on Feb. 26 was the first of his collegiate career.
• DRIVING ‘EM IN: Riley Bauman owns the team lead in RBIs with 18, with Coyle (16), VanEgtern (14), Marxen (11), and Tanner Bauman (10) also reaching double figures. … Riley Bauman leads the team with five multiple-RBI games, one more than VanEgtern, and two up on Marxen, Tanner Bauman, and Coyle. … Riley Bauman delivered a single-game career-high four RBIs against St. Olaf on April 8.
• OUCH: The Cardinals have been hit by a pitch 26 times in 28 games, led by Weber, who has been beaned five times. … Saint Mary’s had two games in 2022 — vs. Rose-Hulman on March 3, 2022 and vs. Carleton on May 8, 2022 — in which five Cardinals were hit by a pitch. … Individually, SMU had a player hit by a pitch twice in a game five times.
• CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Saint Mary’s has stolen 56 bases on 70 attempts through 28 games, led by Weber (15-for-17), Tanner Bauman (8-10), Riley Bauman (7-8), Coyle (5-6) and Cam Miller (Kimberly, Minn. / 5-6). SMU has gotten at least one stolen base from 12 different players.
• STREAKING: VanEgtern and Weber each head into SMU’s DH against Bethany Lutheran riding eight-game hitting streaks. … Coyle has reached base safely in 11 consecutive contests.
• ON THE MOUND: Saint Mary’s has used 13 different pitchers this season — including seven who have logged 10 or more innings. Timmy Smith (South St. Paul, Minn. / 5-1, 4.00 ERA) leads the staff with 52.0 IP, followed by Addison Hochevar (Lake Geneva, Wis. / 2-5, 2.96 ERA, 45 1/3 IP) and Andrew Fischer (La Crosse, Wis. / 1-4, 7.39 ERA, 35 1/3). TJ Bergland (Farmington, Minn. / 0-3, 8.10 ERA, 23 1/3 IP), Dylan Westcott (Holmen, Wis. / 0-3, 3.38 ERA, 16.0 IP), Eric Stomberg (St. Paul, Minn. / 0-2, 5.54 ERA, 13.0 IP), and Mason Windschitl (Excelsior, Minn. / 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 12.0 IP) have also reached double figures in innings pitch.. … Westcott has made a team-leading 10 appearances, two more than Hochevar, Smith, Windschitl and Bergland, while Smith and Hochevar have each made a team-high eight starts.
• PITCHING FIRSTS: Smith tossed his first collegiate nine-inning complete game against Northwestern on March 22, holding the Eagles to one run on five hits in a 3-1 SMU victory. Smith tossed his second nine-inning complete game in SMU’s 5-4 win over Gustavus last Sunday. … Eric Charest (Blaine, Minn. / 1-0, 6.43 ERA, 7.0 IP) picked up his first collegiate pitching win against Calvin on March 2, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits in five innings of SMU’s 8-2 win over the Knights. The freshman right-hander also collected his first save in a Cardinal uniform with one inning of scoreless relief in SMU’s 3-2 win over MSOE on Feb. 27. … Fischer tossed his first collegiate complete game in Friday’s 6-0, Game 1 loss to Saint John’s.
• SAVING THE DAY: Westcott collected his team-leading fourth save of the season against Concordia on Thursday, while Charest and Stomberg each own one save. … Fischer closed out the 2022 season as team’s saves leader with six, one more than Westcott.
• FANNING THE FLAMES: The SMU pitching staff has struck out 146 batters in 28 games, led by Hochevar with 45, Smith with 28, and Fischer with 24. … Hochevar fanned a career-high 10 batters in last Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Carleton. … Smith struck out a career-high eight batters against Northwestern on March 22.
• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: The Cardinals have scored 123 runs in 28 games, including nine runs four times, while plating a season-high 10 runs in a 10-3 win over Concordia on Friday. SMU has plated nine runs in beating Concordia (9-5), St. Scholastica (9-2) and Russell Sage (9-6), while falling to Aurora (13-9). … Saint Mary’s is 9-9 when scoring at least three runs, but winless (0-9) when being held under three runs. On the flip side, SMU has allowed six runs or more in 12 of its 18 losses, including a season-high 13 runs in its 13-9 loss to Aurora on March 21. … The Cardinals are 10-3 when leading or tied after the sixth inning, but are still searching for their first win (0-15) when trailing heading to the seventh. … Saint Mary’s scored a season-high five runs in the sixth inning of both games against Concordia on Friday. SMU also owns two four-run innings this season. … SMU has played just one extra-inning year this season — falling to Aurora 13-9 in 10 innings on March 20.
BETHANY LUTHERAN SCOUTING REPORT:
• FOR THE RECORD: The Vikings enter their weekend action against Crown and Saint Mary’s sitting at 18-8 overall, including an 14-3 mark in UMAC action.
• LAST TIME OUT: Bethany Lutheran came out on top in a slugfest against Crown on Friday, posting a 12-8 UMAC victory at ISG Field in Mankato, Minn. BLC completed the three-game UMAC sweep of the Storm on Saturday, winning 14-11 and 13-6.
• ON A ROLL: With their three wins over Crown on Friday and Saturday, the Vikings pushed their winning streak to a season-high 11 straight. … After opening the season 1-4, BLC has rattled off wins in 17 of their last 21 contests.
• FAMILIAR FOES: Bethany Lutheran’s games against Saint Mary’s mark the fourth and fifth of seven games against teams from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. BLC has already faced Gustavus (W, 11-6) and Augsburg (W, 11-5), and has two more games slated against the Gusties next week. … The Vikings were also scheduled to play DHs against St. Scholastica and Macalester, but were canceled due to weather.
• LEADING THE CHARGE: BLC has nine players with at least 20 at-bats who are hitting .300 or better this season, led by Brent Fowler (.440), Brad Bickmann (.387), Aidan Russell (.375), and Eli Fest (.373). … As a team, the Vikings are hitting .329 (281-for-854).
• ON THE RUN: Russell sits atop the team lead in runs scored with 28, one up on both Liam Peterson and Matt Verdugo, and four in front of Fest. Ben Hopper (18), Vaughn Pouncy (17), Malachi Santiago (15), Bickmann (14), and Hunter Pearce (12).
• HIT PARADE: Russell has racked up a team-leading 36 hits, while Verdugo (27), Petrerson (27), Pouncy (26), Bickmann (25), and Fest (22) have also collected 20+ hits this season. … Hopper and Russell share the team lead with 10 multiple-hit games each, one more than Verdugo.
• EXTRA, EXTRA: As a team, Bethany Lutheran has recorded 281 hits, including 81 for extra bases — 50 doubles, 20 triples, and 11 home runs. … Hopper leads the team with seven doubles, followed by Pearce with six, and Pouncy, Russell, and Bickmann with five each. … Russell is the team-leader with four triples, one more than Bickmann, Hopper, and Pouncy.
• BOMBS AWAY: Six Vikings have accounted for the team’s 11 home runs, led by Russell with four. Hopper (2), Peterson (2), Bickmann, Reed Brown, and Henry Laue own the team’s other seven HRs.
• DRIVING ‘EM IN: BLC has seven players who have reached double figures in RBIs this season. Russell leads the way with 30, followed by Hopper with 26 and Bickmann with 10. Verdugo (18), Peterson *18), Brown (12), and Pouncy (12) have also recorded 10+ RBIs. … Russell owns a team-best nine multiple-RBI games, followed by Hopper with seven.
• STREAKING ALONG: Bickmann and Pearce enter BLC’s doubleheader against Saint Mary’s riding seven-game hitting streaks. … Verdugo has reached base safely in each of the Vikings’ last 22 games, while Pearce (14), Hopper (10), and Peterson (10) have also reached base safely in 10 or more games.
• ON THE MOUND: The Vikings have used 16 different pitchers this season, including seven who have logged at least 10 innings. Conor Merton (3-1, 5.80 ERA) leads the way with a staff-high 40 1/3 innings pitched, followed by Gavin Jacobsen (1-2, 2.97 ERA, 30 1/3 IP), Brody Curtiss (4-1, 6.56 ERA, 23 1/3 IP), and Jackson Huiras (2-1, 1.35 ERA, 20.0 IP). … Huiras and Merton lead the team with eight pitching appearances, while Merton also leads the way with six starts. … Bickmann (0-0, 1.08 ERA) and Huiras (2-1, 1.35 ERA) have each recorded two saves to account for BLC’s four saves.
• FANNING THE FLAMES: Bethany Lutheran pitchers have combined for 222 strikeouts this season, and have gotten at least 10 Ks from 10 different pitchers. Jacobsen leads the staff with 50 strikeouts, followed by Merton with 34 and Curtiss with 22.
• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: The Vikings have plated 223 runs this season, and have outscored their opponents in every inning but the third. … BLC has scored 10 or more runs 12 times this season, going 11-1 in those 12 contests. … The Vikings are 6-0 when holding their opponents under three runs, while still searching for their first win when being held to two runs or less. … BLC is 12-2 when scoring first, and 9-2 in scoring in the first inning. …. Bethany Lutheran is 14-2 when leading after the sixth inning, while going 2-6 when trailing heading into the seventh.
