The Saint Mary’s baseball team steps out of conference play for the final time on Thursday, as the Cardinals head to UWEC Bollinger Fields in Eau Claire, Wis., for a nonconference doubleheader against UW-Eau Claire. First pitch in Game 1 is slated for noon.
SAINT MARY’S CARDINALS
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2023: 13-18 Overall
UW-EAU CLAIRE BLUGOLDS
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2023: 8-23 Overall
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SMU-UWEC * LAST MEETING:
April 4, 1990 * Eau Claire, WI
W, 7-4; W, 5-2 * Series History
SAINT MARY’S * LAST ACTION:
May 2, 2023 * St. Paul, MN
Hamline * W, 14-2; W, 10-0 (7)
UW-EAU CLAIRE * LAST ACTION:
May 3, 2023 * Eau Claire, WI
UW-Stout * W, 7-4; L, 18-10
SAINT MARY’S * UP NEXT:
May 5, 2023 * Winona, MN
Carleton * 1 p.m. /3:30 p.m.
UW-EAU CLAIRE * UP NEXT:
May 5 2023 * La Crosse, WI
UW-La Crosse * 1 p.m./4 p.m.
May 6, 2023 * La Crosse, WI
UW-La Crosse * Noon/3 p.m.
SAINT MARY’S SCOUTING REPORT:
• FOR THE RECORD: The Cardinals head into their nonconference doubleheader at UW-Eau Claire sitting at 13-18 overall, including a 8-10 showing MIAC play.
• LAST TIME OUT: The Cardinals continued its late-season offensive barrage on Tuesday, scoring 24 runs in sweeping their conference doubleheader against Hamline at CHS Field in St. Paul, Minn. SMU scored nine times in the top of the seventh inning in cruising to a 14-2 win in Game 1, before getting a complete-game shutout from TJ Berland (Farmington, Minn.) in a 10-0, seven-inning victory in the nightcap.
• ON A HIGH-OCTANE ROLL: With their sweep of Hamline, the Cardinals have now won five straight — scoring 62 runs in that five-game span. … SMU’s 19-run outburst in routing Bethany Lutheran 19-9 last Sunday marked the highest run production since March 1, 2017, when the Cardinals blitzed Finlandia 19-4. … SMU also set season-highs in hits (17), RBIs (18), doubles (5), triples (2), and walks (10) against Bethany Lutheran last Sunday.
• BIG INNING EXPLOSIONS: The Cardinals have scored five or more runs in an inning in four of their last five games. SMU put together back-to-back five-run sixth innings in its sweep of Concordia on April 28, before scoring six third-inning runs against Bethany Lutheran three days later. Saint Mary’s followed that up with a nine-run seventh inning in Tuesday’s 14-2 win over Hamline. … SMU’s nine-run effort against Hamline was its highest single-inning effort since plating 10 runs against the Pipers in a 19-2, MIAC Tournament win on May 13, 2013.
• AT THE PLATE: Saint Mary’s boasts four players who are hitting above .300 this season, led by Cameron Weber (Holmen, Wis.), who has gone 43-for-116 — including 5-for-7 against Bethany Lutheran last Sunday — en route to a team-best .371 batting average. Mason Coyle (Madison, Wis.) is second on the team, hitting .364, followed closely by Riley Bauman (Stratford, Wis.) at .357 and Brandon Merfeld (La Crosse, Wis.) at .311. … As a team, Saint Mary’s is hitting .281 (265-for-942).
• ON THE RUN: The Cardinals have plated 166 runs in 31 games thus far this season. Riley Bauman has scored a team-leading 30 runs — including seven in Tuesday’s DH sweep of Hamline. Weber is second on the team with 24 runs scored, followed by Merfeld with 18, and Coyle and Trevon VanEgtern (La Crosse, Wis.) with 16. … Weber and Riley Bauman have each scored a single-game season- and career-high four runs this season — Weber against Bethany Lutheran last Sunday and Bauman vs. Hamline on Tuesday.
• HIT PARADE: Weber sits atop the team lead in hits with 43, three more than Riley Bauman, with Merfeld (32), Coyle (32), VanEgtern (28), and Marxen (21) have also reached the 20-hit plateau. … Weber has collected a team-best 14 multiple-hit games, one in front of Riley Bauman. … Weber’s five hits against Bethany Lutheran last Sunday were a season- and career-high, and marked the first time this season SMU has had a player record more than three hits in a game.
• HIT NO. 1 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 265 hits in its first 31 games, including 62 for extra bases — 43 doubles, eight triples, and 11 home runs. … Coyle leads the team with eight doubles, two more than Weber and Riley Bauman, while Merfeld (2), Marxen, Coyle, Boeckman, Weber, Riley Bauman, and Campbell own the team’s eight triples.
• BOMBS AWAY: After belting 15 home runs a year ago, SMU has hit 11 round-trippers this season. Riley Bauman launched his team-leading fifth HR of the season against Hamline on Tuesday. Coyle is second with three home runs, while VanEgtern, Will Boeckman (Big Lake, Minn.), and Marxen (Maple Grove, Minn.) have launched the other three. … Bauman’s first home run of the season against Franklin on Feb. 26 was the first of his collegiate career, while Boeckman’s two-run bomb against Bethany Lutheran on Sunday was his first as a Cardinal.
• DRIVING ‘EM IN: Coyle and Riley Bauman own the team lead in RBIs with 26, with Marxen (16), VanEgtern (15), Merfeld (11), Tanner Bauman (10), and Weber (10) also reaching double figures. … Riley Bauman leads the team with eight multiple-RBI games, two more than Coyle. … Coyle recorded a career-high five RBIs against Hamline last Tuesday, while Riley Bauman and Sam Schneider (St. Joseph, Minn.) have each delivered career-high four-RBI games this season.
• OUCH: The Cardinals have been hit by a pitch 29 times in 31 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 66 bases on 81 attempts through 31 games, led by Weber (16-for-19), Riley Bauman (11-12), and Tanner Bauman (8-10). SMU has gotten at least one stolen base from 13 different players.
• STREAKING: Weber heads into SMU’s DH against UW-Eau Claire riding an 11-game hitting streaks. … Coyle has reached base safely in 14 consecutive contests.
• ON THE MOUND: Saint Mary’s has used 13 different pitchers this season — including four who have logged 30 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), Andrew Fischer (La Crosse, Wis. / 2-4, 6.59 ERA, 42 1/3) and TJ Bergland (Farmington, Minn. / 1-3, 6.23 ERA, 30 1/3 IP). … Dylan Westcott (Holmen, Wis. / 0-3, 3.38 ERA) has made a team-leading 10 appearances, one more than Fischer, while Smith, Hochevar, and Fischer have each made a team-high eight starts.
• PITCHING FIRSTS: Smith tossed his first collegiate nine-inning complete game against Northwestern on March 22 and then tossed his second nine-inning complete game in SMU’s 5-4 win over Gustavus on April 23. … Berland recorded three career firsts in Tuesday’s 10-0 win over Hamline — his first collegiate win, shutout, and complete game. … Fischer tossed his first collegiate complete game in SMU’s 6-0, Game 1 loss to Saint John’s on April 7. … Alec Amin earned his first collegiate pitching win against Bethany Lutheran last Sunday in three innings of relief of Andrew Milner (Eau Claire, Wis.), who made his first collegiate start against the Vikings, surrendering four runs on five hits in four innings. … Eric Charest (Blaine, Minn. / 1-0, 6.43 ERA, 7.0 IP) picked up his first collegiate pitching win against Calvin on March 2. 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.
• SAVING THE DAY: Westcott collected his team-leading fourth save of the season against Concordia on April 28, 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 154 batters in 28 games, led by Hochevar with 45, Smith with 28, and Fischer with 26. … 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 166 runs in 31 games, including nine or more runs eight times. … Saint Mary’s has not lost (4-0) when scoring at least 10 runs. … SMU is 13-9 when scoring at lea Eric Charest (Blaine, Minn. / 1-0, 6.43 ERA, 7.0 IP) picked up his first collegiate pitching win against Calvin on March 2. 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. … st 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 13-3 when leading or tied after the sixth inning, but are still searching for their first win (0-15) when trailing heading to the seventh. … SMU has played just one extra-inning year this season — falling to Aurora 13-9 in 10 innings on March 20.
UW-EAU CLAIRE SCOUTING REPORT:
• FOR THE RECORD: The Blugolds enter their nonconference doubleheader against Saint Mary’s sitting at 8-23 overall and have managed just two wins in 20 WIAC contests.
• LAST TIME OUT: UW-Eau Claire settled for a split in its conference doubleheader against UW-Stout on Wednesday at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wis., beating the Blugolds 7-4 in the opener, only to surrender 18 runs in falling to the Blue Devils 18-10 in the nightcap.
• HOME SWEET HOME: UW-Eau Claire’s two games against Saint Mary’s are the ninth and 10th straight home games for the Blugolds, who played their first 17 games on the road. UW-EC is 7-16 on the road this season, while managing just one win — Wednesday’s Game 1 victory over UW-Stout — on its home diamond (1-7).
• LIMPING IN: UW-Eau Claire comes into its showdown with the Cardinals having dropped 10 of its last 11. Prior to Wednesday’s 7-4 victory over UW-Stout, which snapped their nine-game losing streak, the Blugolds had not won since erupting for 21 runs in a 21-13 win over UW-Platteville on April 14. … UW-Eau Claire is just 3-19 in its last 22 contests.
• LEADING THE CHARGE: UW-Eau Claire boasts five players who are hitting above .300 this season, led by Nate Witte, who has gone 34-for-82 en route to his team-leading .415 batting average. Walter Johnson (.376), Andrew Murphy (.346), Cade Mueller (.326), and Drew Salyers (.309) are also sporting averages north of .300.
• ON THE RUN: Witte has scored a team-leading 26 runs and is one of seven Blugolds to cross home plate at least 10 times this season — including five with 20+ runs scored. Johnson, Salyers, and Murphy are second to Witte with 25 runs scored, followed by Buck with 20.
• HIT PARADE: Murphy sits atop the team lead in hits with 37, with Johnson and Witte close behind with 35 and 34, respectively. Buck (32) has also hit the 30-hit plateau, while Salyers is fifth on the team with 29.
• EXTRA, EXTRA: UW-Eau Claire has banged out 284 hits, including 92 for extra bases — 61 doubles, 11 triples, and 20 home runs. … Murphy has belted a team-leading 12 doubles, three more than Witte and Salyers, while Witte (4) and Salyers (3) have accounted for seven of the team’s 11 triples.
• BOMBS AWAY: The Blugolds’ 20 home runs this season have come from seven different players. Johnson leads the HR brigade with seven, followed by Witte with four, Salyers with three, and Murphy and Carson Windeshausen with two each. Cade Mueller and Chase Yaeger own UW-EC’s other two round-trippers.
• DRIVING ‘EM HOME: The Blugolds boast five players who have driven in more than 10 runs this season, led by Johnson and Witte with 27 and 25 RBIs, respectively. Murphy (17), Salyers (14), and Buck (11) have also reached double figures in RBIs.
• ON THE MOUND: The Blugolds have used 21 different pitchers this season, including five who have logged at least 20 innings. P.J. Ford (1-3, 7.31 ERA) leads the staff in innings pitched with 28 1/3, followed by Charley Griffin (0-3, 7.09 ERA, 26 2/3 IP), Matt Moore (1-3, 6.58 ERA, 26.0 IP), Nico Smith (2-2, 5.25 ERA, 24.0 IP), and Joe Clinton (1-3, 6.95 ERA, 22.0 IP). … Edgar Barba (0-1, 7.71 ERA) and Brennan Cohen (0-0, 7.56 ERA), Parker White (0-0, 8.38 ERA), and Kendal Lecker (0-0, 4.50 ERA) have all made a team-leading eight pitching appearances, while Ford leads the staff in starts with six.
• FANNING THE FLAMES: UW-Eau Claire pitchers have combined to record 184 strikeouts, led by Moore with 23 Ks, and Grifin and Aaron Skrypek (1-1, 9.31 ERA) with 21 each. … All 21 Blugold pitchers have recorded at least one strikeout this season.
• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: UW-Eau Claire has been outscored 292-196 this season, and has allowed 10 or more runs in 17 of its 31 games – including 20 or more runs twice. UW-EC surrendered 20 runs in a 20-10 loss to UW-Platteville on April 14, and served up a season-high 23 runs in falling to UW-Oshkosh 23-0 on April 7. … On the flip side, the Blugolds have plated 10+ runs eight times, and have eclipsed the 20-run mark twice — beating UW-Platteville 21-13 on April 14 and drubbing Hobart 23-11 on March 22.
