CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team will take on Wayne State College (Neb.) April 2 and 3 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. both days. The Golden Eagles enter the weekend with a 10-7 mark (3-0 NSIC) on the season. Wayne State comes in with a 3-14 (0-2 NSIC) mark on the season.
The Golden Eagles are off to their best start in program history as they have reached 10 wins the quickest the program ever has. They are currently sitting in second place in the NSIC standings. UMC has reached 10 wins for the second-consecutive season and have won 24 games in less than two years after only winning two games prior to
Steve Gust's arrival before the start of the 2015 season.
It is early in the season, but UMC was picked to finish 14
th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll prior to the start of the season. UMC is coming off their first sweep of an opponent in a NSIC series of three games or more. They took down Winona State University in three games last weekend.
Minnesota Crookston has been led by their bats as they come in hitting .300 on the season with 124 runs, 29 doubles, 13 home runs and 104 RBI's. The Golden Eagles have been led by
Reed Hjelle (Fr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) is hitting .387 with 14 runs scored, six doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI's.
Kenny Perez (Sr., DH/1B, Orlando, Fla.) is hitting .365 with eight runs scored, five home runs and 17 RBI's.
Ryan Haggstrom (Sr., 1B/RHP, Apple Valley, Minn.) has also been a force for the Golden Eagles so far as he is hitting .348 with 16 runs scored, three home runs and 21 RBI's.
On the mound, UMC has looked to three seniors so far this season.
Nolan Wahlberg (Sr., RHP, Blaine, Minn.) continues to obliterate all wins records for UMC pitchers as he is 4-1 with a 4.76 ERA in 34 innings pitched this season.
Jarad Nelson (Sr., RHP, Karlstad, Minn.) comes in with a 2-1 mark and a 3.86 ERA in 23.1 innings pitched.
Trevor Buttermore (Sr., RHP, North St. Paul, Minn.) has been the break-out pitcher for the Golden Eagles so far this season. Buttermore is 1-0 with a 4.07 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched with a team-high 20 strikeouts to just one walk on the season. Out of the bullpen,
Zach Seipel (Fr., RHP, Eagan, Minn.) has shut things down for UMC by tying the school record with four saves on the season.
Wayne State enters the weekend with a 3-14 mark on the season. They are in their second season under Alex Koch. The Wildcats are hitting .270 as a team for the 2016 season. Wayne State has been led by Cody Jenkins, who is hitting .373 with 11 runs scored, seven doubles, one home run and 11 RBI's. In addition to Jenkins, Tanner Simons comes in with a .311 batting average with 14 runs scored and four RBI's. Bodie Cooper comes in with a .309 batting average with 13 runs scored, two home runs and 12 RBI's with 10 walks on the season.
On the bump, the Wildcats have looked to Mitch Ragan, who is 1-1 with a .386 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched. He has 16 strikeouts on the season, while holding opponents to just a .197 batting average. Taner Ledezma comes in with a 1-2 mark and a 4.37 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched this season.
