As a part of my reduced time investment to this blog my entries are going to be less frequent and rely more on school press releases. It still gives NSIC baseball fans a place to share information and jabs.
The first weekend of play is complete and 6 Northern Sun teams saw their first action over the past few days –
Minnesota Duluth and Southwest Minnesota State battled each other at the Metrodome with the Mustangs coming away with a 2 games to 1 advantage. Duluth got robbed of a 9-1 win in the 4th scheduled game when they ran out of time with 3 outs to go in the 7th inning. Bulldogs-Mustangs Recap
St. Cloud State swept 3 games from Wisconsin – Parkside at the Metrodome. Heralded freshman, Jordan Smith, lived up to the early hype and had 3 multi-hit games going 7-11 for the series. He’s the early favorite for Player of the Week. St. Cloud State Sweeps
Bemidji State swept a non-conference doubleheader from fellow NSIC team, Minnesota Crookston by scores of 7-0 and 8-4. Beavers sweep Golden Eagles The perfect season was short lived as they dropped a pair of games the next day against Rockhurst University Rockhurst Wins 6-2 & 5-4
Concordia University split it’s season opening doubleheader against Northwestern (IA). Both games were decided by 1 run as the Golden Bears won game 1, 7-6 but dropped the nightcap 5-4. Concordia Splits
Finally, Augustana kicked off their season at the Metrodome with a split against the same Rockhurst team that had swept Bemidji State. Both games were blowouts with the Vikings winning game 1, 13-2 but being blown out in game 2, 14-5. Vikings Split To Open Season
Northern Sun Baseball 
Perhaps the best news of the weekend for NSIC fans is that Mesa dropped a double-header to open the season 0-2.
Also, Kearney and somewestern okie something had a game called for darkness and it appears that it is being considered complete. Hopefully that will help Duluth with their appeal to the bs of 6.5 innings not being a complete game.
I think that would be the way to do it. Why penalize a great performance for one team. Watched Rockhurst and Augustana yesterday. A tail of two different games. Both teams hit the ball well.
Nate Baumann was the lead off hitter for Augie and on the second pitch of the season sent a towering blast that hit the second deck fasade on the way down in right center. Hope that is a sign of things to come.
facade
Thata way to start the season off. What’s he gonna do when he knocks all the cob-webs off? We’re just getten started here.
The Dome was so hot I was sweating with only my T-shirt on. They had turned up the heat to melt the snow off of the roof.
Huskie10;
Looks like WSU will play SCSU either way. If the weather doesn’t allow the Mo trip they will play in the dome. Sounds like a great venue to me. That way each will get thier best and thats probably a better way to see what each has and doesn’t have.
Question from last year. How many teams in the country EVER, have set a school record for wins in a season (St. Cloud State) and yet didn’t make their own conference six-team tournament? That shows what an easy schedule I guess. Not sure why I noticed that…
Say what you will about St. Cloud State but I think that by next year (if not this year) they will be a regular in the Top 3 NSIC teams for years to come.
They have had 2 years (’09/’10) of great recruiting and next years 2011 class is amazing as well. On top of that what might have been Duluth’s #1 freshman dropped from school and enrolled at SCSU in January.
Folks in Wayne & Mankato should keep a close eye to the north.
Fish
I think your right about SCSU. They are building and next year might be the year to make a move. While WSC has some nice young talent and will be a good club, they will lose 6 seniors off this years team that all contribute. Catcher, SS and centerfielder as well as 3 key components to the pitching staff. That is a lot of production right up the middle.
Who is the Duluth freshman that has transferred to SC?
By the way, I am glad to see you staying active here. Do you have to tell others – “It’s a baseball thing, you wouldn’t understand”? Anyway, keep up the good work.
Too much snow in Boulder so the Cats are looking for a place to play this weekend. Will keep you posted as to where we land.
I also thought that was odd last year. SCSU has always had pretty good teams? I was surprised they set a record as well – and didn’t make the playoffs – thier schedule was tough but – they set a record for wins?????
Yes i actually just heard that, um i think it would be neat because it would be Logan and David vs Im guessing Mueller and Ross Hellenbrand. my prediction i am going out on a limb but if Logan and Mueller pitch i will take Winona in that game. I just think Mueller maybe a little more dominant stuff. and Game 2 i think will be a shootout
“Who is the Duluth freshman that has transferred to SC?”
Kyle Fisher (New Ulm, MN) – played in Lions All-Star game. RHP/IF – throws mid/upper 80’s.
I would actually like to see Mueller a hard throwing Righty and Kovacs a mystery pitch type lefty team up in the same games. There would be a few innings of hitting confusion between the two of them. Maybe 5 & 4 of a 9 inning game? Think Kovacs will make some additional noise this year. He has been underutilized.
i actually completely with kovacs making some noise i just looked at his stats from last year and besides wins he was winonas second best pitcher. My guess either him or the hellenbrand kid will throw that second game, i would like to see how far mueller can go early if it is 9 inning games but im guessing it will be two sevens so i could see him going all of them. totally agree wit kovacs making noise tho
I will be listening Monday when SCSU plays CU. Should be good games if the pitching holds up for CU. The top 2 pitchers at SCSU should be a strong challenge for the CU hitters.
Not sure if anything ever became of the unfinished games mentioned above and/or in other post but in the NCAA guidelines Rule 5, Section 8, Part B it states that a game becomes official after 5 complete innings. If each team has not played the same amount of innings it reverts back to the last complete inning played. Am I missing something here? I don’t understand the confuseion.