ON DECK: After 29 games on the road, the Fighting Sioux will finally get to play on their home field as UND will entertain South Dakota State in a doubleheader on Wednesday at Kraft Field. The Sioux are 8-1 in home openers this decade and will to look to improve on that mark with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
MEDIA INFORMATION:
Live stats and an audio broadcast of Wednesday's game one against South Dakota State in Grand Forks will be available at www.fightingsioux.com.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES WITH SOUTH DAKOTA STATE:
This is the most tenured series on the 2009 Fighting Sioux schedule. Since their first meeting in 1957, the old North Central Conference rivals have faced each other 122 times. The Jacks hold the slightest edge possible at 61-60-1. Monday's doubleheader split ended a three-year hiatus in the series as the teams previous meeting was a four-game set in Brookings in 2005 - the same year SDSU made the move to Division I. The Fighting Sioux took the first game of that series, 5-2, but dropped the next three to the Jackrabbits (8-5, 9-3 and 10-7). UND swept the SDSU in a four-game series in 2004, which was their last meeting as Division II and NCC counterparts.
TRANSITION YEAR:
The Fighting Sioux are in the midst of their first full season of Division I baseball under the guidance of first-year head coach Jeff Dodson. All of UND's sports are in a reclassifying season, transitioning from the Division II to Division I level, except for both hockey programs, which have been at the Division I level for several years. The Sioux have 45 games on their 2009 slate and 35 of those will be played against teams in Division I.
ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE:
The Jackrabbits are in their second season as members of the Summit League after spending their first three seasons at the Division I level as an independent. Through 33 games this campaign, the Jacks are off to a 8-25 start with a 3-8 tally in Summit action. A year ago, the Jackrabbits went 9-11 and finished fifth in the standings during their inaugural season in the league. The top four teams advance to the Summit League Championship.
Offensively, catcher Tony Martin leads the Jacks with a .342 batting average and 41 hits. He is one of four SDSU players to start all 33 games for interim head coach Ritchie Price this season. First baseman Stephen Turner is the only other regular hitting over .300. He brings a .312 mark into the doubleheader. Sophomore Jesse Sawyer, who has started all 33 games at third base, leads the club with six home runs and is tied with Turner for the team lead with 21 RBI. Sawyer hit a pair of home runs in Monday's doubleheader in Brookings.
On the mound, southpaw Layne Somsen is the Jacks' top starter with a 5.50 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 36 innings. Reliever Kirby Morsching has the top ERA on the club with a 4.83 tally in 31.2 innings of work. He has the lone save for the Jacks. Lefty Caleb Thielbar is the top strikeout threat, having fanned 53 opposing hitters in 51.1 innings of work.
SDSU and UND have a trio of common opponents through the first half of their respective schedules. The Jacks are 3-3 against those foes, while the Sioux are 2-4. Both teams lost single games at Nebraska, while the Sioux split a two-game series at Creighton and the Jacks dropped two-of-three to the Bluejays. Against Missouri State, the Fighting Sioux picked up its first Division I victory, but lost the weekend series two-games-to-one. SDSU went to Springfield prior to the Washington State weekend series and took both contests from the Bears.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE COACHING STAFF:
Interim head coach Ritchie Price is in his first season at the helm of the Jackrabbits' program after spending the 2008 season as an assistant coach under Reggie Jefferson. Price assumed the interim role of head coach after Jefferson resigned prior to the season.
Price is the son of Kansas head coach Ritch Price, whose Jayhawks defeated the Sioux earlier this season 8-2 and 6-3 during a two-game set. Price was a standout player as well at KU and holds numerous career records at the school.
Price is assisted by Ryan Neale, Jake Angier and Ryan Overland.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Fighting Sioux and Jackrabbits split a doubleheader at windy Erv Heuther Field on Monday afternoon. UND's offense continued its hot hitting, collecting 17 hits in each game of the twinbill, but once again the Sioux could only manage a split.
Junior designated hitter Aaron Cook (Erskine, Minn.) belted two home runs and had a career-high five RBI to help lead the Sioux to a 12-5 victory in game one. Freshman David Lind tossed the first complete game of his career to earn the win on the mound.
A five-run fifth inning by SDSU in game two proved to be the difference as the Jackrabbits held off a late UND rally to win 10-8.
Catcher Andrew Sadler (Grand Forks, N.D.) had a remarkable day at the plate, combining to go 6-for-9 with three RBI. He also hit his second home run of the campaign and stole two bases.
MAGNERIFFIC:
An arm injury limited sophomore Jake Magner (Grand Rapids, Minn.) from playing a lot as a freshman, but he showed his hitting prowess during his brief time in the line-up. In nine games, which included seven starts, Magner batted .524 (11-for-21) with a home run, two doubles and 11 RBI.
This season, Magner is picking up where he left off. The Sioux first baseman has started all 29 games (one at DH) and is near the top in most offensive categories for UND this season. Besides his team-best batting average of .402, Magner also leads the team in hits (47), home runs (nine) and RBI (35). Magner also leads in slugging percentage (.709) and total bases (83).
SMOLDERING MAGNER:
Magner has been the most consistent Sioux hitter throughout the season and has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games. He sandwiched his only hitless game in that stretch with the first two four-hit games of his career. In those 17 contests, Magner is 32-for-72 (.444) with five home runs and 22 RBI. He leads the team with 15 multiple-hit games and 11 multiple-RBI games as well.
For his efforts, Magner has twice been named Great West Player of the Week, including the latest honor on April 20. Magner earned the honor after going 7-for-9 with two home runs, two doubles, a triple and eight RBI in the doubleheader at Concordia on April 18.
GOODY STRIKES BACK:
Junior rightfielder Andrew Gudmunson (Minot, N.D.) broke out a season-long slump starting with the second game of the first doubleheader at Valpo on April 10. Gudmunson, who entered that contest with just a .205 average, went 4-for-6 to begin what is currently a seven-game hitting streak.
During the streak, Gudmunson is a combined 18-for-31 (.581) and has seen his average climb to a .317 mark, which is currently second best among Sioux regulars. He has four straight multiple-hit outings as well.
SWEET SWINGIN' SIOUX:
Through 25 games this season, the Sioux offense was batting just .251 and averaging 4.6 runs per game. However, in the last four games the Sioux offensive numbers have been mind-boggling. As a team, UND is batting .481 (74-for-154) and has scored 50 runs, which equates to an average of 12.5 runs per game. Unfortunately, the Sioux have only been able to split those four contests, but the recent rise in offensive production can only be viewed as a positive.
The recent tear has the team average up to .281 and 5.7 runs per game. Seven Sioux regulars are batting over .400 , including five over .500, during that stretch. Nine-hole hitter and second baseman Jabby Bakhit (Omaha, Neb.) leads that effort with a .636 average (7-for-11). Junior Andrew Gudmunson (Minot, N.D.) is also batting over .600 in the last four (.611, 11-for-18), while first baseman Jake Magner (.579, 11-for-19), catcher Andrew Sadler (.563, 9-for-16) and designated hitter Aaron Cook (.563, 9-for-16) are all hitting over .500.
AARON'S COOKIN':
Junior Aaron Cook (Erskine, Minn.) has been one of UND's top hitters in the early part of the 2009 campaign. Cook has waited his turn to get a chance to play regularly at the collegiate level and his patience is paying off. Cook redshirted during the 2006 season, did not see any action in 2007 and had only three pinch-hit appearances a year ago.
However, the 2009 season has been much different. Cook has started 25 of 29 games (four at RF, 21 at DH). Cook is currently third on the team with a .316 batting average and second with 10 extra-base hits (seven doubles, three home runs). Cook had the first the multiple home run game of his career in game one of Monday's doubleheader at South Dakota State. His three-run shot in the fifth inning broke a 5-5 tie and he added a two-run shot in the sixth. Both of his home runs came on the first pitch of the at-bat.
Cook has raised his season average nearly 50 points with his hot hitting in the last four games. During that stretch, Cook is 9-for-16 (.563) with two home runs, two doubles and six runs scored.
BAKHIT'S BAT IS BACK:
Junior Jabby Bakhit (Omaha, Neb.) is beginning to show signs of the form that had him voted on to the All-Independent team prior to the season. In his last four games, Bakhit is 7-for-11 (.636) with sacrifice bunts and a .714 on-base percentage. That effort has his average over the Mendoza Line for the first time this seaseon.
Bakhit is the lone returner on the Sioux roster that earned all-NCC honors a year ago after redshirting in 2006 and only getting five at-bats as a redshirt freshman in 2007. He was the first Sioux recognized by a national publication this season, earning preseason all-Independent team honors from Baseball America.
Last year, Bakhit was inserted into the line-up and served as the team's primary leadoff hitter, batting .340 with two doubles and 14 RBI. He was also swift of foot, tying for the team-lead with five stolen bases. He started 34 games.
MAREK RISING:
Senior Andrew Marek broke out of a season-opening slump at Southern Illinois (March 13-15) to help the Sioux take their first Division I series win. Marek opened the campaign 2-for-30 (.067), but has since been one of the most consistent hitters in the Sioux line-up. He is batting .371 (26-for-70) since the second game at Southern Illinois and has hit safely in 15 of 17 games.
Marek has all of his team-leading eight doubles during that stretch and has added 12 of his 13 RBI. Since his sluggish start, Marek has seen his batting average rise to .283 - the fourth best among the Sioux regulars.
SEVEN HEAVEN:
The Fighting Sioux offense has a goal of scoring seven runs in each game this season. The feat has been achieved in 10 games, including three of the last four. It is no coincidence that all eight of UND's victories this season have come when the team reaches that goal.
LUECK EYES LAKERS HEAD COACH ON UND "K" LIST
The next player senior Mike Lueck (Victoria, Minn.) will pass on the UND career strikeout list is former Sioux legend Phil Jackson. The two-sport star has gone on to one of the most illustrious coaching careers in the NBA, but before he made his way as a professional on the hardwood, Jackson was a hurler for the Fighting Sioux as well.
The righthander fanned 125 in his two-year baseball career at UND from 1965-66, putting him just one ahead of Lueck, who has moved into the top 10 this season. Lueck is currently ninth after fanning five on April 4 at Valpo.
Lueck has also moved into the top 10 in another category this season after tossing the 10th complete game of his UND career against Kansas on March 3. He nearly added to that list at Valpo, going nine-plus innings in a 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Crusaders.
BAUMY KEEPS GOING AND GOING:
Sophomore Brandon Baumgartner (Coon Rapids, Minn.) logged the most innings by a starting pitcher in a Division I game this season on April 10 against Valpo. The lefthander tossed 10.2 innings in what turned out to be a 2-1 loss to the Crusaders in 12 innings. He allowed only one earned run on five hits. Only two of those five hits came after the third inning.
Indiana's Eric Arnett is the only other pitcher in Division I this season to reach the 10-inning mark in a start. The Hoosier righthander accomplished that feat a day after Baumgartner in a complete-game victory over Illinois.
For his efforts against the Crusaders, Baumgartner was the first Sioux hurler to earn the Great West Pitcher of the Week award this season. Three Sioux sluggers have taken home league Player of the Week honors.
MVC MASTER:
In three starts against Missouri Valley Conference schools this season, sophomore Derek Biermaier (3-3) has posted a pristine record of 3-0 and a 4.56 ERA. The righthander leads the Sioux with those three wins and notched his first career complete game in his last start at Bradley on April 3.
Against the Braves, Biermaier went the distance, allowing only three earned runs on seven hits, while striking out four batters. Biermaier also recorded a win in a Friday night start against Southern Illinois on March 13. In that contest, he went eight innings in leading the Sioux to an 8-7 victory.
In his March 6 start at Missouri State, Biermaier came within one out of recording his first collegiate complete game. Facing 2008 All-American Tim Clubb, he logged a then career-high 8.2 innings to pick up his first collegiate win in a thrilling 10-7 triumph for the Sioux.
ROSS REWARDS:
Redshirt freshman Daniel Ross (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) is paying immediate dividends to the UND line-up since he was inserted as the starter at third base against Creighton on March 25. Ross has hit safely in 11 of 13 starts and is batting .321 on the season.
In UND's 21-1 drubbing of Concordia in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, Ross went 3-for-5 with his first career homer, two doubles, four runs scored and three RBI.
FROM BOTTOM TO TOP:
Sophomore Josh Lagein (Devils Lake, N.D.) is enjoying a nice start to his second season with the Sioux. Through 29 games, he ranks second on the team with 25 runs scored and is sixth in batting average (.265; 30-for-113). Lagein, who has 14 RBI, moved up to the lead-off spot for the second game against Kansas after batting ninth in the first five games for the Sioux this season.
Each of the team's eight wins have come since Lagein made the move from the bottom of the order to the top. All this is a nice improvement for Lagein, who made 30 starts a year ago, but only batted .174. A fine defensive outfielder as well, Lagein already has 78 putouts in centerfield for the Sioux.
MISSOURI VALLEY ANYONE:
The Sioux will play in the Great West Conference next season, but are spending their first season at the Division I level as an independent team. In the meantime, the club is getting a feel for what it is like to be a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
UND has already played weekend series against a trio of MVC foes and a two-game set at Creighton. The Sioux have posted a 5-7 record, holding their own against the Bluejays as well as Bradley, Missouri State and Southern Illinois. UND picked up its first series win at the Division I level by taking two of three from the Salukis. The MVC tour is not quite over for the Fighting Sioux. In all, UND will play five of the league's 12 members this season. The Sioux have a four-game weekend series scheduled at Northern Iowa May 8-10 to conclude their season.
NICE TO MEET YOU:
With its move to Division I this season, the Fighting Sioux will be playing a host of new teams in 2009. Of the 16 different teams on the schedule, seven will be first-time opponents. That bunch includes a trio of teams from the Big 12 conference (Nebraska, Kansas and Kansas State), two from the Missouri Valley Conference (Missouri State and Southern Illinois) along with New Mexico State (WAC) and Dakota Wesleyan (NAIA).