THIS WEEK
The University of Mary opens a 14-game home stand when Bemidji State University comes to town for a quartet of Northern Sun contests on Sunday and Monday, April 6-7. First pitch between the Marauders and Beavers on Sunday is 6:30 PM at the Shiloh Christian baseball field. Monday's doubleheader starts at 12 noon at the U-Mary baseball field. In a midweek tilt, the Marauders host #3 Minnesota State University on April 9 at 1:30 PM on campus.
 
THE RECORDS
Entering the weekend, U-Mary is 7-17 overall and 2-6 in the Northern Sun. The Beavers are 8-9 and 2-2. Prior to facing Augustana, the MSU Mavericks are 21-4 and 9-1 in the NSIC.
 
DATE, SITE CHANGE FOR BEMIDJI STATE SERIES
Due to a blizzard early in the week and snowfall late, the Marauders and Beavers pushed their weekend series back one day with a site change for the first two games. Originally a Saturday-Sunday four-game set, the series now begins on Sunday, April 7, at 6:30 PM with a site change to the Shiloh Christian baseball field. The Monday, April 7, twin bill remains steady at 12 noon on the U-Mary campus.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Live stats for Marauders home games are available at http://www.goumary.com/coverage. Depending on field conditions, live video may also be available for the Bemidji State series. Please check the previous link.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders went 2-4 last week, dropping 3-of-4 at home to Winona State University before splitting a pair of midweek games at Wayne State College.
 
14
The Marauders are scheduled to play their next 14 games at home. From March 26 through April 27, U-Mary is scheduled to play 24 of 28 games in Bismarck.
 
HISTORY
The Marauders are 12-9 against Bemidji State University since beginning NCAA and Northern Sun play in the 2007 season. The Marauders are 8-6 at home against the Beavers and 4-3 on the road. After a site switch last season, U-Mary claimed 3-of-4 games in Bismarck… U-Mary is 3-18 against Minnesota State University since the 2007 season, including a 1-7 record at home and a 2-3 mark in neutral parks.
 
LEAGUE LEADERBOARD
The Marauders are towards the top of the Northern Sun in several offensive categories. U-Mary leads the league in walks (104) and hit by pitch (32), are third in triples (8) and stolen bases (36), fourth in runs scored (131), runs batted in (112) and hits (206), and sixth in on base percentage (.386) and total bases (251). U-Mary hitters also leads the league in strikeouts (165) and second in caught stealing (15).
 
HOT STREAK
2B Austin Grundstad has been on fire the last five contests, posting multiple hit games in all five outings. During this run the senior from Williston, N.D., is 13-of-22 with four doubles and a triple. He has scored 10 runs, drove in eight, walked three times and scored a base. Grundstad's best performance was a 4-for-5 effort with a walk, four RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base in U-Mary's 15-13 win over Winona State. In the midweek doubleheader at Wayne State he was 4-for-7 with four runs scored, three RBI, a double, a triple and two walks. On the season he had 12 multiple hit games in 24 contests. Grundstad leads the team with a .375 batting average, 22 runs scored, 36 hits and seven doubles. He has a .469 slugging percentage and a .445 on base percentage with 15 RBI and five stolen bases. Grundstad's hot streak has pushed his career average up to .305. In the NSIC he ranks 16^th in average, 19^th in on base percentage, ninth in runs scored, seventh in hits, fifth in doubles and tenth in total bases.
 
CAREER DAY
After 27 straight relief appearances, Sam Salveson was dominant in his first career start for the Marauders. Converted from team closer for a midweek contest, the senior right hander tossed a complete game in a 9-1 Marauders win at Wayne State College. Salveson tossed all seven innings, allowing just one run, five hits and three walks while striking out two. He lowered his team-best ERA to 1.76, covering 11 games and 15.1 innings this season. Through the first three innings, Salveson faced just ten hitters. The Wildcats never had more than one hit in any inning and no more than two baserunners. The victory was the third in his career.
 
GUN THE RUN
Senior catcher Sam Ingemansen is one of the top catchers in the Northern Sun in throwing out baserunners. During one recent stretch he eliminated six straight base stealers and 8-of-11. For the season the Bismarck, N.D., native has thrown out 16-of-38 attempted base stealers.
 
OUCH
U-Mary's most dynamic offensive player is paying the price for producing. Junior left fielder Jason Shaul leads the NSIC in being hit by the pitch and is 15^th in the country in hit by pitch per game. In 24 games he has been hit 11 times. Shaul is currently hitting .351 with a .506 slugging percentage and a .505 on base percentage. He has scored 18 times and has 16 RBI. Shaul has six doubles and a team-high three triples. He ranks 27^th in the country in triples and is 42^nd in on-base percentage.


FRESHMEN FINDS
Freshman outfielders Trenton Hove and Raymond Williams III have had a strong performances over the last week. In his last four games, Hove is 6-of-15 with six runs scored. He had a perfect 3-for-3 game in the win at Wayne State, scoring three runs. Williams had a 3-for-4 outing in the win over Winona State, scoring twice and hitting a double and a triple.
 
SLUMP BUSTER
After going through a 2-for-15 slump and missing the starting lineup for just the second time all season, freshman Andrew Beyer bounced back with a 3-for-5 performance at Wayne State. Beyer is hitting .292 with a .386 on base percentage. His 15 RBI are among the team leaders.
 
NATION'S BEST
The Marauders opened the season with six straight games against nationally-ranked teams. U-Mary lost all four games at St. Mary's to start the year. Ranked 15^th at the time, the Rattlers are now 3^rd in the NCBWA March 11 poll. Barry University was ranked 18^th when it faced U-Mary. After rising as high as 16^th, Barry fell out of the poll last week. Lynn University was 21^st when it faced U-Mary and is now ranked 13^th.
  
PATIENCE
Utility man Dwight Mack is second in the NSIC in walks with 15 and is 40^th in the country in walks/game with .75. The sophomore from Mandan, N.D., has to pay close attention to the lineup card to figure out where he is playing. So far this season Mack has caught, played first and third and served as the Marauders designated hitter. The transfer from North Dakota State is hitting .308, slugging .400, and has an on base percentage of .439.


SWIFT AND STRONG
Senior 1B/DH Derek Somerville has displayed both timely hitting and impressive baserunning this season. The Minot, N.D., native leads the Northern Sun in steals, swiping 10 bases in 13 attempts. Twice he has two steals in a game. He also leads the NSIC in walks with 17. Hitting in the middle of the order, Somerville is 14th in RBIs with 17.
 
DIALING IT IN
U-Mary's starting shortstop since arriving on campus four years ago, Alex Deyle is now fifth in games played during U-Mary's NCAA era (2007 and on). A senior, Deyle has played in 153 games and has started 151 times. He is fifth in hits (122) and sixth in runs scored (66). One of the top defensive players in the league, the Bismarck native has committed just two errors this season in 99 chances and has a .980 fielding percentage.
 
NEXT WEEKEND
The Marauders will host Upper Iowa on April 12-13 in a four-game Northern Sun series.