BISMARCK, N.D. – After more than a month swinging bats inside cages, pitching off mobile mounds, sliding on hard floors and looking for short popups in the fluorescent lights in the ceiling of the Leach Field House, the University of Mary baseball team is finally getting outdoors to grass, dirt and sunshine.
 
The Marauders open their 2016 season in Florida this week, playing 10 varsity and seven junior varsity games in the span of eight days. The varsity schedule begins with a single game against Point Park (PA) University on Friday, February 26, before playing the Pioneers in a doubleheader on Saturday, February 27.
 
U-Mary's varsity squad also plays doubleheaders against Tiffin (OH) University and Gannnon University and single games versus Lewis University, West Virginia Wesleyan College and the University of Findlay.
 
The junior varsity schedule begins against Augustana (IL) College on February 25.
 
Two of the Marauders most anxious for the start of the season are U-Mary's leadoff and 2-hole hitters.
 
Andrew Beyer, the Marauders centerfielder and leadoff hitter, was limited to 32 game starts last season due to injury. The junior from Fargo, N.D., led the Marauders with a tremendous .470 on base percentage and nine steals and scored 16 runs.
 
Senior all-conference performer Jason Shaul missed all of last season with an injury, leaving a large hole in the U-Mary lineup. The infielder-outfielder crushed the ball as a junior in 2015, hitting .381 with a .485 on base percentage and a .556 slugging percentage. The New Ulm, Minnesota, native hit 14 doubles, four triples, drove in 36 runs and scored 42 times. In his two seasons at U-Mary, Shaul is a career .363 hitter with a .462 on base and .552 slugging percentage.
 
The Marauders roster features 22 players who saw action last year. Among 13 upperclassmen, including seven seniors, six saw considerable action in the field while three others held key roles in the rotation.
 
Early on the Marauders look mostly to returning experience with some newcomers mixed in. Sophomore Will Pettener (Hamilton, Ontario) and freshman Travis Stevens (Las Vegas, Nevada) will hold down first base. Sophomore Seth Meide (Wahpeton, North Dakota) returns to second base from an injury that cost him the last few weeks of the season. Shaul also may see time at second. Newcomer Brad Meyer, a junior from Pierz, Minn., will play third and pitch. A.J. Schaefbauer, a sophomore from Rapid City, South Dakota, also will work his way onto the hot corner.
 
At shortstop, senior Mason Schiff (Dickinson, North Dakota) and freshman Daulton Sauce (Sioux City, Iowa) will split time.
 
In the outfield, Shaul, Beyer and junior Drew Feuerbach (Omaha, Nebraska) will get significant time each. Stevens may also play some right field.
 
Two returners will cover catcher, sophomore Tom Imholte (St. Cloud, Minn.) and senior Sean Hennen (Chanhassen,Minnesota). Imholte posted a .370 on base percentage last year and Hennen knocked home a team-high 25 runs.
 
The designated hitter slot will be filled by several players, including Meyer, Pettener and sophomore newcomer Ryo Tekenaka (Richmond, British Columbia).
 
 Back for his fourth season in the starting rotation is McKeon Meyhoff, a senior lefthander from Hazen, North Dakota. Junior Nicholas Stobbe (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is in his third year starting while sophomore Jake Johnson (Cambridge, Minn.) is in his second. After serving as a reliever last year, senior Zach Steckler (West Fargo, North Dakota) moves back to the rotation. Also fighting for starts is Meyer, a newcomer, and sophomore Austin Ell (Delta, British Columbia), who made some midweek starts last year.
 
Getting the first opportunity to close out games are three sophomores, Takenaka, Kenny Slominski (Colorado Springs, Colorado) and Travis Holte (East Grand Forks, Minn.). Slominski was among the conference leaders in appearances with a school-record 28.
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