THIS WEEK
The University of Mary baseball team makes their long-awaited season debut with a four-game set in Denver, CO, on Feb. 28-March 1. Originally scheduled to play a trio of games against Colorado Christian University, the Marauders are now playing two split doubleheaders with both CCU and Metro State College – Denver of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
The Marauders open their two-day four -game series at 11 AM MT / noon CST on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Metro State University of Denver Roadrunners. Immediately following the UMary-MSUD game, the Marauders face the CCU Cougars. Thursday concluded with a game between the Cougars and the Roadrunners. On Friday, March 1, the schedule remains the same for UMary as the Marauders face the host Roadrunners at 11 AM MT / noon CST before taking on the Cougars. All five games will be played at the Regency Athletic Complex.
 
RECORDS
The Marauders have yet to play this season… Metro State University of Denver is 4-4, with three of the wins coming over the University of Sioux Falls from the Northern Sun… Colorado Christian is 3-7 overall.
 
FRESH START FOR MARAUDERS
A new era truly begins this week when new Marauders head coach Mark Moriarty takes his first UMary lineup card to home plate on Thursday. A first time collegiate head coach, Moriarty was brought on board last summer fresh off a national championship at Augustana University, where he served as associate head coach and pitching coach for the Vikings.
 
The seventh Marauders baseball head coach, Moriarty has coached at a variety of levels, including at the Northwoods League, The Perfect Game League, NCAA Division II and III. A student-athlete at the College of Saint Scholastica, Moriarty played professional baseball with the Saint Paul Saints of the American Association. In 14 seasons as a collegiate coach and player, Moriarty's teams have always had a winning record.
 
VETS
The Marauders have 13 seniors and nine juniors on their 44 player roster. UMary returns eight out of the nine Marauders who saw the most action in the field last year last year.
 
PAYAN, BIELEJSKI NSIC PLAYERS TO WATCH.
Right fielder and senior Jesus Payan is the Marauders returning leading offensive player. In his first season with the Marauders the senior right fielder from Chihuahua, Mexico, slashed .335/.388/.432 and led the team in hitting, slugging, runs scored (25), RBIs (25) and doubles (9)… Charlie Bielejeski is the Marauders Pitcher to Watch. The senior righthander from Blaine, MN, struck out 22 hitters in 33.2 innings last year, making 12 appearances and four starts. The Marauders look for Bielejeski to man a key spot in the starting rotation.
 
BACK ON THE ATTACK
Other returning senior starters include infielders Darius Barlas (.273/.318/.370) and Nick McCann(.331 OB%), catcher Connor Doll (.289/.386/.388) and Chris Scott, a Gold Glove-winning outfielder who also led the team with two saves. Another dual threat, senior pitcher/first baseman Travis Stevens paced the UMary offense in on base percentage (.394) and the pitching staff in innings pitched (44) and strikeouts (24). Look for Barlas to start at 3^rd, senior Daulton Sauce at shortstop, Stevens at first, Doll at catcher, Scott in left and Payan in right. Junior Jaxon Ford returns as the starter in center and McCann, freshmen Braeton Wixo and Chris Thedinga and junior Joey Monosmith in the fight for second.
 
MOUND PRESENCE
Senior lefty Colin Gudereit picked up a pair of wins, a save and posted 5.50 ERA to lead the starting staff after transferring to UMary last year. Additionally senior pitchers Alec DeMaria and Ian Fisher (15 appearances) are back as seven of the Marauders top 12 pitchers in innings return. Junior righty Will Karrer returns as the top reliever, posting two wins, a save and a 3.68 ERA in a team-high 16 outings in 2018.
 
Expected to start on the bump for the Marauders are Gudereit, sophomore Andy Brooks and newcomers Parker McRae and Jonathan Draheim. Stevens and transfer Zach Martin look to grab the midweek starts. Bielejeski is slated for high-leverage relief situations with DeMaria, Fisher, Travis Holte and Quentin Evers handling bullpen duties.
 
UPCOMING
As soon as the Marauders complete their trip to Colorado the squad is heading to Florida for seven games between March 5-9… The UMary Northern Sun opener is on the road against the University of Sioux Falls on March 16… The Marauders home opener is April 3 when Concordia-St. Paul comes to Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, ND… The 2019 NSIC Baseball Tournament will take the top eight teams in the final NSIC Standings. The double elimination tournament takes place May 8-11 at the MAC in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
 
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