THIS WEEKEND
The University of Mary baseball team has a tall task in front of themselves when the Marauders visit defending NCAA Division II champion Augustana in a four-game set on Saturday and Sunday, March 23-24. The Marauders and the Vikings will play a pair of doubleheaders starting at 12 noon each day at Karras Park, home of Ronken Field, on the Augie campus in Sioux Falls, SD. Note that the first three games are Northern Sun games with the second game on Sunday a non-conference contest.
 
NSIC WEEKEND FORMAT CHANGES
In a scheduling change new to the Northern Sub this season, all weekend NSIC series will be three-game sets. The first day consists of a doubleheader consisting of one 7-inning game and one 9-inning game. The final game of the series will be a 9-inning game. All weekday doubleheaders continue to feature one 7-inning and one 9-inning game.
 
RECORDS
The Marauders are 7-9 overall and 4-1 in the NSIC. After one week the Marauders are currently tied for 3^rd in the league.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders opened Northern Sun play by winning four straight games. Forced to move the NSIC opener from Sioux Falls, SD, to Quincy, IL, the Marauders swept a three-game set from the University of Sioux Falls 4-1, 5-2, 4-3… In a midweek twin bill against Upper Iowa University played in Bettendorf, IA, the Marauders and the Peacocks split. UMary won the opener 12-7 before UIU responded with an 8-5 win in game two.
 
HOMECOMING
UMary head coach Mark Moriarty is in his first season with the Marauders. Last season he was the pitching coach and associate head coach at Augustana, helping the Vikings win the 2018 NCAA Division II championship. This will be the first time Moriarty has faced the Vikings.
 
FOUR
The Marauders won four straight games during a 3-game sweep of USF and a win in the opener against Upper Iowa. It was UMary's longest win streak since claiming four straight non-conference games in April 2014.
 
SWEEP
The 3-game sweep of Upper Iowa was the Marauders first two-day NSIC series sweep since 2008 and first doubleheader sweep since 2017.
 
ECLIPE
With seven wins overall and four NSIC victories, the Marauders have already eclipsed last year's totals in both categories.
 
SHUT DOWN PERFORMANCE
UMary pitchers dominated the series sweep over Sioux Falls. In 25 innings of work over three games, the Marauders held the Cougars to 10 hits and six runs (four earned), striking out 31 and walking 16. The bullpen was particularly dominant. UMary relievers earned three saves against USF, allowing three hits and one unearned run in 13 innings, striking out 18 and walking eight.
 
 
 
IMPACT
Parker McRae is off to an impressive start with the Marauders. The junior transfer from Miles Community College owns two of the UMary wins and leads the NSIC with an incredible earned run average of 0.96. In 18.2 innings he has struck out 19 and has allowed 14 hits, 11 walks and four runs (two earned). His record is 2-1.
 
IMPACT II
Also off to a strong start is Zac Martin, a transfer from Bismarck State College. The junior righthander has a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 innings. In 14.1 innings he has 12 strikeouts and has allowed 15 hits and six walks.
 
GREAT SCOTT
Starting left fielder Chris Scott has played a couple key roles for the Marauders. In addition to hitting towards the top of the Marauders lineup, the 2018 Gold Glove winner also has served as the UMary closer. In three games he has two saves. He has thrown 2.1 innings and has yet to allow a hit. Scott has struck out five and walked two. His .339 on base percentage is fourth on the team and he is third in runs scored with seven.
 
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Sr. INF Darius Barlas hit a home run in three straight games, going yard in the final two games against USF and the first game against Upper Iowa. He is hitting .294/.333/.490 with three home runs and 12 RBIs, both team-leading figures. Barlas also had four steals.
 
FAST START
Freshman Braeton Wixo has entrenched himself into the starting lineup at shortstop. The Moorhead, MN, native is hitting .326/.392 /.500 to lead UMary in batting average and slugging while sitting second in on base percentage. He also leads the team with five doubles and owns one home run, five RBIs and six runs scored.
 
WHIFF
Andrew Brooks is second on the Marauders pitching staff with 16 strikeouts in just 11.2 innings. He punched out nine Sioux Falls hitters in six innings of a win over the Cougars, tying Parker McRae for a single-game high.
 
12 K POWER PLAY
Marauders pitchers have combined to strike out 12 hitters in a game three times. The last time the UMary staff reached that level was the final game of the 2016 season when Jake Johnson struck out 13 Minnesota Duluth hitters.
 
PICKING IT UP
The Marauders are in the middle of the pack in the NSIC with a fielding percentage of .959. Last season UMary was last in the league with a mark of .941.
 
UP NEXT
The Marauders travel to Wayne State College for a midweek doubleheader on March 27 before taking the following weekend off.
 
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