DATE, LOCATION CHANGE FOR MARAUDERS-WARRIORS SERIES
With the home field playing conditions for the University of Mary baseball team not quite yet ready for competition, the Marauders will play their Easter weekend series at Winona State University in Winona, MN, after a site reversal.
 
The Marauders and the Warriors will play a pair of Northern Sun doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, March 29-30. Friday's start time is 1 pm with Saturday's games commencing at 12 noon.
 
The 4-game 3-day series was originally slated for Bismarck, ND, on March 28-30.
 
MARAUDERS TO HOST BLUE HAWKS IN HOME OPENER APRIL 2 AT 12 NOON AT SANFORD SPORTS COMPLEX
The University of Mary will play their first home game of the 2024 season when the Marauders host Dickinson State University on Tuesday, April 2, at the Sanford Sports Complex baseball diamond. First pitch is 12 noon for the single 9-inning non-conference game.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Live video and stats are provided for University of Mary home games and Northern Sun contests, plus most non-conference games. Visit www.GoUMary.com/coverge for available links.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 10-9 overall and 6-4 (5^th place) in the Northern Sun… The Warriors are 9-13 overall and 6-6 in the NSIC (7^th place).
 
LAST WEEK
UMary split a pair of road games at 1^st place Wayne State College. Lukas Frers pitched a 3-hit complete game in a 6-1 win in the doubleheader opener. The Marauders scored twice in the 6^th, taking a 2-1 lead on a single by Noah Hull to score Josh Walker. Walker sealed the win with a 3-run home run in the seventh inning. The Wildcats rallied to win game two 12-9. Carter Beck drove in three runs for UMary and Hull and Michael Polson both had two hits and two RBIs.  
 
BOOM
UMary leads NCAA Division II in home runs/game (2.32)… The Marauders are 10^th in NCAA D2 and 1^st in the NSIC in home runs (44) in just 19 games… UMary is second in the nation in slugging percentage (.613).
 
RUNS GALORE
The Marauders are 10^th in NCAA D2 and 2^nd in the NSIC in runs per game (9.6).
 
BECK BITES
The NCAA D2 leader in home runs/game, RBIs/game and slugging percentage, freshman Carter Beck is off to an incredible start to his collegiate career. The outfielder from Carnduf, Saskatchewan, is hitting .449/.524/.957 with a 1.481 OPS. In 17 games he has scored 24 runs, has four doubles, two triples and nine home runs with 34 RBIs. Beck ranks highly in several categories in NCAA Division II:

• 1^st in home runs/game (.53)
• 1^st in RBIs/game (2.00)
• 1^st in slugging percentage (.957)
• 3^rd in hits/game (1.82)
• 12^th in runs/game (1.41)
• 17^th in batting average (.449)
• 53^rd in on base percentage (.524)

 
NCAA RANKINGS
In addition to Carson Beck several other Marauders also rank in the Top 50 of NCAA Statistics:
Kalem Haney

• 3^rd triples/game (.21)
• 65^th Hits per game (1.53)

Noah Hull

• 28^th Home runs/game (.37)
• 40^th hits/game (1.58)
• 64^th Slugging percentage (.729)

Michael Polson

• 47^th hits/game (1.56)
• 56^th slugging percentage (.730)

Dylan Edmands

• 49^th runs/game (1.25)

 
Team Rankings

• 1^st in Home Runs/Game (2.32)
• 2^nd Slugging Percentage (.626)
• 6^th home runs (42)
• 10^th Scoring (9.6 runs/game)
• 10^th Doubles/game (2.42)
• 11^th triples/game (.47)
• 17^th in Batting Average (.329)
• 40^th Fielding Percentage (.971)
• 44^th on base percentage (.421)

 
THE BATS

• Playing a combination of positions this season, Michael Polson is hitting .378/.429/.730 for a 1.159 OPS. He has seven doubles, two triples and five home runs with 19 runs scored and 20 RBIs.
• A triple machine with a team-leading four on the season, So. 2B Kalem Haney is hitting .363/.480/.563 with a 1.043 OPS. He is second on the team with 24 runs scored, owns 14 RBIs, and has five doubles and a home run.
• An All-NSIC DH last year as the Marauders home run leader, Noah Hull is playing 1B and is hitting .380/.451/.709 with a 1.160 OPS. Hull has seven home runs, scored 20 times and has driven in 22.
• Newcomer Dylan Edmands, a Sr. 3B who transferred from Liberty University, is hitting .323/.419/.565 (.984 OPS) with 20 runs scored, four home runs and 13 RBIs.
• Daniel Martin is third on the team with five home runs. The Sr. OF owns a slash line of .280/.393/.520 (.913 OPS. He has scored 18 times and driven in 14.

 
THE HILL

• Sr. RHP Paxton Miller leads the Marauders starters with a 5.01 ERA this season. He has 20 strikeouts in 23.1 innings, both team highs.
• Alec Danen owns a 2-1 record in his first season at UMary. The RHP from Sheboygan, WI, transferred to the Marauders from Viterbo University has a 5.21 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP in a team-best 19 innings.
• Mark Schommer has struck out 11 hitters in 5.0 innings of relief. He has yet to allow a run and owns the Marauders two saves.

 
FUNDAMENTALS
The Marauders have committed just 19 errors in 19 games for a .971 fielding percentage to rank 3^rd in the NSIC and 40^th in the country. UMary opponents have committed 36 errors and have a .946 fielding percentage.  
 
HOME / ON DECK
The Marauders will host Dickinson State on April 2 before a 4-game series at Augustana April 5-7.
 
HULL NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK MARCH 18
University of Mary first baseman Noah Hull earned Northern Sun Baseball Player of the Week honors March 18 after leading the Marauders to three wins in four games against Concordia-St. Paul. Hull led a Marauders offensive onslaught that hit 13 home runs and scored 48 runs in the weekend series. Hull slashed .562/.611/1.250 (9-of-17) for an OPS of 1.861 in four games. The senior from Scarborough, Ontario, had at least one hit in every game and recorded two doubles and three home runs while scoring seven runs and driving in six.
 
The 2023 All-NSIC second team designated hitter went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and three runs scored in an opening 16-15 walk-off win. He finished the series with two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored in the final game.
 
UMARY HOSTING 2024 NSIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
The 2024 NSIC Baseball Tournament features the top eight teams in the final NSIC standings. The eight-team double elimination NSIC Tournament takes place May 8-11, hosted by the University of Mary for  second straight season at Veterans Memorial/Municipal Ballparks in Mandan and Bismarck, ND.
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
THE RECORDS
UMary finished the 2023 season 23-27 overall and 16-19 in the NSIC.
 
WE'RE BACK
The Marauder return seven of their top nine players for plate appearances and five of their top ten in innings pitched. Key returners in the field includes:

• Jr. C Krece Papierski (.347/.439/.542 OPS .981) / 7 HR,  45 RBIs, 32 R
• Sr. 1B Noah Hull (.316/.432/.652 OPS 1.084) / 13 HR, 38 RBIs, 11 2B, 35 R
• Sr. INF Michael Polson (.294/.387/.419 OPS .806) / 36 R, 9 2B, 3 HR, 30 RBIs
• Sr. OF Daniel Martin (.290/.364/.444 OPS .808) / 35 R, 10 2B, 5 HR, 33 RBIs
• Sr. OF Josh Walker (.288/.355/.552 OPS .947) / 36 R, 10 2B, 9 HR, 54 RBIs
• So. 2B Kalem Haney (.288/.377/.436 OPS .813) / 43 R, 13 2B, 2 HR, 20 RBIs
• Sr. SS Kyle Jameson (.239/.340/.396 OPS .736) / 34 R, 8 2B, 2 HR, 26 RBIs
• Sr. C/DH Ben Prediger (.353/.493/.451 OPS .944) / 18 R, 1 HR, 13 RBIs
• R-Fr. INF Isaac Pegors
• So. C Cru Walker

 
Experienced pitchers returning for the Marauders include Sr. RP Mark Schommer (1.10 ERA, 4 saves), Ryan Chamberlain, Carson Fagan. Jaxon Zanolli, Paxton Miller (3-2 W-L), Jared Arnold, DJ Contreras and Joel McGrath.
 
NEW
The Marauders will feature two new players in the lineup:

• Dylan Edmands / Gr. / 3B / Regina, Saskatchewan / Arizona Western / Liberty University
• Carter Beck / Fr. / LF / Carnduff, Saskatchewan

 
Among the new faces expecting to contribute on the mound include:

• Lukas Frers / LHP / Sr. / Surrey, BC / Arkansas-Little Rock
• Alec Danen / RHP / Jr. / Sheboygan, WI / Viterbo University
• Kevin Millar / RHP / Jr. / Georgetown, ON / St. Thomas University
• Konnor Kirchoffner / RHP / So. / Burnsville, MN / North Dakota State
• Kayden Beauregard / P/UTIL / Sr. / Abbotsford, BC / Illinois State/Emporia State

 
2024 NSIC PLAYER TO WATCH
Noah Hull earned All-NSIC second team honors in 2023 at designated hitter. The senior from Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, blasted 13 home runs to just miss the school record of 14. Hull helped the Marauders hit 72 home runs as a team to obliterate the former school record of 51, set in 2022. Also a left fielder, Hull hit .316 with a .432 on base percentage and a .652 slugging percentage in his second season at UMary. He added 11 doubles and a triple, scored 35 runs and drove in 38.
 
2024 NSIC PITCHER TO WATCH
A right-hander relief pitcher from New Ulm, MN, Mark Schommer led the Marauders in saves with four in 2023. He also tied for the team lead in appearances (15), ERA (1.10) and WHIP (1.16). In 16.1 innings he struck out 15 and allowed just 12 hits and seven walks. A 2-time Northern Sun All-Academic Team member, Schommer earned CSC Academic All-District honors in 2023.
 
2024 NSIC PRESEASON POLL
The Marauders are picked to finish 9th in the NSIC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Augustana is the preseason favorite, followed by Minnesota State, St. Cloud State, Minnesota Crookston, Southwest Minnesota State, Wayne State, Minot State, Winona State, UMary, Sioux Falls, Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota Duluth, Northern State and Bemidji State.  
 
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