THIS WEEK
Back on the road after a well-deserved weekend off, the University of Mary baseball team faces another big challenge with a visit to Metropolitan State University of Denver for a four-game non-conference series on Friday and Saturday, March 13-14. The Marauders and the Roadrunners will play a pair of doubleheaders beginning at 1 pm CT/12 noon MT. Game one each day is scheduled for nine innings with game two a seven-inning contest. The games will be played at the Assembly Athletic Complex in Denver.
 
SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT FOR MSU DENVER SERIES
Originally slated for play over three days, the UMary 4-game baseball series at MSU Denver has been condensed to two days with a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, March 13-14. First pitch both days is 1 pm CT/12 noon MT. The series was set for single games on Friday and Sunday with two games on Saturday but inclement weather on the docket for Sunday forced the changes to the series.
 
SPENCER TAKES OVER ALL-TIME WINS LEAD AT UMARY
UMary head coach Tanner Spencer became the all-time winningest coach in Marauders baseball history in a doubleheader sweep of #9 Minnesota State University on February 28. Tied with Steve Legrand (121 wins from 1997-2001) entering the Northern Sun doubleheader, a pair of wins pushed Spencer to the top of the all-time wins list with 123 victories. Spencer took over the Marauders program prior to the 2020 season and is in his seventh season at UMary.
 
Spencer has directed the Marauders to at least 20 wins in each of the previous five seasons. UMary never had a 20-win season in NCAA play until 2021. The Marauders tied their NCAA high for wins last season with 24 while setting a new high for NSIC wins with 20.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Visit www.GoUMary.com/coverage for available links to live video and stats… Games at MSU Denver are pay per view steams on the RMAC Network.
 
TICKETS
Tickets for Marauders home games will be available for purchase online beginning next week at www.UMaryTickets.com and via the HomeTown Fan App for iOS and Android mobile devices. Tickets will also be available at the gate. Fans who purchase tickets online at www.UMaryTickets.com and on the HomeTown Fan App receive a discount over tickets purchased at the gate.
 
Baseball Ticket Prices – Online

• Adult tickets $10 plus fees
• Seniors and Youth (ages 13-18) $5 plus fees
• Children 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5 plus fees
• UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE. Children ages 12 and younger with an adult are admitted FREE. If children 12 and under unaccompanied by an adult the admission fee is $5 cash | $5 + fees with credit card.

 
Baseball Ticket Prices – At the gate

• Adults tickets $15 cash | $15 + fees with credit card
• Seniors and Youth (aged 13-18) $10 cash | $10 + fees with credit card
• Children 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5 cash | $5 + fees with credit card.
• Both cash and credit card payments will be accepted at the UMary ticket gate.
• UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE. Children ages 12 and younger with an adult are admitted FREE. If children 12 and under unaccompanied by an adult the admission fee is $5 cash | $5 + fees with credit card.

 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 5-7 overall this season and 2-4 in the Northern Sun… The Roadrunners are 13-5 overall and 4-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  
 
HISTORY
The Marauders are 3-7 all-time against the Roadrunners in a series first played in 2019… MSU Denver won the first five games… UMary has won three of the last five games… the two teams have split their four-game series last year… in the last meeting UMary rallied from an 8-1 deficit to win 13-10 as Krece Papierski hit a home run and drove in four runs.
 
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE
When UMary face MSU Denver this weekend, it will be the third of four teams the Marauders have faced who have received national recognition this season. Opening weekend foe Rogers State is currently #24 in the ABCA poll. Minnesota State was ranked #9 when the Marauders played the Mavericks. The Roadrunners have been ranked as high at #18 this season. Additionally Sioux Falls was picked to finish 5^th in the NSIC in the preseason poll… Entering Friday's games at MSD Denver the Marauders combines opponents have a record of 41-25.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders split a series with #9 Minnesota State University in a four-game neutral site series played in Maryville, MO. The Mavericks captured the first two games 13-1 and 17-11. UMary rebounded the next day to sweep a doubleheader from Minnesota State for the first time in program history. Isaac Pegors drove in three runs and the Marauders bullpen allowed one run in four innings for a 7-6 NSIC win. UMary finished the day with a 17-7 win over Minnesota State in the non-conference game that featured five lead changes and two ties. A 2-run single by Kalem Haney in the sixth inning gave the Marauders a 7-6 lead before UMary overwhelmed MSU with ten runs in the seventh inning. Bryce Leafgren drove in five runs and scored twice.
 
HISTORY
UMary made program history in a doubleheader sweep of #9 Minnesota State. In a series that started in 2007, the Marauders swept a twin bill from the Mavericks on February 28, 2026, for the first time in the 27^th doubleheader between the two teams.  
 
PICK IT
The Marauders have played stellar defense this season, ranking first in the Northern Sun and 50^th in NCAA D2 with a fielding percentage of .970. UMary has committed just 13 errors on the season in 12 games.
 
STOP THIEF
Teams are refusing to run against UMary backstops Cru Walker and Marcus Butts. Opponents have stolen just six bases in 14 attempts, a success rate of 42.9% by opposing baserunners. The next lowest percentage in the NSIC? A 60.0% success rate against Minnesota Crookston. Walker has been especially excellent at throwing out runners. The Bismarck, ND, native has gunned down six of nine runners attempting to steal when Walker has been behind the plate.
 
HARD TO HIT
The Marauders pitching staff allows just 8.1 hits per nine innings, the 20^th fewest hits/nine in NCAA D2 and 2^nd fewest in the NSIC.  
 
PUNCHOUT
Lucas Burgum is racking up the strikeouts this season. The junior righthander is striking out 13.2 batters per nine innings to rank 11^th in the nation. Burgum fanned eight in 5.0 innings at Rogers State, nine in 5.0 innings against Sioux Falls and five in 5.0 innings against #9 Minnesota State.
 
IN CONTROL
Aiden Johnson has been tremendous filling the strike zone. The senior righty owns a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 13.2 and a walk/nine innings ratio of 0.73. Both totals are 8^th in NCAA D2. Over the course of 12.1 innings Johnson has struck out 11 and walked one batter.  
 
LEADERS

• Leadoff hitter Kalem Haney is having another tremendous season. Climbing towards the top of the career leader boards in hits, doubles and runs scored, the senior 2B is hitting .368/.545/.474 with a 1.019 OPS. He has scored 12 runs, hit four doubles, drove in six and stole four bases.
• OF Luke Rhee leads UMary with 13 hits and in batting. He has a line of .394/.429/.455 for a .884 OPS.
• OF Isaac Pegors has driven in 11 runs in 12 games and owns a line of .261/.358/.413 with a double and two home runs.
• OF/1B Bryce Leafgren is leading the Marauders power production with 13 RBIs and four home runs. The senior is batting .231/.392/.538 for a .930 OPS.  
• Lucas Burgum has gone 5.0 innings in all three starts and leas UMary in innings (15), strikeouts (22), WHIP(1.13), and ERA (5.40)
• Aiden Johnson has allowed one walk and struck out 11 in 12.1 innings.
• Ryan Chamberlain owns a 5.68 ERA over 12.2 innings with 8 Ks and four walks.
• Cole Smith leads the team in wins with three, picking up all three victories in relief. The sophomore has a yet to allow a run in 7.0 innings. He has given up two hits, walked six and struck out five.

 
WELCOME BACK

• The Marauders return 24 players who saw action for UMary last season, including 13 pitchers and 12 position players (So. RHP Cullen Wilson appears in both counts as he also played in the field)
• Eight every day regulars are back for the Marauders, including 11 of the team's top 13 in total at bats from 2025
• Nine returners started at least 19 games in the field last year and six made 37 or more starts
• On the mound 13 of the Marauders 20 pitchers who saw action last season remain on the squad, including pitchers who made 33 of UMary's 51 starts
• The Marauders return three All-NSIC Players: OF Isaac Pegors (1^st team 2025), OF/1B Bryce Leafgren (2^nd team 2025) and MI Kalem Haney (1^st team 2025)
• Haney is a 4-year starter in the middle infield for UMary with a lifetime slash line of .316/.42/.482
• Senior Bryce Leafgren slashed .344/.468/.620 with 11 home runs in his first season as a starter in 2025
• Senior Kieran Gaffney returns after starting all 51 games last season at 3B in his first season at UMary
• Senior Hank Griffin started 48 games last season and is back to play shortstop
• Senior Luke Rhee is back for a second season at UMary after starting 37 games for the Marauders
• Senior Cru Walker (27 starts) and sophomore Marcus Butts (25 starts) will tag-team catcher again for UMary
• Aiden Johnson (2) and Ryan Chamberlain (1) combined to throw all three of the Marauders complete games and shutouts last year. They threw a combined 122 innings and both made 12 starts to lead the UMary pitching staff.
• Sam Hayen returns after posting seven saves and two wins

 
CHAMBERLAIN NAMED NSIC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
A lockdown performance by Ryan Chamberlain on opening weekend earned the Marauders senior righthander Northern Sun Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time in his career. Chamberlain pitched six shutout innings of relief in the Marauders 15-inning 5-1 win at Rogers State University. Entering the game in the sixth inning with the game tied 1-1, the Laramie, WY, native limited the Hillcats to two hits and a walk as he retired 18 of the 21 batters he faced. Chamberlain stuck out five as he allowed only two baserunners to reach as far a second base… This is the second time Chamberlain has earned NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors. He was previously honored March 17, 2025, after throwing a 9-inning complete game shutout in an 8-0 win at Concordia-St. Paul. He also won regional and national honors for his effort against the Golden Bears.
 
PEGORS NAMED NSIC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR, D2BASEBALL AND NCBWA PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Isaac Pegors, the reigning conference player of the year, is the 2026 Northern Sun Baseball Preseason Player of the Year. The Marauders All-American becomes the first UMary baseball scholar-athlete to earn NSIC preseason player of the year accolades. Pegors also earned 2026 Preseason All-American honors from D2Baseball and NCBWA.
 
Pegors broke school records with 18 home runs and 65 runs batted in during the 2025 season. In 47 games the Bismarck, ND, native led the NSIC in slugging percentage (.795) and OPS (1.287). He hit .398 with 10 doubles and scored 42 runs.
 
The first UMary player to earn NSIC Player of the Year honors, Pegors was selected as a 3rd team All-American by both D2CCA and NCBWA to become the Marauders first NCAA All-American and the second All-American overall in program history. The Legacy High School product also received All-Region honors from CCA, ABCA/Rawlings and NCBWA and was selected to the All-NSIC first team.
 
Additionally Pegors is the first UMary baseball player named to the Academic All-America first team as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC).
 
JOHNSON SELECTED UMARY PITCHER TO WATCH FOR NSIC
After an impressive first year at UMary in 2025, Aiden Johnson is back for his senior season to again headline the Marauders rotation. The 6-foot-6 right hander from Westminster, CO, pitched two complete game shutouts last season, including a 2-0 shutout of defending champion Augustana to win NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors. Johnson finished the season 5-4 with a 4.62 ERA in 12 starts covering 62.1 innings. He struck out 44 and walked just 17 to post a 1.36 WHIP.
 
UMARY PICKED TO FINISH 7^th IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
The Marauders are projected to finish in seventh place in the 2026 NSIC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll, which would once again qualify the team for postseason play. UMary has earned a berth in the Northern Sun tournament the last two seasons and four of the last five.
 
BY THE NUMBERS | 2025 SEASON REWIND
24 - UMary tied the NCAA program record for wins in a season with 24, matching the Marauders previous best mark from 2022
 
20 - The Marauders set a program record for single season Northern Sun win with 20, surpassing the previous high of 19 set last season (2024).
 
20-20-20-20-20 – UMary has won at least 20 games in each of the last five seasons, all under the direction of head coach Tanner Spencer. The Marauders never had a 20-win season in NCAA play until 2021.
 
18 + 65 - Isaac Pegors set Marauders programs records with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs in 2025. ns and runs batted in. He broke the old record of Derek Shoen (14 home runs in 2022) and Josh Walker (54 RBIs in 2023).
 
206 + 153 – 2x All-NSIC performer Noah Hull broke the school records for career hits (206) and career RBIs (153). The previous records were 198 hits by Cal James and 141 RBIs by Jeff Wedul and Tyler Liffrig.
 
$2.2 million – Artificial turf made its debut at Municipal Ballpark last season, part of a $2.2 million renovation to UMary's home field.
 
26 + 26 + 8 + 7 + 5 – UMary set a school record for most RBIs (26) and hits (26) in a 26-22 win at Missouri Western while tying the record for runs scored… Rhett Chisholm drove in a school record eight runs… Carter Shin set the team NCAA single game record by reaching base safely seven times (3 hits, 3 walks, 1 hit by pitch)… Bryce Leafgren tied team NCAA single game record with five hits (7th time in team history, last done by Josh Walker vs. Sioux Falls in 2024).
 
5 - Krece Papierski (at SMSU) and Bryce Leafgren (at Missouri Western) both tied the school NCAA record with five hits in a game.
 
2025 WEEKLY HONORS

• Ryan Chamberlain was the NSIC and the NCBWA Central Region and National Pitcher of the week after striking out ten in a 9-inning shutout of CSP. He allowed three hits and no walks in an 8-0 win.
• Aiden Johnson was the NSIC Pitcher of the Week in 2-0 complete game win over Augie.
•  OF Isaac Pegors bashed his way to Northern Sun Baseball Player of the Week honors while breaking a pair of Marauders season records in the process. In the span of four games last week, Pegors blasted four home runs, drove in ten runs and scored nine times as the Marauders won four out of five games and moved into sixth place in the NSIC standings. The sophomore from Bismarck, ND, went 9-for-15 with a slash line of .467/.600/1.267 and an OPS of 1.867.

 
ISAAC PEGORS HONOR ROLL 2025

• 2025 Academic All-America® NCAA Division II baseball first team as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
• 2025 Northern Sun Player of the Year
• 2025 D2CCA All-American 3rd team outfielder
• 2025 NCBWA All-American 3rd team outfielder
• 2025 ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region 1st team outfielder
• 2025 NCBWA All-Central Region 1st team outfielder
• 2025 D2CCA All-Central Region 1st team outfielder
• 2025 All-NSIC 1st team outfielder
• NCBWA Central Region Player of the Week
• NSIC Player of the Week (1)
• UMary single season home run record (18)
• UMary single season runs batted in record (65)

 
LEAFGREN ALL-NSIC 2^nd TEAM
Bryce Leafgren earned All-Northern Sun 2^nd team honors in 2025 after a breakout campaign during his junior season. He hit .342 while smashing 10 home runs. The Eaton, CO, native posted a .624 slugging percentage and a .482 on-base percentage to give him an OPS of 1.106. Leafgren ranked 6^th in the NSIC in OPS, 7^th in on-base percentage, 9^th in slugging percentage and 10^th in home runs.
 
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