THIS WEEK
Home for the first time this season, the University of Mary baseball team hosts Southwest Minnesota State University in a Northern Sun clash on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21, with doubleheaders both days at Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, ND. First pitch on Friday between the Marauders and the Mustangs is set for 1:30 pm. Saturday is a 12 noon start.
 
The first three games are Northern Sun contests. The fourth game is a non-conference meeting.  
 
OPENING WEEKEND SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT FOR UMARY-SMSU SERIES
In order to take advantage of temperatures projected to reach the 70s on Friday and the 60s on Saturday, the UMary opening weekend home series with Southwest Minnesota State University was moved forward a day. The four-game set between the Marauders and the Mustangs will be played Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. The games were originally slated to be played Saturday and Sunday.  
 
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.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 6-10 overall this season and 2-4 in the Northern Sun… The Mustangs are 13-7 overall and 3-6 in the NSIC. 
 
HISTORY
The Marauders are 15-30 all-time against the Mustangs in a series that started in 2007… SMSU holds a record of 15-8 in games played against the Marauders in Bismarck/Mandan… Four of the last six meetings in North Dakota between the two teams were played in Mandan… UMary claimed 2-of-3 games played last year in Marshall… The Marauders have won four of the last six meetings between the two teams.  
 
MARAUDERS TOP NCAA TOUGHEST SCHEDULE RANKINGS
UMary has played the most difficult schedule in NCAA Division II this season. The NCAA Toughest Schedule Report lists the Marauders opponents with a winning percentage of 0.721. The next closest team? CSU Pueblo with an opponent's winning percentage of .686.  
 
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE
The Marauders have played an incredibly difficult schedule this season. Three of the four teams UMary has faced have received national recognition this season… Opening weekend foe Rogers State University currently 15^th in the ABCA poll. Minnesota State was ranked #9 when the Marauders played the Mavericks and are now #23 in the ABCA rankings. Metropolitan State University of Denver was ranked as high at #18 this season and are receiving votes. Additionally Sioux Falls was picked to finish 5^th in the NSIC in the preseason poll. Including this weekend's foe Southwest Minnesota State University, the Marauders opponents have a combined record of 73-32.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Visiting a dynamic Metropolitan State University of Denver team, UMary picked up one win and had a chance for two more. After dropping the opener 5-3, the Marauders claimed an 11-6 win as both Kalem Haney and Isaac Pegors slugged two home runs each. Pegors slammed a 2-run blast in the sixth inning to break a 6-6 tie. Haney, who opened the game with a solo home run, hit a 3-run shot in the 7^th to seal the win… On Saturday the Roadrunners rallied for a pair of walk-off wins, 11-10 and 9-8. Bryce Leafgren had a double and home run in the opener and Haney added three hits. The Marauders scored the first eight runs in game two with Mason Saint Hilarie and Rhett Chisholm homering in the first inning. Luke Rhee had three hits and Leafgren added two more.
 
PICK IT
The Marauders have played stellar defense this season, ranking first in the Northern Sun and  41^st in NCAA D2 with a fielding percentage of .971. UMary has committed just 16 errors on the season in 16 games.
 
STOP THIEF
Teams are refusing to run against UMary backstops Cru Walker and Marcus Butts. Opponents have stolen just 12 bases in 21 attempts, a success rate of 57.1% by opposing baserunners. The next lowest percentage in the NSIC? A 70.7% success rate against Minnesota Crookston. Walker has been especially excellent at throwing out runners. The Bismarck, ND, native has gunned down seven of 13 runners attempting to steal when Walker has been behind the plate.
 
HARD TO HIT
The Marauders pitching staff allows just 8.98 hits per nine innings, the 53^rd fewest hits/nine in NCAA D2 and 3^rd fewest in the NSIC. 
 
PUNCHOUT
Lucas Burgum is racking up the strikeouts this season. The junior righthander is striking out 10.7 batters per nine innings to rank 76^th in the nation. Burgum fanned eight in 5.0 innings at Rogers State and nine in 5.0 innings against Sioux Falls. The Mandan, ND, native has gone at least 5.0 innings in all four starts, including six innings at MSD Denver.  
 
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. Through March 19, 2026, Spencer has 124 wins 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.
 
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 .392/.536/.608 with a 1.144 OPS. He has scored 16 runs, hit five doubles, two home runs, drove in ten and stole four bases.
• OF Luke Rhee is second on UMary with 16 hits. He has a line of .340/.404/.383 for a .787 OPS.
• OF Isaac Pegors has driven in 14 runs in 14 games and owns a line of .264/.371/.509 with a double and four home runs.
• OF/1B Bryce Leafgren is leading the Marauders power production with 17 RBIs and five home runs. The senior is batting .286/.414/.607 for a 1.021 OPS. 
• Lucas Burgum has gone at least 5.0 innings in all four starts and leads UMary in innings (21), strikeouts (25), WHIP(1.21), and ERA (5.57)
• Aiden Johnson has allowed three walks and struck out 11 in 13.1 innings.
• Ryan Chamberlain has a 1.42 WHIP over 19.0 innings with 15 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 8.1 innings. He has given up four hits, walked six and struck out six.
• Jacob Burgess owns a 0.00 ERA after 6.1 innings of relief. He has allowed just four hits with two walks and struck out five.

 
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.
 
WELCOME BACK FOR 2026

• 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

 
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.
 
BASEBALL TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
Tickets for University of Mary baseball home games are now available for purchase online at www.UMaryTickets.com and via the HomeTown Fan App for iOS and Android mobile devices.
 
Baseball tickets are also 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.
 
UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE.
 
Additionally 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 or $5 + fees with credit card.
 
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

 
Baseball Ticket Prices – At the gate

• Adult 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.

 
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