THIS WEEK
The University of Mary baseball team closes out their 2026 home schedule with five straight games at Municipal Ballpark.
 
UMary first hosts Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26. First pitch for a Senior Day doubleheader on Saturday is set for 1:30 pm. The 3-game Northern Sun series wraps up on Sunday with a single 9-inning contest at 12 noon.
 
The last week of the regular season opens with a visit from Bemidji State University for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 28. Game one between the Marauders and Beavers starts at 1:30 pm.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Visit www.GoUMary.com/coverage for available links to live video and stats.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 27-15 overall this season and 20-9 (3^rd place) in the Northern Sun… The Golden Bears are 20-24 and 15-17 (9^th) in the NSIC… Prior to a 4-game weekend series with visiting Minot State University, the Beavers are 9-29 and 6-21 (15^th) in the NSIC.
 
SENIOR DAY
The Marauders will honor 14 seniors following the Saturday, April 25, doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul. Playing their final season for the Blue & Orange are Kalem Haney, Cru Walker, Luke Rhee, Hank Griffin, Riley Pearce, Mikey Ramirez, Kieran Gaffney, Bryce Leafgren, Sam Hayen, Aiden Johnson, Adam Golby, Ben Zehr, Andrew Linn and Ryan Chamberlain. Haney, Walker, Leafgren and Chamberlain have all played four seasons for UMary.   
 
BEK SPORTS TO AIR UMARY-BSU BASEBALL LIVE ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA
BEK Sports will air the Marauders-Beavers baseball game live across North Dakota and all the BEK TV streaming options on Tuesday, April 28. Check www.BEK.tv for how to view the game in your location.
 
CHAMPIONS OF THE BADLANDS
The Marauders finished a perfect 5-0 against their fellow North Dakota NCAA Division II Northern Sun competitors. UMary took all three games this season against Minot State University and swept two games against the University of Jamestown.
 
HISTORY LESSON
The Marauders are 16-33 all-time against the Golden Bears. The series began in 2007 when UMary joined the Northern Sun. After sweeping all four games in 2025, the Marauders have won 7-of-8 games and are 10-4 in the last 14 games… Since joining the NSIC for the 2007 season UMary owns a 27-22 series lead against Bemidji State University. UMary has won the last eight games. Dating back to 2016, the Marauders have won eight straight games over the Beavers in Bismarck.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders captured two home wins against Minnesota Crookston April 15 by scores of 5-3 and 13-6. Ryan Chamberlain threw a complete game in the opener and Isaac Pegors homered in each game… UMary claimed 2-of-3 games against Minnesota Duluth April 19-20. After dropping the opener 4-2 the Marauders followed with 14-4 and 7-5 wins. The Marauders scored five runs with two outs in the 14-4 win as Andrew Linn (5 RBIs) and Isaac Pegors (4) combined to drive in nine runs. In the 7-5 win UMary scored three times in the eighth on a wild pitch, a dropped fly ball and a Bryce Leafgren run-scoring single. Ryan Chamberlain picked up his second win of the week with two scoreless innings of relief… UMary swept the University of Jamestown 10-7 and 15-3 on April 22. UMary scored the first five and the last five runs of the game – including four in the seventh inning -  to rally for the win in the opener. Mikey Ramirez led the Marauders with a double and a home run. Isaac Pegors hit a home run and drove in five and Michael Fagerland struck out eight in six innings – both career-highs – in the game two win.
 
UMARY CRACKS NCAA CENTRAL REGION POLL FOR FIRST TIME
For the first time in program history, the University of Mary baseball team has earned a spot in the NCAA regional rankings. In the first NCAA Division II Central Region rankings for 2026, the Marauders are one of ten schools to be listed as under consideration for tournament play.
 

• Teams are listed in alphabetical order for the first ranking of the season.
• UMary is 5-6 against teams listed in the Central region rankings. The Marauders opened with a 1-3 trip at Rogers State University, split four games with Minnesota State University and took 2-of-3 against Augustana.
• The NCAA Central Region is made up of teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Great American Conference (GAC). Automatic bids are awarded to the tournament champions from each conference with the final five spots awarded on an at-large basis.
• The championship preliminary round competition provides for 16 regional sites that consist of either 3-team or 4-team, double-elimination tournaments. The winners of these regional-round competitions advance to a super-regional round that consist of two teams competing in a best-of-three series.
• Teams in the region rankings are (in alphabetical order): Ark.-Monticello, Augustana, Central Mo., Emporia St., UMary, Minnesota State, Mo. Southern St., Northwest Mo. St., Pittsburg St., and Rogers St.

 
MARAUDERS POST NCAA PROGRAM RECORD FOR WINS
With the Marauders 7-5 win over the Bulldogs, UMary broke the programs NCAA era wins record with the team's 25^th victory of the season. Since beginning NCAA and Northern Sun play in 2007, the previous high total for wins in a season was 24 (2025 and 2022)… The Marauders now take aim at the program's all-time record of 30 wins, set in 2002. UMary reached 29 wins in both 1999 and 2000.   
 
UMARY TIES PROGRAM NSIC WINS MARK
With a 15-3 win at the University of Jamestown on Wednesday, the Marauders picked up their 20^th Northern Sun win of the season to match their NSIC season total from 2025.
 
MARAUDERS EARN ACBA NCAA POLL RECOGNITION FOR 2^ND STRAIGHT WEEK
For a second straight week and the second time in program history, UMary is listed as receiving votes and under consideration for the 2026 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division II Baseball Coaches Poll released April 21.
 
PEGORS NAMED NSIC, NCBWA CENTRAL REGION PLAYER OF THE WEEK
An explosive hitting performance by University of Mary outfielder Isaac Pegors earned the Bismarck, ND, native Northern Sun and National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Central Region Baseball Player of the Week accolades. This is the second time in his career he has won both awards and the first time winning those honors in 2026… Pegors blasted home runs in all four Marauders wins during the week and had both a hit and scored a run in all five games. Over the course of the five home games, the Legacy High School product went 8-for-16 at the plate with a double and four home runs. He scored nine runs, delivered 11 RBIs and posted a line of .500/.619/1.313 and an OPS of 1.932. He also walked four times and didn't strike out… In a doubleheader sweep of the University of Minnesota Crookston, Pegors homered, scored twice and drove in two runs in both games. In a 14-4 win over the University of Minnesota Duluth, the right fielder was 4-for-4 with a double, a home run, three runs scored and four RBIs. He also walked twice. In the series finale, Pegors blasted a 3-run home run in a 7-5 win over the Bulldogs.
 
MARAUDERS TOP NCAA TOUGHEST SCHEDULE RANKINGS
UMary has played the most difficult schedule in NCAA Division II this season. The NCAA Toughest Schedule Report through April 15 lists the Marauders past opposition with a winning percentage of 0.632. The next closest team? Bloomsburg with an opponent's winning percentage of .629. 
 
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE
The Marauders have played an incredibly challenging difficult schedule this season. Four UMary opponents are receiving national recognition this season:

• Opening weekend foe Rogers State University currently 5^th in the ABCA poll
• Minnesota State was ranked #9 when the Marauders played the Mavericks and are now #17 in the ABCA rankings
• Metropolitan State University of Denver was ranked as high at #18 this season and is now receiving votes
• Augustana ranked #14 when the Marauders claimed the series win and are now receiving votes in the ABCA poll

 
HARD TO HIT
The Marauders pitching staff allows just 9.05 hits per nine innings to rank 43^rd in fewest hits allowed/nine in NCAA D2 and the 3^rd fewest hits allowed in the NSIC. 
 
HANEY CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS
Kalem Haney is closing in on the Marauders all-time record for hits in a career. The senior second baseman has 198 in his career to tie Cal James for 2^nd place. Noah Hull leads in career hits with 206… Haney ranks first in runs with 160 and is fourth in doubles with 41 (James is 1^st with 48).
 
POWER PLAY
Isaac Pegors and Bryce Leafgren are battling for the team lead in home runs. Pegors has 13 round trippers with Leafgren right behind with 12. The combined 25 home runs ties for the second-most by a duo in school history. The record is 29 by Pegors (18) and Leafgren (11) last season. In 2024 Noah Hull (13) and Carter Beck (12) had 25, matching the total of Hull (13) and Derek Shoen (12) in 2023… Pegors now is tied for the 3^rd most home runs in a single season while Leafgren is 6th.
 
FINISH WHAT YOU START
Marauders pitchers have thrown five complete games this season. Lucus Burgum has finished two of his starts and has thrown at least five innings in all nine of his appearances. Ryan Chamberlain also owns two complete games and Aiden Johnson has one this season.
 
STOP THIEF
Teams are struggling to run against UMary backstops Cru Walker and Marcus Butts. Opponents have stolen just 44 bases in 64 attempts, a success rate of 68.8% by opposing baserunners. The next lowest percentage in the NSIC? A 71.2% success rate against Minnesota Crookston. Walker has been especially excellent at throwing out runners. The Bismarck, ND, native has gunned down 15 of 34 runners attempting to steal when Walker has been behind the plate.
 
PUNCHOUT
Lucas Burgum is racking up the strikeouts this season. The junior righthander is striking out 9.51 batters per nine innings. Burgum fanned a season-high nine against Sioux Falls and eight against both Rogers State and Wayne State College. The Mandan, ND, native has gone at least 5.0 innings in all eight starts, including a 7-inning complete game against SMSU to win NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors and a complete game effort at Winona State… Burgum is 46^th in NCAA D2 in hits allowed per 9 innings (6.96) and 41^st in WHIP (1.13).
 
NO WALK ZONE
Ryan Chamberlain ranks 23^rd in NCAA D2 in walks allowed/nine innings (1.74) and 28^th in strikeouts/walks (4.45). Chamberlain has limited opponents to 63 hits and 11 walks while striking out 49 in 57 innings.
 
STINGY
Reliever Cole Smith has allowed two earned runs this season. In 13 games over 18.1 innings Smith has a 4-1 record with five saves and 16 strikeouts. He has held opposing batters to 11 hits.
 
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 April 24, 2026, Spencer has 145 wins at UMary.
 
Spencer has directed the Marauders to at least 20 wins for six straight seasons. UMary never had a 20-win season in NCAA play until 2021, Spencer's first full season. The Marauders have set a new NCAA-era high for wins this year and have tied the program's high for NSIC wins with 20.
 
LEADERS

• Leadoff hitter Kalem Haney is having another tremendous season. Climbing towards the Marauders career leader boards in hits, doubles and runs scored, the senior 2B is hitting .383/.500/.495 with a .995 OPS. He has scored 34 runs, hit six doubles, two home runs, drove in 14 runs and stole five bases.
• In the midst of a 12-game hit streak, OF Isaac Pegors has driven in 51 runs and scored 40 times in 40 games. He owns a line of .342/.443/.664 with eight doubles and 13 home runs.
• OF/1B Bryce Leafgren is having another stellar season. The 2025 All-NSIC player has 47 RBIs and 12 home runs. The senior is batting .333/.459/.645 for a 1.104 OPS. 
• SS Hank Griffin is hitting .326/.438/.507 with nine doubles, a triple and five home runs. He has scored 33 runs and driven in 21.
• 3B Kieran Gaffney is 4^th on the team with 33 runs scored. The senior is hitting .293/.360/.357 and has 23 RBIs.  
• C/1B Marcus Butts is hitting .354/.450/.512 for a .962 OPS. The sophomore owns eight doubles. He has scored 36 runs as has four home runs and 21 RBIs.
• Lucas Burgum has gone at least 5.0 innings in all nine starts. In 53 innings he leads the team in strikeouts (56), WHIP (1.13), and ERA (3.74)
• Aiden Johnson has allowed eight walks and struck out 30 in 38.1 innings with a 1.36 WHIP
• Ryan Chamberlain has a 1.30 WHIP over a team-leading 57 innings. The senior leads the teams in wins and is 4-1 with two saves, 49 Ks and 11 walks.  
• LHP Justin Hanson has 31 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. 
• Cole Smith leads the team in wins (4) and saves (5) with all four victories coming in relief. The sophomore has allowed two earned runs in 18.1 innings. He has given up 11 hits, walked nine and struck out 16.
• Jacob Burgess owns a 3.00 ERA after 15 innings of relief. He has allowed 19 hits with seven walks and nine strike outs.

 
2026 MARAUDERS HONORS

• Ryan Chamberlain was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week the opening week of the season. He 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 in his career, the only Marauder to win NSIC pitching honors twice in a career.
• Lucas Burgum was the NSIC Pitcher of the Week for a 5-1 complete game win over Southwest Minesota State in his first career home start for UMary. Burgum limited SMSU to two hits, a walk and an unearned run over seven innings. The Mandan, ND, native struck out six hitters and allowed just five baserunners. After SMSU took advantage of a pair off UMary errors to score an unearned run in the first inning, Burgum closed out the win by throwing six scoreless innings. Only one bitter reached base over the last four innings.
• Ryan Chamberlain was named the NSIC Pitcher of the Week April 7 after he earned a win and a save in the same week, becoming the first UMary pitcher to win the honor twice in one season. Chamberlain opened the week with a 7-inning complete game 11-1 win at Northern State University. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter while limiting the Wolves to one run and six hits. Four days later the senior from Laramie, WY, picked up the save in the Marauders 7-2 win over #14 Augustana to give UMary its first-ever series win against the Vikings. Entering the game in the sixth inning with one out, two runners on base and UMary leading 2-0, Chamberlain struck out both batters he faced to end the Augie threat. He pitched 3.2 innings to earn his second save of the season, striking out three, walking one and allowing two runs and five hits… For the week, Chamberlain pitched 10.2 innings over two games, struck out eight and allowed three earned runs.

 
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.
 
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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