MINOT, ND - The Minot State Beavers baseball team is set to host the University of Sioux Falls this weekend for a 3-game NSIC series at Corbett Field in Minot, North Dakota. The series kicks off with a single game on Friday, April 11, at 11:00 am. Game two and three are slated for Saturday, April 12, with the first game starting at 1:30 pm, and the second game starting soon after the conclusion of the first game.
Heading into the weekend, Minot State holds an overall record of 13-17 with a conference mark of 8-14, placing them 12th in the current NSIC standings. Their opponent, the University of Sioux Falls, enters the series with an overall record of 16-20 and a conference tally of 12-10, sitting at 7th in the NSIC. Sioux Falls is coming off a NSIC series split against Augustana in their most recent NSIC action, and the Beavers are also coming off a NSIC series split against the University of Minnesota Crookston.
In the all-time series between the two programs, Minot State leads with a record of 22-13. The last meeting came on April 14, 2024, when Minot State earned an 18-12 win.
Offensively, Sioux Falls brings a lineup into the weekend with a team batting average of .296, an OPS of .835, and 30 home runs so far this season. Key contributors at the plate include Mitch Iliff, Isaac Bonner, and Nolan Drossel, who are hitting .363, .361, and .345 respectively.
Minot State's bats enter the series with a team batting average of .297, an OPS of .811, and 24 home runs on the year. Leading the offense are
Brent Riddle,
Michael Williamson, and
Connor Hill, with current batting averages of .382, .362, and .360.
On the mound, Sioux Falls holds a team ERA of 8.16 with opposing hitters batting .323. Their pitching staff is led by Logan Anderson, Jake Ammann, and Jake Pruchniak, who hold ERAs of 5.77, 9.23, and 6.89 respectively. Dylan Immel leads the team in saves with 3.
For Minot State, the pitching staff has compiled a team ERA of 8.52 and an opponent batting average of .334. Key arms in the rotation include
Hayden Bode,
Jacob Thompson, and
Noah Balandran. They've recorded ERAs of 6.28, 7.00, and 4.05, while closer
Ayden Sauerbrei leads the Beavers with 4 saves.
Following the 3-game NSIC series against the University of Sioux Falls, the Beavers hit the road for a midweek NSIC doubleheader against the University of Mary on Tuesday, April 15, in Bismarck, North Dakota, with game one starting at 1:30 pm and game two to follow.
