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WSC 2006-07 Baseball Press Releases

WILDCATS ADD TWO PITCHERS FOR 2008 SEASON

July 18-------Wayne State College head baseball coach John Manganaro has announced the addition of two pitchers for the 2008 season. Signing with the Wildcats are Jared Hegdahl of Howard, South Dakota (Marshalltown CC in Iowa) and Matthew Hilligas of Grand Island, Nebraska (Grand Island Senior HS).
Hegdahl, a 5-11, 200 pound pitcher, transfers to Wayne State after pitching two seasons at Marshalltown Community College in Iowa. Hegdahl struck out 35 batters in 41 innings pitched while recording three wins and one save this past season and ranked ninth in strikeouts in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference. Hegdahl also pitched for the Nashville Navigators in the Sandlot Baseball League in the summer of 2006. In high school, Hegdahl was a two-time All-State baseball player at Howard, South Dakota and was also an All-Conference basketball player in 2005.
Hilligas, a 6-0, 180-pound pitcher from Grand Island Senior High School, is a football and baseball standout for the Islanders. He was a three-year letter winner in football and a two-year letter winner in baseball, earning All-Heartland Conference honors in baseball while being selected to the Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal-Star All-State honorable mention teams. He helped Grand Island to a 22-5 record and a #1 seed to the Nebraska State High School baseball tournament last spring and became the first Grand Island pitcher to win a game at the state tournament.
Wayne State College is an NCAA Division II school located in Wayne, Nebraska and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Wildcats finished the 2007 season with a 37-16 record, qualifying for the NCAA Division II Central Regional for the fourth straight season and fifth time in the last seven years. Wayne State won the Northern Sun Conference regular season title with a 25-5 league mark.

NINE RECRUITS TO JOIN WAYNE STATE FOR 2008 SEASON

June 20------Wayne State College head baseball coach John Manganaro has announced the signings of nine recruits for the 2008 season. The group of nine players consist of five high school recruits and four junior college transfers. The high school signings include pitcher Alex DeLaet of Ralston, Nebraska; first baseman Alex Hicklin of Sioux City, Iowa; outfielder Jacob Hunke of Norfolk, Nebraska; pitcher Justin Kelly of Omaha, Nebraska and shortstopTravis Parsons of Loveland, Colorado. The four junior college signings include shortstop Seth Chadick of Wichita, Kansas; pitcher Eric Dye of Tulsa, Oklahoma; pitcher Tyler Gutierrez of Alliance, Nebraska and outfielder/pitcher Joshua Yost of Topeka, Kansas.
The following is a brief summary of the five high school signings:
Alex DeLaet of Ralston is a two-year starter and three-year letter winner in baseball and football at Ralston High School and joins older brother Ian DeLaet on the Wildcat roster. He helped his team reach the Nebraska State High School Baseball Tournament in 2006 and 2007 and played in the 2006 State Legion Baseball Tournament. This spring, the right handed pitcher struck out 33 batters in 36 innings while posting a 2-3 record with a 3.50 ERA to earn All-Nebraska honorable mention honors.
Alex Hicklin of Sioux City Heelan High School earned First Team All-Conference and Second Team Class 3A All-District honors at first base for the Crusaders in the 2006 season, hitting .443 as a junior. He helped Heelan to a 42-4 record and the Class 3A State Championship in 2005 as a sophomore. Hicklin also excelled in football at Sioux City Heelan, earning Second Team Class 3A All-State honors last fall as an offensive lineman. Hicklin joins teammates Mike Bisenius and Jeff Kerian, who signed with the Wildcats last fall.
Jacob Hunke of Norfolk is a three-year starter in the outfield at Norfolk High School, helping the Panthers reach the Class A District final in the spring hitting .459 with four home runs, five triples and 34 runs scored. He is a three-time Academic All-State selection in baseball and a two-time Academic All-State honoree in football. Hunke joins high school teammate Reid Lancaster, who signed with the Wildcat last fall.
Justin Kelly of Millard South High School in Omaha was a two-year starter for the Patriots. The left handed pitcher was 7-1 with 50 strikeouts in 2006 as a junior, helping Millard South post a fourth place finish at the Nebraska State Tournament. He played on the Class A State American Legion runner-up team last summer, falling to Lincoln Southwest in the title game. This spring, Kelly notched 41 strikeouts for Millard South.
Travis Parsons of Thompson Valley High School in Loveland, Colorado was a three-time All Northern Conference shortstop, hitting .433 as a junior. He was a four-year starter in baseball and a two-year starter in basketball and earned Academic All-State honors in both sports. Parsons was team captain two years in both sports and selected Most Valuable Player in baseball.
The following is a brief summary of the four junior college transfers coming to Wayne State College:
Seth Chadick (Cloud County CC) of Wichita, Kansas is a shortstop who comes to Wayne State via Cloud County Community College in Kansas. He was a three year starter in high school at Wichita Northwest High School, leading his club to three All-City championships. Chadick was named MVP of his high school team as a senior.
Eric Dye (Coffeyville CC) of Tulsa, Oklahoma played two years at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, helping his team to a 22-22 mark this past season. Dye was a three-time All Metro Lakes Conference selection in high school at Daniel Webster HS in Tulsa as a pitcher and outfielder, posting a career batting average of .405 while setting a school record with 18 strikeouts in one game.
Tyler Gutierrez (Colby CC) of Alliance, Nebraska played two seasons at Colby Community College in Kansas. The right handed pitcher was 2-0 this past season with a 3.26 ERA, striking out 27 batters in 30 innings pitched, helping Colby to a 33-23 record. In two years at the school, Gutierrez posted a 3-0 mark in 52 2/3 innings pitched. At Alliance High School, Gutierrez was a standout in football, wrestling and track. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in football, won the Class B 160 pound state title in wrestling in 2005 and was the school record holder in career wins with 115.
Joshua Yost (Cloud County CC) of Topeka, Kansas played two seasons at Cloud County Community College in Kansas as an outfielder/pitcher. He hit .300 in 47 games this past season and led the team in stolen bases as an outfielder. On the mound, he was 2-6 in 11 starts with a 5.28 ERA and three complete games. In high school, Yost was a two-year starter at Seaman High School in Topeka, winning the Class 5A State Championship as a junior and placing third at state as a senior. He was a two-time All-City selection and earned Second Team All-State honors as a senior.
Wayne State College is an NCAA Division II school located in Wayne, Nebraska and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Wildcats finished the 2007 season with a 37-16 record, qualifying for the NCAA Division II Central Regional for the fourth straight season and fifth time in the last seven years. Wayne State won the Northern Sun Conference regular season title with a 25-5 league mark.

TRAVIS MORTIMORE DRAFTED BY SEATTLE MARINERS IN 21ST ROUND

June 11------Former Wayne State College pitcher Travis Mortimore was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 21st round Friday afternoon on the second day of the 2007 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. The 6-5, 210 pound lefthander was the 645th overall pick of the draft and was one of just five left handed pitchers drafted by the Mariners in the 51-round draft.
Mortimore posted a 3-6 mark in 2007 with a 5.22 ERA in 12 starts for the Wildcats, ranking fifth in NCAA Division II in strikeouts per nine innings (11.8) after striking out 77 batters in 58 2/3 innings. He was named Second Team All-Northern Sun Conference and was selected NSIC Pitcher of the Week on April 10, 2007 after striking out 13 batters in just five innings of work in a 10-0 win over Northern State on April 6, 2007.
In 2006, Mortimore earned All-Central Region First Team honors after going 9-2 with a 2.07 ERA for the Wildcats, earning Northern Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year honors after striking out 79 batters in 74 innings of work.
Mortimore was 12-8 in his two seasons with Wayne State, posting a 3.47 ERA in 28 appearances. He struck out 156 batters in 132 2/3 innings in a Wildcat uniform with opponents hitting just .210 against the lefthander. Mortimore played his first two seasons at Colby Community College in Kansas before transferring to Wayne State.
Mortimore is the third Wildcat pitcher in the last 14 years to be drafted, joining Brady Borner (2001) and Jeff Lutt (1993), who were both drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Borner was a 31st round selection in 2001 with Lutt being taken in the 44th round by the Pirates in 1993.
Wayne State finished the 2007 season with a 37-16 record, qualifying for the NCAA Division II Central Regional for the fourth straight season and fifth time in the last seven years. The Wildcats won the Northern Sun Conference regular season title with a 25-5 league mark.

DUSTIN JONES NAMED FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN

May 29------Dustin Jones of Wayne State College has been selected Academic First-Team All-American by ESPN The Magazine as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American Team was released late Tuesday afternoon. It marks the second straight season that Jones collected the academic honor after being selected Third Team Academic All-American last season.
Jones, a senior outfielder from Dakota Dunes, S.D. (Sioux City Heelan HS), had a 3.76 grade point average majoring in business management and marketing. He finished the 2007 season with a .415 batting average for the Wildcats, setting a new school record with 73 runs scored. Jones leads NCAA Division II in runs scored per game at 1.55. and finished his career as the all-time hits leader at WSC with 276, career runs scored (236) and triples (16). He led the Wildcats this season in stolen bases (26), walks (29) and triples (5). Jones was a two-time NSIC First Team All-Conference selection and was selected to the 2007 NSIC All-Tournament Team.
Wayne State finished the 2007 season with a 37-16 record, qualifying for the NCAA Division II Central Regional for the fourth straight season and fifth time in the last seven years. The Wildcats won the Northern Sun Conference regular season title with a 25-5 league mark.

SCOTT BIDROSKI, DUSTIN JONES COLLECT ALL-AMERICAN HONORS

May 29--------Wayne State College baseball players Scott Bidroski and Dustin Jones have received All-American honors following their outstanding senior seasons with the Wildcats. Jones was a Second Team selection on the inaugural Daktronics All-America Baseball Team as voted on by sports information directors from across the country and was a Third Team All-American as selected by Rawlings and the American Baseball Coaches Association while Bidroski received Second Team All-American accolades from Rawlings and ABCA. It marks the fourth time in the last five years that a Wildcat baseball player has achieved All-American status, joining Travis McCarter and Brian Foy in 2003, Tim Richt in 2004 and Brian Van Driel in 2005.
Jones, a senior outfielder from Dakota Dunes, S.D. (Sioux City Heelan HS), finished the 2007 season with a .415 batting average for the Wildcats, setting a new school record with 73 runs scored. He leads NCAA Division II in runs scored per game at 1.55. Jones finished his career as the all-time hits leader at WSC with 276, career runs scored (236) and triples (16). He led the Wildcats this season in stolen bases (26), walks (29) and triples (5). Jones was a two-time NSIC First Team All-Conference selection and was selected to the 2007 NSIC All-Tournament Team. He also has earned back-to-back First Team Academic All-District VII honors from ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA and was a Third Team Academic All-American as a junior.
Bidroski, a senior shortstop from Omaha, Nebraska (Roncalli HS), led the Wildcats in home runs (12), hits, (75), RBI’s (64), total bases (131) and at bats (199) while hitting .377 this season. He finished his career as the all-time RBI’s leader at Wayne State with 192 and ranked second in career hits (267), career runs scored (183) and doubles (50). The two-time All-Northern Sun Conference selection led the NSIC this season in hits, ranked second in total bases, tied for second in RBI’s, third in home runs and was third in runs scored (53) for the Wildcats this season. Bidroski was a two-time NSIC Player of the Week this season (March 6 and April 23), a member of the 2007 NSIC All-Tournament Team and was selected to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Baseball First Team.
Wayne State finished the 2007 season with a 37-16 record, qualifying for the NCAA Division II Central Regional for the fourth straight season and fifth time in the last seven years. The Wildcats won the Northern Sun Conference regular season title with a 25-5 league mark.

FORMER WSC STANDOUTS DUSTIN JONES, CHRIS PEDROZA BEGIN MINOR LEAGUE CAREERS IN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION

May 25-----Former Wayne State College baseball players Dustin Jones and Chris Pedroza have earned roster spots on a pair of American Association minor league baseball teams recently. Jones was signed this week by the Sioux City Explorers while Pedroza has earned a roster spot for the 2007 season and is playing with the Lincoln Saltdogs.
Jones, a 6-1, 195 pound outfielder, recently finished his Wayne State career as the school’s all-time leader in hits (276), runs scored (236) and triples (16) and led NCAA Division II this season in runs scored per game at 1.60. He hit .415 this past season for the Wildcats, scoring 73 runs to set a new school record. Jones was a First Team All-Central Region selection at outfielder by Daktronics, Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association and NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America). He is a backup outfielder and designated hitter with the Explorers.
Pedroza, a 6-3, 210 pound catcher, is a 2006 graduate of Wayne State College and was a three-time All-Northern Sun Conference catcher while playing with the Wildcats from 2003-2006, helping WSC win four straight NSIC Tournament titles. He finished his Wildcat career with a .340 batting average and was a three-time NSIC All-Academic selection. The Omaha Westside graduate is one of three catchers on the Lincoln Saltdogs roster.

JONES, BIDROSKI AND MANAGANARO COLLECT POST-SEASON HONORS FROM RAWLINGS/ABCA AND NCBWA

May 21-------Wayne State College baseball players Dustin Jones, Scott Bidroski and Marc Manganaro have collected more post-season honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America. Jones was named to the Rawlings/ABCA All-Central Region First Team and NCBWA All-Central Region First Team as an outfielder, Bidroski earned First Team All-Central Region honors from Rawlings/ABCA at shortstop and was selected Second Team All-Central Region by NCBWA while Manganaro collected First Team All-Central Region honors as an infielder from Rawlings/ABCA.
Jones, a senior outfielder from Dakota Dunes, S.D. (Sioux City Heelan HS), finished the 2007 season with a .415 batting average for the Wildcats, setting a new school record with 73 runs scored. He leads NCAA Division II in runs scored per game at 1.6. Jones finished his career as the all-time hits leader at WSC with 276, career runs scored (236) and triples (16). He led the Wildcats this season in stolen bases (26), walks (29) and triples (5). Jones was a two-time NSIC First Team All-Conference selection and was selected to the 2007 NSIC All-Tournament Team. He also has earned back-to-back First Team Academic All-District VII honors from ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA and was a Third Team Academic All-American as a junior.
Bidroski, a senior shortstop/third baseman from Omaha, Nebraska (Roncalli HS), led the Wildcats in home runs (12), hits, (75), RBI’s (64), total bases (131) and at bats (199) while hitting .377 this season. He finished his career as the all-time RBI’s leader at Wayne State with 192 and ranked second in career hits (267), career runs scored (183) and doubles (50). The two-time All-Northern Sun Conference selection led the NSIC this season in hits, ranked second in total bases, tied for second in RBI’s, third in home runs and was third in runs scored (53) for the Wildcats this season. Bidroski was a two-time NSIC Player of the Week this season (March 6 and April 23), a member of the 2007 NSIC All-Tournament Team and was selected to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Baseball First Team.
Manganaro, a junior first baseman from Laurel, Nebraska, hit .337 for the Wildcats this season with four home runs and 54 runs batted in. He led the Wildcats in doubles (20) and hit by the pitch with 21, tying a school record. Manganaro ranked second on the Wildcats in stolen bases with 13 and runs scored with 59 and set a new school record with 430 putouts while fielding .985 at first base. He led the NSIC in doubles, ranked third in runs scored and was fifth in runs batted in and ranked 11th in NCAA Division II in hit by pitch per game at 0.41.
Wayne State finished the 2007 season with a 37-16 record, qualifying for the NCAA Division II Central Regional for the fourth straight season and fifth time in the last seven years. The Wildcats won the Northern Sun Conference regular season title with a 25-5 league mark.

WAYNE STATE BASEBALL SEASON ENDS WITH 10-3 LOSS TO UNO AT NCAA CENTRAL REGION TOURNAMENT

May 18-------The Wayne State College baseball season came to an end Friday afternoon at the NCAA Division II Central Region Baseball Tournament in Warrensburg, Missouri with a 10-3 loss to Nebraska-Omaha. The Mavericks used an eight-run fifth inning to take control of the game, snapping a 1-1 tie.
UNO took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Evan Porter doubled and scored on Brian Goliber’s RBI groundout to shortstop. The Wildcats tied the game in the fifth inning when Joe Wendte walked, advanced to second on Sean Soderberg’s bunt single, and then scored on Brian Sulzman’s single to left field.
But the Mavericks struck for eight runs in the fifth inning to take control of the game and grab a 9-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Chris Weimer’s two-run homer put UNO in front 3-1, chasing WSC starter Michael Donohoe. Weimer also added a two-run single later in the inning as the Mavericks sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs on eight hits with one WSC error.
UNO scored again in the seventh inning when Alex Kotera’s RBI single plated Casey Klapperich to give the Mavericks a 10-1 lead.
Wayne State scored two runs in the eighth inning as Dustin Jones singled to left field and scored on Scott Bidroski’s triple to right center field, making the score 10-2. Bidroski later scored on Alex Koch’s double to left field to account for the final run of the game.
Nebraska-Omaha finished with 15 hits in the game to six for Wayne State. Alex Kotera finished 4 for 5 with two RBI for the Mavericks while Evan Porter went 3 for 4 with two doubles and two runs scored.
UNO starting pitcher Josh Lundin (6-5) worked 7 2/3 innings to earn the win, striking out 12 Wildcat batters. He allowed three runs on six hits and walked three. Blake DeNoyer finished the game for UNO, retiring the final four batters in order with two strikeouts.
Wayne State’s top hitter was Brian Sulzman, who was 2 for 4 with a double and RBI. Scott Bidroski tripled and drove in one run while Alex Koch contributed an RBI double for the Wildcats. Dustin Jones had the other hit for WSC, a single, and scored one run for the Wildcats.
Michael Donohoe (5-2) was dealt the pitching loss for Wayne State, allowing three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four. Nick Schumacher, Ryan Kolo, Nathan Gettler and Adam McGuire worked in relief to close out the game for the Wildcats.
Wayne State finishes the 2007 season with a 37-16 record. It marks the fourth straight season that the Wildcats reached the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament and the fifth time in the last seven years that Wayne State has qualified for post-season play.

EMPORIA STATE DOWNS WAYNE STATE 6-2 IN CENTRAL REGION OPENER

May 17--------#4 seed Emporia State downed #3 seed Wayne State 6-2 Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Central Region Baseball Tournament in Warrensburg, Missouri. The 37-15 Wildcats were victimized by a couple of unusual plays in the first inning that set the tone early for the game as the red-hot Hornets posted their 11th win in their last 12 games, improving to 40-22 overall.
Emporia State’s Conner Crumbliss opened the game with a high chopper to WSC first baseman Marc Manganaro. After it appeared Manganaro made the tag, first base umpire Dave Aschwege ruled that Crumbliss was safe. The next batter, Brian Majors, reached on an error by Manganaro when he slipped on the infield making a play on Majors’ bunt. ESU’s Mark McBratney then singled to right field to load the bases for the Hornets. A single to center field by Keith Hernandez scored Crumbliss to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead, then ESU first baseman Matt Marasco grounded into a double play that brought in Majors to put Emporia State in front 2-0.
A solo home run by ESU designated hitter Nick Wolfe in the second inning gave the Hornets a 3-0 lead in the second inning. WSC struggled early against Emporia State starter Trent Lare as the Hornet starter retired the first six Wildcats in order. But WSC gained some momentum in the fourth and fifth innings to get back into the game.
Wildcat leftfielder Adam Hoffman singled to left field to open the fourth inning, advanced to second on Scott Bidroski’s groundout to shortstop, and scored on Alex Koch’s RBI single down the left field line to put the ‘Cats on the board, trailing 3-1 after four innings. In the fifth inning, Sean Soderberg singled to left field, advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt and throwing error by ESU pitcher Trent Lare, and then scored when Dustin Jones laced a single to left field, making the score 3-2. Adam Hoffman then singled to keep the inning alive and advanced to second, with Jones moving to third, on a wild pitch to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. But Scott Bidroski struck out to end the inning for the Wildcats.
However, Emporia State regained momentum in the sixth inning and scored three runs on four hits, chasing WSC starter Travis Mortimore, as the Hornets built a 6-2 lead. After Emporia State’s Nick Wolfe struck out to open the inning, Andy Anderson singled and Tim Barger doubled to put runners at second and third. Crumbliss laced a two-run double to right field that brought in Anderson and Barger to make the score 5-2, then McBratney’s single to left-center field drove home Crumbliss to give Emporia State a 6-2 lead. In the Wayne State bottom of the sixth, Manganaro and Koch opened the frame with singles, but were left stranded and that would be the final threat mounted by the Wildcats as Emporia State starter Trent Lare didn’t allow a hit the rest of the way as the Hornets posted the 6-2 win.
“We were put on our heels early in the game by a couple of misfortunate plays and that is tough to overcome,” said a frustrated WSC head coach John Manganaro following the game. “They (Emporia State) had just won the MIAA (Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) Tournament on this field and they got the momentum early in the game and that hurt us.
On the play at first base to open the game, Manganaro said, “First of all, the ball was foul, then the runner is out of the base line and then he tells our player that he was tagged on the play. Then our player slips on a wet infield on the next play and they have all the momentum.” Despite the shaky start, Manganaro was quick to point out that Emporia State is a club playing well at the right time of the season and that his team never gave up. “They (Emporia State) are a great team and very-well coached. We came back and made it a game and I thought Connor Bramlet did a great job of pitching in relief and kept us in the game.”
Emporia State finished with 11 hits in the game to Wayne State’s seven. All but one starter had one hit or more for the Hornets, led by Mark McBratney, who was 3 for 4 with one RBI. Conner Crumbliss finished 2 for 5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Trent Lare (9-3) pitched a complete game win for the Hornets, allowing two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
For Wayne State, Adam Hoffman and Alex Koch each went 2 for 4 with Hoffman scoring one run and Koch recording an RBI. Dustin Jones was 1 for 4 with an RBI while Manganaro and Soderberg also recorded hits for the Wildcats. Starter Travis Mortimore (3-6) was tagged with the pitching loss, allowing six runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Connor Bramlet pitched strong in relief, allowing three hits and no runs with five strikeouts and no walks in 3 2/3 innings to finish the game for the Wildcats.
Wayne State now faces an elimination game on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in the six-team, double-elimination tournament as the Wildcats face Nebraska-Omaha. The Mavericks opened the tournament Thursday with a 4-1 win over top-seed and North Central Conference rival Minnesota State.

DUSTIN JONES NAMED FIRST TEAM DAKTRONICS ALL-CENTRAL REGION - SCOTT BIDROSKI NAMED SECOND TEAM UTILITY PLAYER

May 16--------Dustin Jones and Scott Bidroski of Wayne State College have been named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Central Region Baseball Team as voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Jones was named an an outfielder to the All-Central Region First Team and will now advance to the national All-American ballot while Bidroski earned Second Team All-Central Region honors as a utility player.
Jones, a senior outfielder from Dakota Dunes, S.D. (Sioux City Heelan HS), hit a team-high .426 with nine home runs and 45 RBI's for the 37-14 Wildcats this season, setting a new school record with 72 runs scored. He is Wayne State's all-time leader in hits (274), runs scored (235) and triples (16). Jones also leads the Wildcats in stolen bases (26), walks (19) and triples (5). He was named First Team All-Northern Sun Conference for the second straight season and was selected to the 2007 NSIC All-Tournament Team. Jones leads NCAA Division II in runs scored per game (1.54) and is also listed 18th in NCAA Division II in slugging percentage (.735), 20th in batting average (.426) and 30th in triples per game (0.12) and 30th in hit by pitch per game (0.34). The Wildcat center fielder led the Northern Sun Conference in runs scored, triples and steals and was fourth in batting average and fifth in hits (66) and total bases (114). Jones also excels in the classroom, earning First Team Academic All-District VII honors from ESPN The Magazine for the second straight season with a 3.76 grade point average majoring business management and marketing. He was Third Team Academic All-American last season as a junior.
Bidroski, a senior shortstop/third baseman from Omaha, Nebraska (Roncalli HS), is third on the team in batting with a .385 average and leads the Wildcats in hits (74), home runs (12), RBI's (63), total bases (128) and at bats (192). He is the all-time leader in RBI's at Wayne State with 191 and career at bats (750) while ranking second in career hits (266), career runs scored (182) and career doubles (50). The two-time All-Northern Sun Conference selection led the NSIC this season in hits, ranked second in total bases, tied for second in RBI's, third in home runs and fourth in runs scored (53) and doubles (14). Bidroski enters this weekend's Central Region Tournament with a 15-game hitting streak, the longest streak for the Wildcats this season. Bidroski ranks 26th in NCAA Division II in RBI's per game at 1.26. Other honors for Bidroski this year include NSIC Player of the Week twice (March 6 and April 23), NSIC All-Tournament Team and ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Baseball First Team with a 3.50 grade point average majoring in sport management.

WAYNE STATE EARNS #3 SEED FOR NCAA CENTRAL REGION TOURNAMENT

May 14-----The Wayne State College baseball has been selected as the third seed for the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament to be played in Warrensburg, Missouri May 17-20. Pairings for the 48 team NCAA Division II Baseball Championships were announced Monday morning by the NCAA office in Indianapolis. The 37-14 Wildcats earned an at-large bid to the six-team, double-elimination tournament after falling to Winona State in Saturday’s championship game of the NSIC Tournament 9-7.
Wayne State will face defending Central Region champion Emporia State in a first-round game on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.. The 39-22 Hornets won the Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament title with two wins over Central Missouri on Sunday.
Other first round games on Thursday find top seed Minnesota State (44-8) vs. #6 seed Nebraska-Omaha at 12:00 p.m. and #2 seed and host Central Missouri (48-11) facing #5 seed Winona State (29-13) at 7:00 p.m.
It’s the fourth straight season that Wayne State College has qualified for the NCAA Central Region Tournament and the fifth time in the last seven seasons the Wildcats have reached NCAA post-season play.

2007 NCAA Central Region Baseball Tournament Pairings
Hosted by Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri
Thursday, May 17
Game 1 12:00 p.m. #1 seed Minnesota State (44-8) vs. #6 seed Nebraska-Omaha (32-22)
Game 2 3:30 p.m. #3 seed Wayne State (37-14) vs. #4 seed Emporia State (39-22)
Game 3 7:00 p.m. #2 seed Central Missouri (48-11) vs. #5 seed Winona State (29-13)
Friday, May 18
Game 4 12:00 p.m. Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 3
Game 5 3:30 p.m. Loser of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 1
Game 6 7:00 p.m. Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3

(If four teams remain after Game 6, the schedule is as follows)
Saturday, May 19
Game 7 12:00 p.m. Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6
Game 8 3:30 p.m. Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 6
Game 9 7:00 p.m. Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 7
Sunday, May 20
Game 10 1:00 p.m. Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9
Game 11 TBA Same teams as first game (if necessary)

(If five teams remain after Game 6, the schedule is as follows:)
Saturday, May 19
Game 7 12:00 p.m. Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6
Game 8 3:30 p.m. Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5
Game 9 7:00 p.m. Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7

(If two teams remain after Game 9, the schedule is as follows)
Sunday, May 20
Game 10 1:00 p.m. Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9
Game 11 TBA Same teams as first game (if necessary)

(If three teams remain after Game 9, the schedule is as follows)
Sunday, May 20
Game 10 1:00 p.m. Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 9
Game 11 TBA Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10

WSC PLACES 12 ON ALL-NSIC BASEBALL TEAM - JOE WENDTE AND JOHN MANGANARO COLLECT SPECIAL HONORS

May 12-----The Wayne State College baseball team had 12 players and head coach John Manganaro receive honors from the Northern Sun Conference Friday afternoon as the league unveiled its 2007 All-Conference Baseball Team as voted on by the head coaches in the conference. WSC had five players receive First Team honors to go with six Second Team selections while freshman Joe Wendte garnered NSIC Freshman of the Year and John Manganaro received the NSIC Coach of the Year Award for the second straight season.
Manganaro earned the NSIC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Wildcats to a 25-5 league mark and 37-14 overall. The 15th year head coach is 147-44 against Northern Sun Conference teams during league play since WSC joined the league in 1999.
Wendte, a freshman third baseman from South Sioux City, Neb. (Sioux City Heelan HS), hit .357 in 25 conference games this season with two homers and 15 RBI. Overall, Wendte ranks second on the team with a .424 batting average for the Wildcats this season.
First Team selections from Wayne State included senior pitcher Connor Bramlet, senior shortstop Scott Bidroski, senior outfielder Dustin Jones, junior first baseman Marc Manganaro (utility) and sophomore designated hitter Alex Koch.
Bramlet was 3-0 against NSIC foes this season with a 3.15 ERA and one save for the Wildcats, striking out 16 batters in 20 innings of work against league opponents. Overall, the senior from Wheatland, Wyoming sports a 6-1 mark and a 2.98 ERA.
Bidroski, a senior from Omaha Roncalli HS, hit .396 with seven homers and 39 RBI in NSIC games for the Wildcats this season. Overall, Bidroski carries a .385 batting average and leads the team in hits (74), home runs (12) and RBI’s (63).
Jones tied for first in the NSIC in batting with a .470 average in league games and led the NSIC in runs scored (47) and stolen bases (14). Overall, Jones tops WSC with a .426 average and leads NCAA Division II in runs scored per game at 1.54.
Manganaro finished the season strong and hit .323 against NSIC teams and .345 overall. In 30 NSIC games, Manganaro had two homers and 32 RBI while scoring 35 runs. He ranks seventh in NCAA Division II in hit by pitch per game (0.45).
Koch also ended the year strong and hit .318 overall for the Wildcats and .338 in NSIC play. The sophomore from Millard South had four homers and 41 RBI while playing in 39 games overall.
Second Team honorees included pitchers Mitch Herrick, Travis Mortimore, Mike Donohoe and Adam McGuire along with outfielders Sean Soderberg and Adam Hoffman.
Herrick, a junior from Council Bluffs, Iowa, posted a 4-1 record with a 3.18 ERA against NSIC teams this season and was 6-3 overall in 10 starts with a 2.59 ERA, ranking third on the Wildcat pitching staff.
Mortimore, a senior from Torrington, Wyoming, went 3-1 in the NSIC with a 4.23 ERA and ranked third in strikeouts with 42. Overall, the lefthander was 3-5 in 11 starts with a 4.89 ERA, leading the team in innings pitched (53.1) and strikeouts (75), ranking second in NCAA Division II in strikeouts per nine innings (12.6).
Donohoe recorded a 3-1 mark against NSIC foes with a 4.10 ERA, striking out 17 batters in 26 1/3 innings. Overall, Donohoe had a 5-1 record and a 3.83 ERA in 11 appearances with nine starts.
McGuire, a senior from Wayne, went 3-1 in conference play with a 1.12 ERA in nine appearances. Overall, McGuire ranks second on the team in ERA at 2.36 with a 4-2 record and three saves.
Soderberg amassed a .378 batting average in league play while playing 29 games in right field with four homers and 31 RBI vs. NSIC teams. Overall, the sophomore from Fremont ranked fourth in batting at .381
Hoffman, a senior from Winside, hit .394 against NSIC teams while starting all 30 league games in left field. Hoffman has yet to commit an error with 55 putouts and hit .345 overall this season with 60 hits.

WINONA STATE ENDS WAYNE STATE'S FOUR-YEAR RUN AS NSIC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS WITH 9-7 WIN OVER WILDCATS

May 12------Winona State’s Ben Barrone snapped a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with a three-run homer to give the Warriors a 9-7 win over Wayne State in the championship game of the 2007 Northern Sun Conference Baseball Tournament held at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne. The win by Winona State ended Wayne State’s four-year run as NSIC Tournament Champions and gave the Warriors the automatic berth to next week’s NCAA Division II Central Regional while Wayne State, ranked third in the region entering this week’s play, awaits word from the NCAA to see if the Wildcats receive an at-large bid for the six-team regional. Pairings are expected to be released late Sunday evening.
Saturday’s championship game looked to be a slugfest early as Winona State held a 4-3 lead after one inning of play. WSC scored three runs thanks to an RBI single by Marc Manganaro, a run-scoring double by Alex Koch and a RBI single from Joe Wendte. But Winona State countered with four runs in the bottom of the first on Ben Barrone’s two-run homer and a two-run single by Ronnie Olson.
WSC took a 5-4 lead with two runs in the top of the fourth inning as Adam Hoffman produced a sacrifice fly followed by an RBI single by Scott Bidroski. The ‘Cats scored again in the fifth inning to go up 6-4 when Jordan Webb’s run-scoring double drove home Joe Wendte. Winona State answered with a single run in the bottom of the fifth on Ronnie Olson’s sacrifice fly that scored Mike Wendland.
The scored remained 6-5 until the bottom of the eighth inning when Winona State took the lead for good by scoring four runs. Ronnie Olson started the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brett Maxwell singled to right field to scored Olson, knotting the game at 6-6. Dru Mickelson reached on a fielders’ choice with Maxwell advancing to second on a throwing error by WSC first baseman Marc Manganaro. Then Winona State catcher Ben Barrone belted a three-run homer to left field off WSC reliever Adam McGuire, his second homer of the game and 26th of the season, to give Winona State a 9-6 lead.
WSC mounted a rally in the ninth inning as Joe Wendte singled followed by a walk to Sean Soderberg. Pinch-hitter Jordan Deglan then singled to right field scoring Wendte to make the score 9-7. With runners at first and third with two outs, Winona State’s Ben Barrone struck out Brian Sulzman to end the game giving Winona State the 9-7 win.
Barrone finished the game 2 for 5 with two homers and five RBI to lead Winona State at the plate. Dru Mickelson was 3 for 5 with two runs scored while Ronnie Olson went 2 for 2 with three RBI and Mike Wendland added two hits and two runs scored for the Warriors.
Reliever Don Erdall (6-2) picked up the win for Winona State, pitching the eighth inning. Barrone earned the save by pitching the ninth for the Warriors.
Wayne State’s Joe Wendte was 4 for 4 with two runs scored to lead the Wildcats’ 15-hit attack. Jordan Webb, Marc Manganaro, Alex Koch and Scott Bidroski each added two hits for Wayne State.
Reliever Connor Bramlet (6-1) suffered the pitching loss, allowing two runs in one-third of an inning.
Wayne State had six players named to the 2007 NSIC All-Tournament Team. They included pitcher Mitch Herrick, designated hitter Alex Koch, first baseman Marc Manganaro, shortstop Scott Bidroski, third baseman Joe Wendte and outfielder Dustin Jones.
Winona State will take a 29-13 record to next week’s NCAA Central Region Tournament while 37-14 Wayne State waits for the official pairings from NCAA to be released Sunday evening to find out if the Wildcats reach post season play for the fourth straight season.

WAYNE STATE WINS TWICE TO STAY ALIVE AT NSIC TOURNAMENT - WILDCATS FACE WINONA STATE IN SATURDAY'S TITLE GAME

May 11------The 29th-ranked Wayne State College baseball team stayed alive at the Northern Sun Conference Baseball Tournament in Wayne Friday with a pair of elimination wins, topping Southwest Minnesota State Friday morning 20-7 and Concordia-St. Paul Friday evening 10-7. The 37-13 Wildcats must now top unbeaten Winona State (28-13) twice on Saturday to win a fifth straight NSIC Tournament title.
The Wildcats used a nine-run fourth inning to take down Southwest Minnesota State 20-7 in Friday morning’s elimination game. WSC had eight straight batters reach base with two outs in the big fourth inning with eight of the nine runs scored being unearned. Adam Hoffman’s two-run homer and a two-run double by Dustin Jones were key hits in the inning for Wayne State.
Marc Manganaro had a huge game for WSC at the plate, going 5 for 7 with two home runs and five RBI to lead Wayne State’s 17-hit attack. Jones finished 3 for 5 with three RBI and three runs scored while Joe Wendte went 3 for 4 with two runs scored. Scott Bidroski and Alex Koch also had two hits for WSC.
Nick Schumacher (2-0) pitched four innings of relief to get the win for WSC, allowing just one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Starter Michael Donohoe worked four innings, giving up four runs on six hits. Jim Sake pitched the ninth inning for the Wildcats, yielding two unearned runs on one hit.
The second game saw Wayne State overcome six errors as the Wildcats posted a 10-7 win over Concordia-St. Paul to advance to Saturday’s championship game. WSC held an 8-3 lead entering the seventh inning, but three Wildcats errors, along with three Concordia-St. Paul hits, allowed the Golden Bears to score four runs and cut the WSC lead to 8-7. The Wildcats took advantage of two CSP errors in the eighth inning and got a key two-run single from Marc Manganaro for insurance runs in the 10-7 win over the Golden Bears.
Dustin Jones scored five runs for the Wildcats, going 2 for 3 at the plate. Scott Bidroski was 3 for 5 with three RBI’s while Marc Manganaro, Alex Koch and Joe Wendte each accounted for two hits in the Wildcat win.
Starter Mitch Herrick (6-3) earned the pitching win, working 5 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs (one earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts. Reliever Nathan Gettler earned the save by working the final 2 2/3 innings without giving up a hit and striking out one batter.
Wayne State will battle Winona State on Saturday in the championship game of the NSIC Baseball Tournament with first pitch set for noon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL KNOCKS OFF WAYNE STATE 9-6 IN FIRST ROUND OF NSIC TOURNAMENT

May 10-----Concordia-St. Paul knocked off top-seed Wayne State 9-6 in the first round of the NSIC Baseball Tournament held in Wayne, Nebraska at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex. The red-hot Golden Bears, winners in 12 of their last 13 games after getting swept by Wayne State in a four-game series on April 20 and 21, improved to 30-11 overall while Wayne State dropped to 35-13.
With the game tied at 4-4 entering the seventh inning, Concordia-St. Paul took control of the game scoring five runs on five hits and two Wayne State errors to take a 9-4 lead. Andy Judkins’ two-run double and an RBI singles from Mason Reinhart and Derek Mason were big hits in the inning for Concordia-St. Paul. WSC plated single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to cut the gap to 9-6 but that’s as close as the Wildcats would get as Concordia-St. Paul posted the first-round win.
Matt Borman went 3 for 5 with one RBI and two runs scored to lead the Golden Bears’ 11-hit attack. Andy Judkins was 2 for 4 with a double and four RBI while Derek Mason and Jake Waldman added two hits each for Concordia-St. Paul. Starter Jacob Schmidt (6-3) worked seven strong innings to get the win for CSP. He allowed five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Borman pitched the eighth and ninth innings to earn the save, giving up one run on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Wayne State’s top hitters were Sean Soderberg and Brian Sulzman, each going 2 for 3 at the plate with a double. Marc Manganaro and Alex Koch each finished 2 for 5 at the plate scoring two runs with Koch also driving in two runs.
Travis Mortimore (3-5) was tagged with the loss for Wayne State, giving up eight runs (six earned) on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. He notched nine strikeouts with one walk. Connor Bramlet pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits with Ryan Kolo pitching the ninth inning, retiring all three batters with one strikeout.
Wayne State now faces Southwest Minnesota State in an elimination game at 10:00 am Friday morning. The Mustangs fell to Winona State 6-5 in the other first round game played in Wayne Thursday afternoon. The winner’s bracket final at 1:00 p.m. will pit Winona State vs. Concordia-St. Paul. Another game is slated for 4:00 p.m. with the SMSU/WSC winner battling the Winona State/Concordia-St. Paul loser.

SCOTT BIDROSKI, DUSTIN JONES EARN FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS

May 10------Two Wayne State College baseball players have been selected to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VII College Division Baseball Team as voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America. Senior infielder Scott Bidroski and senior outfielder Dustin Jones were both named to the First Team and are now eligible for Academic All-American consideration.
Bidroski, from Omaha, Neb. (Roncalli HS), maintains a 3.50 grade point average majoring in sport management.
He ranks second on the team in batting with a .388 average this season for the Wildcats, leading the team in hits (66), home runs (12), RBI’s (59), at bats (170) and total bases (120). He is the school’s all-time leader in RBI’s with 187 and ranks second in career hits with 257.
Jones, from Dakota Dunes, S.D. (Sioux City Heelan HS), carries a 3.76 grade point average majoring in business management and marketing. He is batting a team leading .435 for the Wildcats this season and leads the team in runs scored (63), stolen bases (20) and slugging percentage (.768) while ranking second in hits (60) and home runs (9). Jones leads NCAA Division II in runs scored per game at 1.53 and is the WSC career leader in hits (268), runs scored (226) and triples (16). He earned First Team Academic All-District honors last season, leading to Academic Third Team All-American honors by ESPN The Magazine and CoSIDA.

WILDCATS REMAIN THIRD IN LATEST CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS

May 10-----The Wayne State College baseball remained third in the NCAA Division II Central Regional Baseball Rankings released by the NCAA Division II Baseball Committee Wednesday afternoon. It’s the fourth straight week the Wildcats, ranked 22nd in the NCBWA Division II Poll and 29th in the Division II Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Coaches Poll, were ranked third in the Central Regional Rankings. Wayne State is 35-12 overall and 28-6 against teams in the Central Region. Central Missouri leads the rankings with a 46-9 record through games as of Sunday, May 6. Minnesota State is second, followed by Wayne State, Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Omaha in the top five. Emporia State is sixth with Concordia-St. Paul and Northwest Missouri State rounding out the top eight. The top six teams in the region at the end of the season will advance to the Central Regional Tournament.

The following is a complete listing of the Central Regional Baseball Rankings with overall Division II record and in-region record:

1. Central Missouri 46-9 34-7
2. Minnesota State 40-8 26-4
3. Wayne State 35-12 28-6
4. Fort Hays State 33-18 26-15
5. Nebraska-Omaha 30-20 25-15
6. Emporia State 35-21 33-15
7. Concordia-St. Paul 29-11 22-9
8. Northwest Missouri State 29-24 26-17

WAYNE STATE TO HOST 2007 NSIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

May 7------The Wayne State baseball team will host the 2007 Northern Sun Conference Baseball Championships May 10-12 at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne. The Wildcats, four-time defending NSIC Tournament Champions, earned the right to host the NSIC Tournament by taking first place in the regular season with a 25-5 league mark.
The double elimination tournament starts on Thursday, May 10 with #2 seed Winona State (25-13, 15-5 NSIC) facing #3 seed Southwest Minnesota State (26-14, 17-7 NSIC) at noon, followed by top-seed Wayne State (35-12, 25-5 NSIC) vs. #4 seed Concordia University-St. Paul (29-11, 15-7 NSIC). Three games are scheduled for Friday, May 11 with the championship game slated for Saturday, May 12 at noon.
The winner of the NSIC Tournament earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Central Region Tournament May 17-20 at a site to be determined.

2007 NSIC Baseball Tournament Schedule

Thursday, May 10:
Game 1 – 12:00 p.m. #2 seed Winona State (25-13, 15-5 NSIC) vs. #3 seed SW Minnesota State (26-14, 17-7)
Game 2 - 3:00 p.m. #1 seed Wayne State (35-12, 25-5 NSIC) vs. #4 seed Concordia University-St. Paul (29-11, 15-7)

Friday, May 11:
Game 3 – 10:00 a.m. Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2
Game 4 - 1:00 p.m. Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
Game 5 - 4:00 p.m. Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4

Saturday, May 12:
Game 6 - 12:00 p.m. Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5
Game 7 - 3:00 p.m. If necessary

WAYNE STATE BASEBALL REMAINS THIRD FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK IN NCAA DIVISION II CENTRAL REGIONAL RANKINGS

May 3----- The Wayne State College baseball remained third for the third straight week in the NCAA Division II Central Regional Baseball Rankings released by the NCAA Division II Baseball Committee. Central Missouri leads the rankings with a 44-8 record through games as of Sunday, April 29. Minnesota State is second, followed by Wayne State, Nebraska-Omaha and Fort Hays State in the top five. Upper Iowa is sixth with Southwest Minnesota State and Emporia State rounding out the top eight. The top six teams in the region at the end of the season will advance to the Central Regional Tournament.

The following is a complete listing of the Central Regional Baseball Rankings with overall Division II record and in-region record:

1. Central Missouri 44-8 32-6
2. Minnesota State 35-7 21-3
3. Wayne State 35-12 28-6
4. Nebraska-Omaha 29-17 24-12
5. Fort Hays State 31-17 24-14
6. Upper Iowa 28-17 24-12
7. Southwest Minnesota State 26-12 19-8
8. Emporia State 29-21 27-15

WILDCATS ENTER COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NATIONAL POLL IN 30TH

April 30------The Wayne State College baseball team is again nationally-ranked in the latest Collegiate Baseball Magazine Division II Top 30 poll released Monday afternoon. The Wildcats are tied for 30th with a 35-12 record after going 5-1 in six games played last week. The Wildcats clinched the top seed and will host the Northern Sun Conference Tournament May 10-12 after sweeping a four-game series at Bemidji State over the weekend. Wayne State is off this week for finals and will play at Augustana College on Monday, May 9 in a nine-inning game starting at 2:00 p.m. before hosting the NSIC Tournament at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper NCAA Division II Poll
(as of April 30, 2007)
Rank Team 2007 Record Points Last Week
1. Kutztown 43-3 472 2
2. Sonoma State 44-8 460 4
2. Tampa 39-9 460 3
4. Ouachita Baptist 48-6 426 5
5. Cal State Los Angeles 37-10-1 420 1
6. Georgia College & State 43-13 390 6
Mesa State 42-9 390 7
8. Cal State Chico 42-9 370 10
9. Central Missouri 44-8 354 11
10. Mount Olive 46-11 328 12
11. Grand Valley State 34-5 318 8
12. Tusculum 48-12 304 14
13. Abilene Christian 44-11 298 13
14. Columbus State 41-15 248 9
15. West Alabama 38-14 244 20
16. Southern Arkansas 40-15 242 18
17. Franklin Pierce 38-8 228 15
18. Montavello 43-13 224 23
19. Francis Marion 33-15 192 19
20. Minnesota State 35-7 190 21
21. St. Edwards (Texas) 41-11 164 22
22. Delta State 42-12 148 T16
23. Lynn 32-20 122 T27
24. Florida Southern 37-13 100 T16
25. Armstrong Atlantic State 34-18 96 29
26. SIU-Edwardsville 32-13 84 RV
27. California (Pa.) 33-13 66 RV
28. Ashland 32-13 36 26
29. UC San Diego 33-18 26 RV
30. USC Upstate 33-23 18 24
Slippery Rock 31-13 18 RV
Wayne State (Neb.)35-12 18 RV
Carson-Newman 36-18 18 RV

WSC CLINCHES TOP SEED AND HOST SITE FOR NSIC TOURNAMENT WITH TWO WINS AT BEMIDJI STATE

April 29-----The Wayne State College baseball team clinched the top seed for the Northern Sun Conference Tournament by completing a four-game sweep at Bemidji State Sunday afternoon with 5-4 and 4-2 wins over the upset-minded Beavers. WSC finishes NSIC play at 25-5 and improved to 35-12 overall and will host the NSIC Baseball Tournament for the fourth straight season May 10-12 at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.
The first game saw Wayne State rally from an early 4-0 deficit to edge the Beavers 5-4. Bemidji State scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning off WSC starter John Snyder. But Snyder settled down and allowed just three hits following the shaky first inning and the Wildcats used home runs from Sean Soderberg and Alex Koch to come from behind for the win. Soderberg’s two-run blast in the fifth inning pulled the Wildcats within 4-2, then Koch connected on a three-run blast in the top of the sixth inning to provide WSC with the winning runs.
Koch finished the game 2 for 3 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead WSC at the plate as the Wildcats finished with just six hits in the game. Snyder (7-0) overcame a shaky start to earn the win on the mound as the redshirt freshman from Millard West pitched a complete game, allowing four runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Dustin Jones went 3 for 3 with a home run, double and two runs scored to lead the Wildcats in a 4-2 win over Bemidji State in the second game. Jones led off the game with his ninth homer of the season to give WSC an early 1-0 lead. In the third inning, Jones singled and scored on Marc Manganro’s RBI groundout to put WSC ahead 3-1. Ian DeLaet added an RBI single in the fourth inning to put the ‘Cats in front 4-1. BSU scored once in the fifth to make the final score 4-2.
Jones’ three hits paced Wayne State’s 13-hit attack in the win. Adam Hoffman, Joe Wendte and Marc Manganaro each added two hits for Wayne State in the win. Senior Connor Bramlet (6-0) worked five strong innings to earn the pitching win, allowing two runs on four hits. Jim Sake worked two-thirds of an inning while Ryan Kolo finished the game, pitching the final 1 1/3 innings without giving up a hit to record his first save of the season.
Wayne State is off this week for finals and will play at Augustana College on Monday, May 7 before hosting the NSIC Tournament in Wayne May 10-12.

WILDCATS NOTCH CONTRASTING WINS IN SWEEP AT BEMIDJI STATE

April 28-----The Wayne State College baseball team won a pair of contrasting games in Northern Sun Conference play at Bemidji State Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats had to hang on for a 10-9 win in eight innings in the first game, then blasted the Beavers 16-1 in the second game. With the two wins, WSC improved to 33-12 overall and 23-5 in league play while dropping Bemidji State to 6-39 overall and 4-20 in the NSIC.
The first game saw Wayne State build an early 7-1 lead, then dodge a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning, before escaping with a 10-9 win in eight innings over the stubborn Beavers. Bemidji State scored three runs in the sixth and four in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score at 9-9 and had the bases-loaded with one out, but WSC closer Adam McGuire got Bemidji State’s Eric Pilgrim to line out to third and Josh Juntunen to hit into a fielder’s choice to get out of the bases-loaded jam. Wayne State’s Scott Bidroski then led off the top of the eighth inning with a solo homer to give WSC the 10-9 win.
Both teams had 15 hits in the game. Bidroski hit a pair of homers and was 2 for 5 with three RBI to lead the Wildcats in hitting. Sean Soderberg was 3 for 4, Adam Hoffman was 2 for 4 with a triple and two RBI. Marc Manganaro and Diego Marquez each homered for the Wildcats, going 2 for 4 at the plate.
Wayne native Adam McGuire (4-2) earned the pitching win in relief, throwing the final two innings. Nick Schumacher started the game and worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits and five runs. Nathan Gettler pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief, giving up four runs on four hits.
The Wildcats used an eight-run fifth inning to blow things open in a 16-1 win in the second game. WSC scored at least one run in every inning except the seventh as the Wildcats cruised to the easy win. Dustin Jones was 2 for 4 with a home run, double and six RBI’s to lead Wayne State at the plate. He also scored three runs and had two stolen bases. Ian DeLaet contributed a three-run homer for the Wildcats. Scott Bidroski, Adam Hoffman and Marc Manganaro each recorded two hits in the win as Bidroski extended his hitting streak to nine games while Hoffman, Jones and Manganaro each extended their hit streaks to eight straight games.
Mitch Herrick (5-3) allowed just one run on five hits over 4 2/3 innings to earn the pitching win. Reliever Jim Sake worked the final 2 1/3 innings on the mound for WSC, allowing no runs on two hits with two strikeouts.
Wayne State will close out Northern Sun Conference play with another doubleheader at Bemidji State Sunday afternoon starting at 12:00 p.m.

WAYNE STATE BASEBALL STAYS THIRD IN NCAA DIVISION II CENTRAL REGIONAL RANKINGS

April 25-----The Wayne State College baseball team stayed third in the NCAA Division II Central Regional Baseball Rankings released by the NCAA Division II Baseball Committee. Central Missouri leads the rankings with a 40-8 record through games as of Sunday, April 22. Minnesota State is second, followed by Wayne State, Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Omaha in the top five. Winona State is sixth with Upper Iowa and Emporia State rounding out the top eight. The top six teams in the region at the end of the season will advance to the Central Regional Tournament.

The following is a complete listing of the Central Regional Baseball Rankings with overall Division II record and in-region record:

1. Central Missouri 40-8, 28-6
2. Minnesota State 28-6, 14-2
3. Wayne State 30-11, 23-5
4. Fort Hays State 29-15, 22-12
5. Nebraska-Omaha 24-16, 19-11
6. Winona State 22-11, 17-7
7. Upper Iowa 25-14, 23-11
8. Emporia State 26-19, 24-13

WILDCATS SPLIT AT SMSU - MOVE INTO SOLE POSSESSION OF FIRST PLACE IN NORTHERN SUN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

April 25-----Wayne State moved into sole possession of first place in the Northern Sun Conference baseball standings Wednesday afternoon with a split at Southwest Minnesota State. The Wildcats dropped the first game to the Mustangs 3-2 in nine innings but bounced back to win the second game 7-1. With Winona State losing at home twice to Concordia-St. Paul, the split gives Wayne State, 21-5 in the NSIC and 31-12 overall, sole possession of first place in the NSIC with just four games left on the conference schedule.
The first game saw SMSU rally from an early 2-0 deficit to top Wayne State 3-2 in nine innings. Lex Reinke’s RBI single scored Greg Laughlin with the game-winning run for the Mustangs. WSC grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI fielder’s choice from Sean Soderberg that scored Marc Manganaro. The ‘Cats took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Manganaro’s RBI double scored Dustin Jones. But SMSU tied the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth and eventually won in the ninth inning to negate a strong start by WSC lefthander Travis Mortimore. The senior from Torrington, Wyoming struck out nine batters in seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. Reliever Nathan Gettler (0-1) suffered the loss, giving up two hits and an unearned run in one inning plus of work.
WSC held a 10-9 edge in hits over SMSU. Dustin Jones went 3 for 5 to lead the Wildcats in hitting while Marc Manganaro was 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles. Scott Bidroski and Sean Soderberg also recorded two hits for WSC.
The second game saw senior Michael Donohoe (5-1) pitch a complete game six-hitter to lead the Wildcats in a 7-1 win over the Mustangs. Diego Marquez opened the scoring for the Wildcats in the second inning with a two-run homer, putting WSC in front 2-0. The ‘Cats added three runs in the sixth thanks to run-scoring doubles from Scott Bidroski and Marc Manganaro along with an RBI single from Alex Koch. WSC added two insurance runs in the seventh inning on back-to-back RBI singles by Bidroski and Manganaro.
WSC had 10 hits in the game to just six for SMSU. Manganaro finished 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI to lead the Wildcats at the plate. Bidroski finished 2 for 4 with two RBI.
Wayne State will close out Northern Sun Conference play this weekend with a four-game series at Bemidji State with Saturday’s doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday’s twinbill beginning at noon.

SCOTT BIDROSKI NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

April 24------Scott Bidroski of Wayne State College has been named the Northern Sun Conference Baseball Player of the Week as announced by the league office in St. Paul, Minnesota following his performance last week vs. Concordia-St. Paul. It’s the second time this season that Bidroski has earned the honor.
Bidroski, a 5-11, 195 pound senior from Omaha, Nebraska (Roncalli HS), went 11 for 16 with four homers, 12 RBI and nine runs scored in a four-game sweep over Concordia-St. Paul. His best game was a 4 for 5 performance with two home runs and seven RBI in a convincing 17-2 win over the Golden Bears in the first game of the series. Bidroski’s solo homer on Sunday in a 13-1 win made him the all-time RBI leader at Wayne State, passing the previous school mark of 178 set by Bill Schwartz from 1979-82. Bidroski now has 180 career RBI’s at Wayne State.
Wayne State is scheduled to visit Southwest Minnesota State in a key NSIC baseball doubleheader Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. The Wildcats (30-11, 20-4 NSIC) are tied for first in the Northern Sun Conference with Winona State while Southwest Minnesota State is fourth in the league at 12-6 and 21-11 overall.

BIDROSKI BECOMES ALL-TIME RBI LEADER AT WAYNE STATE AS WILDCATS COMPLETE FOUR-GAME SWEEP OF CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL

April 21-----Scott Bidroski became Wayne State’s all-time RBI leader Saturday afternoon, leading the Wildcats to a sweep over Concordia-St. Paul at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex. The Wildcats completed a four-game sweep over the Golden Bears with 9-5 and 13-1 wins, improving to 30-11 overall and 20-4 in the NSIC.
Bidroski, a senior from Omaha Roncalli, became the all-time RBI leader with a solo home run in the third inning of Saturday’s second game. He added an RBI double to finish the game 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Bidroski now has 180 career RBI at Wayne State, passing the previous mark of 178 set by Bill Schwartz from 1979-82. Bidroski finished the four game series against Concordia-St. Paul going 11 for 16 with four homers, 12 RBI and nine runs scored.
The first game saw Bidroski go 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBI to lead the Wildcats in a 9-5 win over Concordia-St. Paul. The Wildcats scored at least one run in every inning to pick up the win. Dustin Jones was 2 for 3 with a home run and double with two RBI and two runs scored while Alex Koch added two hits to highlight Wayne State’s 12-hit attack.
Ryan Kolo (3-1) pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief in place of starter Nick Schumacher to pick up the win.
The second game saw Wayne State roll to a 13-1 win as Bidroski capped his stellar weekend with the record-setting performance by going 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Diego Marquez was a perfect 4 for 4 with two runs scored while Sean Soderberg had a 3 for 4 game with two RBI and two runs scored.
Connor Bramlet (5-0) earned the pitching win for Wayne State, working five innings. He allowed just five hits and one run with five strikeouts. Nathan Gettler and Adam McGuire each worked one inning of relief.
Wayne State will travel to Southwest Minnesota State on Wednesday for a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m.

WILDCATS SWEEP CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL

April 20-----Wayne State scored 26 runs in two games on their way to a sweep over Concordia-St. Paul Friday afternoon in Northern Sun Conference baseball played in Wayne as the Wildcats posted 17-2 and 9-5 wins over the Golden Bears. WSC maintains their second place position in the NSIC standings at 18-4 in the league and 28-11 overall while Concordia-St. Paul slips to 18-8 overall and 6-4 in NSIC play.
The Wildcats rode the hot bat of Scott Bidroski to a 17-2 win in the opener. Bidroski was 4 for 5 with two home runs and seven RBI’s as the ‘Cats scored in every inning to control the opener. Bidroski laced an RBI double in a three-run first inning, had an RBI single in a five-run second inning, belted a two-run homer in the fifth inning and added a three-run homer in the five-run sixth inning to account for his 4 for 5 day with seven RBI and four runs scored. Adam Hoffman had a solid game as well, going 3 for 4 with four RBI and three runs scored. Dustin Jones added two hits for the Wildcats.
Mitch Herrick (4-3) was the winner on the mound for WSC, working six innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Jim Sake worked the seventh inning without allowing a hit and notching one strikeout.
The second game saw the Wildcats rally from an early 4-1 deficit as Wayne State recorded a 9-5 win over the Golden Bears. Concordia-St. Paul used a pair of two run homers by Andy Judkins and Matt Borman to build an early 4-1 lead, but WSC tied the score in the third inning scoring three runs. Marc Manganaro’s RBI triple and a solo homer by Alex Koch were big hits in the inning. WSC then used four straight walks to score two runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good at 6-5. The ‘Cats added three insurance runs in the fifth inning to post the 9-5 win. Adam Hoffman’s two-run single was the key hit in the inning.
John Snyder (6-0) pitched five strong innings to earn the pitching win for Wayne State. He allowed five runs on six hits with six strikeouts to stay unbeaten. Sake pitched the final two innings, allowing three hits with one strikeout, to shut the door on Concordia-St. Paul.
Wayne State will host Concordia-St. Paul in the final home series of the regular season on Saturday at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex starting at noon.

WAYNE STATE RANKED THIRD IN NCAA DIVISION II CENTRAL REGIONAL RANKINGS

April 19----- The Wayne State College baseball team is ranked third in the NCAA Division II Central Regional Baseball Rankings released by the NCAA Division II Baseball Committee. Minnesota State leads the rankings with a 26-4 record through games as of Sunday, April 15. Central Missouri is second, followed by Wayne State, Fort Hays State and Emporia State in the top five. Winona State is sixth with Concordia-St. Paul and Northwest Missouri State rounding out the top eight. The top six teams in the region at the end of the season will advance to the Central Regional Tournament.

The following is a complete listing of the Central Regional Baseball Rankings with overall Division II record and in-region record:

1. Minnesota State (26-4, 12-0 region)
2. Central Missouri (36-6, 24-4 region)
3. Wayne State (25-10, 18-4 region)
4. Fort Hays State (24-14, 17-11 region)
5. Emporia State (22-16, 21-11 region)
6. Winona State (18-7, 13-3 region)
7. Concordia-St. Paul (16-6, 9-4 region)
8. Northwest Missouri State (20-16, 18-10 region)

WILDCATS SPLIT WITH WINONA STATE

April 18------Wayne State handed Winona State its first loss in Northern Sun Conference baseball play Wednesday afternoon 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader played in Wayne, Nebraska. However, the visiting Warriors bounced back to earn a split in the second game with an 8-2 win and maintain a three-game lead over Wayne State in the NSIC baseball standings. Winona State is now 20-9 overall and 13-1 in the NSIC while Wayne State owns a 26-11 overall mark and 16-4 in the NSIC.
Wayne State used strong pitching from starter Travis Mortimore to win the first game 4-2. After giving up two runs on three hits in the first inning, the senior lefthander settled down and allowed just one hit the rest of the way to pitch his first complete game of the season, striking out nine batters to improve his season mark to 3-4. After Winona jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, WSC scored once in the bottom of the second on Sean Soderberg’s sacrifice bunt that scored Joe Wendte to make it a 2-1 game. WSC then scored three runs in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. Brian Sulzman’s RBI double brought in Soderberg to tie the score at 2-2, then Dustin Jones grounded out to second, but a wild throw to home plate by Winona State first baseman Andrew Kes allowed Jordan Webb and Brian Sulzman to score to give WSC a 4-2 lead. That was enough for Mortimore, who shut down Winona State after a slow start, and handed the Warriors their first league loss.
WSC had eight hits to Winona State’s four. Sean Soderberg was 2 for 2 with a double and RBI while Adam Hoffman added two singles for the Wildcats.
The second game saw Winona State take care of the Wildcats 8-2. Five of their 10 hits went for extra bases with the biggest hit being a three-run homer in the third inning by Tony Lubarasky to give the Warriors a 5-0 lead, chasing WSC starter Michael Donohoe, who lost for the first time this season in five decisions.
Sean Soderberg was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI to lead Wayne State in hitting. Joe Wendte added two singles and scored one run for the Wildcats.
Donohoe (4-1) suffered the pitching loss, allowing seven hits and five runs over three innings. Nathan Gettler, Ryan Kolo and Adam McGuire worked in relief for the Wildcats.
Wayne State will host Concordia-St. Paul in a four-game NSIC series on Saturday and Sunday with doubleheader starting at noon each day at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex.

WAYNE STATE SWEEPS MARY - NOW 15-3 IN THE NSIC

April 15-----Wayne State notched a doubleheader sweep over the University of Mary in Northern Sun Conference baseball played Sunday afternoon in Wayne. The Wildcats won the first game 11-1 and captured the nightcap 9-2 to improve to 25-10 overall and 15-3 in the NSIC. The games were moved from Bismarck, North Dakota to Wayne this weekend due to last week’s snowstorm in North Dakota.
In the first game, Connor Bramlet pitched two-hit ball over 6 1/3 innings as the Wildcats rolled to an 11-1 win. After trailing 1-0 early in the game, WSC took control with a four-run second inning thanks to Jordan Deglan’s two-run homer to left field. Adam Hoffman added an RBI single to highlight the four-run inning. WSC then put the game away with four runs in the seventh inning with the big hit coming off the bat of Dustin Jones, a bases-loaded clearing double to right center field.
Hoffman finished the game 3 for 5 with a double to lead Wayne State’s 12-hit attack. Jones was 2 for 5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Deglan finished with two hits, including his two-run homer, while Alex Koch also recorded two hits for the Wildcats.
Bramlet improved to 4-0 on the season, allowing two hits and one run over 6 1/3 innings. Jim Sake recorded the final two outs in relief.
Diego Marquez went 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored to lead Wayne State in the second game, a 9-2 win over the Marauders. Dustin Jones added three singles, going 3 for 3 with two RBI in the win. Alex Koch’s two-run double highlighted a three-run first inning for WSC. The ‘Cats added two runs in the third, one in the sixth and three more in the seventh inning.
Adam McGuire (3-2) worked 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief to get the pitching win for Wayne State. He was one of four pitchers used by the Wildcats in the win.
WSC wins the weekend series over Mary 3-1 and will host NSIC leader Winona State on Wednesday with a doubleheader starting at noon. The Warriors are 12-0 in league play and 18-7 overall.

MARY SNAPS WAYNE STATE 13-GAME WIN STREAK IN GAME 1 OF NSIC TWINBILL - 'CATS POST 6-0 WIN IN SECOND GAME

April 14-----The University of Mary snapped Wayne State’s 13-game win streak Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 win in the opening game of a Northern Sun Conference baseball doubleheader. The Wildcats bounced back with a 6-0 win to earn a split with the Marauders in the start of a four-game NSIC series. The games were moved from Bismarck, North Dakota to Wayne due to the mid-week snowstorm in North Dakota.
Mary lefthander Michael Allen limited Wayne State to just four hits in the opener as the Marauders topped the Wildcats 3-1. The Marauders grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Andy Leer tripled and scored on Mike Feldman’s sacrifice fly. WSC tied the game in the top of the third inning when Dustin Jones singled and came around to score on Adam Hoffman’s sacrifice fly. But Mary regained the lead for good in the bottom of the third scoring two runs on two hits (Andy Leer – double and Tyler Liffrig – single) as the Marauders built a 3-1 lead. WSC mounted a rally in the fifth inning and loaded the bases with two outs, but Mary starting pitcher Michael Allen got Joe Wendte to pop to second base to end the inning and WSC fell 3-1.
WSC had just four hits in the game, all singles, by Dustin Jones, Scott Bidroski, Sean Soderberg and Brian Sulzman. Mary’s Andy Leer was 2 for 3 with a triple, double and two runs scored while Tyler Liffrig went 2 for 3.
Mitch Herrick (3-3) suffered the pitching loss, allowing three runs on five hits over five innings with three strikeouts.
In the second game, John Snyder and Ryan Kolo combined on a two-hit shutout as the Wildcats posted a 6-0 shutout. WSC scored three runs in the first inning and added three more in the fifth inning to salvage a split with the Marauders. Marc Manganaro’s RBI single and a two-run single by Alex Koch accounted for Wayne State’s three runs in the first inning. Manganaro had a two-run double followed by a run-scoring single by Sean Soderberg highlighted Wayne State’s three-run fifth inning.
Managanro finished the game 2 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Wildcats at the plate. Adam Hoffman was 2 for 2 with a pair of bunt singles.
John Snyder (5-0) earned the pitching win, allowing just two hits over five innings with eight strikeouts and four walks. Ryan Kolo notched three strikeouts over the final two innings without allowing a hit to preserve the shutout.
Wayne State, now 23-10 overall and 13-3 in the NSIC, will host the University of Mary on Sunday starting at noon to close out the four-game NSIC series. Mary is now 7-14 overall and 3-5 in the NSIC.

WILDCATS SWEEP SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE - WIN STREAK EXTENDS TO 13 IN A ROW

April 12------The Wayne State College baseball team moved into sole possession of second place in the Northern Sun Conference standings Thursday afternoon with a 19-7 and 6-1 sweep over Southwest Minnesota State at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne. The Wildcats have now won 13 straight games, just one shy of the school record, to improve to 22-9 overall and 12-2 in the NSIC while SMSU falls to 14-8 and 5-3 in league play.
The first game saw Wayne State score in every inning while tallying 17 hits in a convincing 19-7 win over the Mustangs. The Wildcats roughed up SMSU starter Adam Schrader, the NCAA Division II ERA leader entering the game, scoring 10 runs in 3 1/3 innings to hand the right hander his first loss of the season. Offensively, six players had at least two hits to lead a balanced hitting attack for the Wildcats. Sean Soderberg was 3 for 4 with three RBI and three runs scored with a triple, double and single. Brian Sulzman was 3 for 3, followed by Alex Koch going 3 for 4 and Dustin Jones going 3 for 5 to pace Wayne State at the plate.
Travis Mortimore (2-4) worked five strong innings to get the win for Wayne State, allowing three runs on four hits over five innings with seven strikeouts. Nathan Gettler pitched the final two innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.
The second game saw Michael Donohoe, Adam McGuire and Nick Schumacher combine on a four-hitter as the Wildcats topped the Mustangs 6-1 for their 13th straight win. Donohoe (4-0) went six innings, allowing four hits and one run with three strikeouts and two walks. Adam McGuire and Nick Schumacher worked the seventh inning for the Wildcats as Schumacher recorded the final two outs inheriting a bases-loaded situation to get his first save of the season.
Wayne State had eight hits in the game, led by Jordan Webb going 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI. Scott Bidroski was 2 for 4 for the Wildcats.
Wayne State will remain at home this weekend as the originally scheduled series with Wayne State at the University of Mary has been moved to Wayne due to snow in the Bismarck, North Dakota area. Saturday’s doubleheader starts at 1:30 p.m. with a noon start slated for Sunday.

TRAVIS MORTIMORE NAMED NSIC PITCHER OF THE WEEK

April 10------Travis Mortimore of Wayne State College has been named the Northern Sun Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week as announced by the league office in St. Paul, Minnesota following his performance last week vs. Northern State.
Mortimore, a 6-5, 220 pound senior lefthander from Torrington, Wyoming, pitched five innings of no-hit ball with 13 strikeouts last Friday in 10-0 win over Northern State at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne. It was the first win of the season for Mortimore, the 2007 NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Mortimore is 1-4 on the season with a 5.46 ERA, notching 41 strikeouts in just 28 innings on the mound this season. Last season, Mortimore was 9-2 for the Wildcats with a 2.07 ERA to earn 2006 NSIC Pitcher of the Year honors.
Wayne State is scheduled to visit Southwest Minnesota State in a key NSIC baseball doubleheader Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. The Wildcats (20-9, 10-2 NSIC) and Mustangs (14-6, 5-1 NSIC) are tied for second in the NSIC standings, trailing only unbeaten Winona State (14-7, 8-0 NSIC).

WSC EXTENDS WIN STREAK TO 11 WITH TWO WINS OVER NORTHERN STATE

April 7-----The Wayne State College baseball team extended its win streak to 11 games Saturday afternoon with a 7-1 and 13-2 sweep over Northern State in Northern Sun Conference baseball played at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne. The Wildcats improved to 20-9 overall and moved into second place in the NSIC standings with a 10-2 league mark while Northern State slips to 4-24 overall and 0-12 in league play.
In the first game, Mitch Herrick and Nathan Gettler combined to hold Northern State to just three hits in a 7-1 win. The Wildcats had just seven hits in the game, all singles, but used four Northern State errors and three walks to help score seven runs. Adam Hoffman was 2 for 2 with two runs scored to lead the Wildcats at the plate while Brian Sulzman recorded two singles in three at bats with two RBI.
Mitch Herrick (3-2) earned the pitching win, working five innings. He allowed just two hits and one run with seven strikeouts. Nathan Gettler worked the final two innings, giving up one hit with one strikeout.
The second game saw WSC use a seven-run third inning to spark a 13-2 win over the Wolves. Jordan Webb’s two-run double highlighted the seven-run third inning while Scott Bidroski and Adam Hoffman added run-scoring singles for the Wildcats. WSC had just nine hits in the win, but used seven hit batters and five walks to help score 13 runs.
Webb finished 2 for 3 with three RBI and two runs scored for WSC while Hoffman was 2 for 4 with three RBI.
John Snyder (4-0) stayed unbeaten on the season for WSC with four solid innings, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts. Connor Bramlet worked the final three innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits with two strikeouts to earn the save.
Wayne State will travel to Southwest Minnesota State Wednesday afternoon for a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m.

WILDCATS SWEEP NORTHERN STATE 10-0 AND 10-3

April 6------Wayne State notched a pair of wins over Northern State in NSIC baseball played in mid teen wind chill conditions Friday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne as the Wildcats recorded 10-0 and 10-3 wins over the Wolves.
In the first game, Travis Mortimore struck out 13 batters while throwing five innings of no-hit ball to lead the Wildcats in a 10-0 win. Mortimore and relievers Ryan Kolo and Adam McGuire teamed up on a one-hitter as Mortimore won his first decision of the year, improving to 1-4. Offensively, WSC started quickly scoring five runs in the first and three more in the second inning to grab an early 8-0 lead. WSC added two more runs in the fifth for the 10-0 win.
The Wildcats had nine hits in the game. Dustin Jones had a double and triple and scored three runs to pace WSC at the plate. Sean Soderberg contributed a pair of two run singles to go 2 for 3 with four RBI. Jordan Deglan and Scott Bidroski added two hits apiece for the Wildcats.
The second game saw Bidroski go 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and five RBI’s to lead the Wildcats in a 10-3 win over the Wolves. Bidroski belted his team-leading sixth homer in the first inning to give WSC a 2-0 lead. He added a two-run single to highlight a three run third inning that put WSC in front 5-0. Diego Marquez laced a two-run double down the left field line in a three run fourth inning that put the ‘Cats up 8-0. Jones went 2 for 4 with a double and scored three more runs in the second game for WSC.
Northern State outhit WSC 8-6. Senior Michael Donohoe (3-0) earned the win, working six strong innings. He allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Jim Sake pitched the final inning for WSC, allowing an unearned run with two strikeouts.
Wayne State and Northern State will close out their four-game NSIC series Saturday afternoon starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex.

JOE WENDTE, ADAM MCGUIRE EARN NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

April 3-----Joe Wendte and Adam McGuire of Wayne State College were named the Northern Sun Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week in baseball Tuesday afternoon as announced by the league office in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Wendte, a freshman infielder from South Sioux City, Neb. (Sioux City Heelan HS), extended his hitting streak to 11 games by going 8 for 16 in five games last week with three triples, one double, six RBI and eight runs scored. For the season, Wendte is now hitting .451 for the Wildcats, who have won seven games in a row, movi