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South Dakota State University Athletics
Jackrabbits open baseball season at Murray State
2/19/2009 1:00:00 AM | Baseball
The South Dakota State University baseball team is scheduled to open the 2009 season with a three-game weekend series at Murray State (Ky.).
The season opener for both teams is set for 2 p.m. Friday at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Ky. The series concludes with noon games Saturday and Sunday.
SDSU concluded the 2008 campaign with a 22-27 overall record, including a 9-11 mark during its inaugural season in The Summit League. The Racers wrapped up the 2008 season 21-30 overall, including a 12-14 record in the Ohio Valley Conference.
PRICE ERA BEGINS: SDSU will enter a new era of leadership Friday as the Jackrabbits will play their first game under interim head coach Ritchie Price.
Price served as infield and third base coach for the Jackrabbits in 2008, and was elevated to interim head coach following the resignation of Reggie Christiansen in June 2008.
A native of San Luis Obispo, Calif., Price has been around college baseball nearly his entire life. His two brothers ? Ryne and Robby ? have played at the University of Kansas, where their father, Ritch, is currently the head baseball coach.
Ritchie Price also played at Kansas, setting Jayhawk career records for games played (255), at bats (1,022), hits (312), runs scored (204), sacrifices (35) and hit by pitches (53). Price's graduating class owns the most wins of any class in Kansas baseball history.
In 2006, Price helped lead the Jayhawks to a Big 12 championship, as Kansas went 4-0 to win the conference title. After earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, Price's squad went 1-2, earning a win over Hawaii in the opening game.
Price was one of the ironmen of college baseball, starting 252 consecutive games at shortstop. Although no official records are kept by the NCAA, his streak likely ranks among the best in college baseball history. He was a four-time all-Big 12 selection, and was named the conference's best defensive shortstop in 2004 by Baseball America.
Following his highly successful career with the Jayhawks, Price was an 18th-round draft pick of the New York Mets in Major League Baseball's first-year player draft. Not only did Price play rookie ball with the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League, but he also spent a week in Class A, playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League.
Price graduated from Kansas in 2007 with a degree in communication studies.
SUMMIT LEAGUE RACE: South Dakota State has been picked to finish fourth in the eight-team Summit League race, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league's coaches.
SDSU received one first-place vote and 30 points, while defending conference champion Oral Roberts was picked to win its 12th consecutive Summit League title with seven first-place votes and 49 points.
Southern Utah was picked second with 49 points, followed by Centenary in third place with 35.
Rounding out the fifth through eighth spots were: Western Illinois (29), Oakland (17), IPFW (13) and North Dakota State (11).
TRANSITION OVER: The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Committee, acting on behalf of the DI Management Council, announced in late June 2008 that South Dakota State University has met the requirements to become an active member of NCAA Division I, starting at the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year.
Previously a member of Division II, SDSU successfully completed the five-year process of moving its athletics programs to comply with Division I membership requirements. Requirements include compliance with Division I rules for the final four years, meeting minimum financial aid and contest scheduling limits, engaging in a rules compliance review and successfully completing the athletics certification process.
SDSU officials submitted an extensive self-study to the NCAA in the spring of 2007 and a peer-review team completed the study during a campus visit in October 2007.
SEASON PREVIEW: The South Dakota State University baseball team has some big shoes to fill as it begins the 2009 season under first-year coach Ritchie Price.
The Jackrabbits face the task of replacing five mainstays in the lineup a year ago ? four of which were four-year starters and the fifth who was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Infield
Two regular starters in the Jackrabbit infield return, led by second-team all-Summit League catcher Tony Martin. A senior from Omaha, Neb., Martin enters his fourth season as the starting catcher after leading the team in batting a year ago with a .365 average and .449 on-base percentage. He contributed two home runs and 25 runs batted in, while playing solid defense behind the plate.
The other starter in the infield is second baseman Jesse Ayala. A senior from Missoula, Mont., Ayala started 38 games, hitting .261 with 12 RBI. He also ranked second on the team with 12 doubles.
Penciled into the Opening Day lineup at first base is senior Stephen Turner, who will fill the spot held down the last three years by Tyson Fisher. Turner, who platooned at the designated hitter spot much of last season, hit .256 with a home run and 11 RBI in 2008.
At third base, newcomer Jesse Sawyer is expected to take over for Craig Parry, who was drafted in the 50th round of last June's Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. A sophomore, Sawyer is a product of the Prairie Baseball Academy in Lethbridge, Alberta, and is one of four Canadians on the roster this season as SDSU expanded its recruiting base to new areas.
Sophomore Erik DeJong, who hit three home runs last season, also is expected to see time at third base this season.
True freshman Eric Cain is projected as the Opening Day starter at shortstop, replacing Korby Mintken ? a four-year starter who played shortstop most of his senior season in 2008. Cain was an all-Colorado selection as a third baseman at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton, Colo.
Junior college transfer Scott Hood is a candidate to fill in at either middle infield position during the season.
Outfield
Starting center fielder Billy Stitz returns to the Jackrabbit lineup, but SDSU will have a new look at the corner outfield spots as it has to replace four-year starters Tim Hanigan and Nick Adams.
A sophomore from Burnsville, Minn., Stitz was one of the top freshmen in The Summit League last year, earning second-team all-league recognition. Stitz drew 40 starting assignments and ranked third on the team with a .339 batting average, nine home runs and 10 stolen bases.
Newcomers Beau Hanowski and John Lee are projected as the starters in left and right field, respectively. Hanowski is a true freshman from Little Falls, Minn., while Lee began his collegiate career at Nebraska before transferring back home to Mason City, Iowa, to play the 2008 season at North Iowa Area Community College. Both players bat and throw left-handed.
Three other first-year players, Milbank native Jeff Fish, Daniel Telford and Joel Blake, also could see playing time in the outfield this season. Fish and Blake also should see at-bats in the designated hitter role.
Starting Pitching
The Jackrabbits return two of their top three starters from the 2008 season, including wins leader Caleb Thielbar. Pitching mostly in the No. 2 spot in the rotation last year, the senior southpaw compiled a 5-4 record with a 5.94 earned run average. He also led the staff with 41 strikeouts in a team-high 66.2 innings pitched.
Jared Koch, who held the third spot in the rotation much of his junior season, is expected to fill the same role this season after posting a 3-4 record last season.
Freshman Layne Somsen is projected as the second starter in this weekend's season-opening series. A Yankton native, Somsen
Isaac Johnson and Mike Robinson also have starting pitching experience. A senior from Verndale, Minn., Johnson was 1-3 a season ago in 14 appearances, including six starts. Robinson, a junior left-hander from Rapid City, has made eight career starts, including six as a freshman. He went 0-2 with a 4.94 ERA in 14 appearances last season, two of which were starting assignments.
Bullpen
Senior Kirby Morsching anchored the bullpen during the 2008 season, posting a team-best seven saves to go along with a 3-5 record and team-leading 4.08 ERA. Morsching was often called upon to record more than three outs in late-inning situations.
Also returning to the Jackrabbit bullpen are right-handers Sam Pieczynski, Matt Spinar and Trever Vermeulen.
Additional help could come from newcomers Blaine Alberta, Austin Busse and Blake Treinen.
THE ROSTER: The 2009 SDSU baseball roster features 28 players from 11 different states plus Canada. Of the 28 players, six are from South Dakota, five are from Minnesota, three hail from Iowa, with two each from California and Texas. Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Oregon are represented by one player each. In addition, four players are from Canada. By class, seven are seniors, five are juniors, seven are sophomores and nine are incoming freshmen.
The season opener for both teams is set for 2 p.m. Friday at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Ky. The series concludes with noon games Saturday and Sunday.
SDSU concluded the 2008 campaign with a 22-27 overall record, including a 9-11 mark during its inaugural season in The Summit League. The Racers wrapped up the 2008 season 21-30 overall, including a 12-14 record in the Ohio Valley Conference.
PRICE ERA BEGINS: SDSU will enter a new era of leadership Friday as the Jackrabbits will play their first game under interim head coach Ritchie Price.
Price served as infield and third base coach for the Jackrabbits in 2008, and was elevated to interim head coach following the resignation of Reggie Christiansen in June 2008.
A native of San Luis Obispo, Calif., Price has been around college baseball nearly his entire life. His two brothers ? Ryne and Robby ? have played at the University of Kansas, where their father, Ritch, is currently the head baseball coach.
Ritchie Price also played at Kansas, setting Jayhawk career records for games played (255), at bats (1,022), hits (312), runs scored (204), sacrifices (35) and hit by pitches (53). Price's graduating class owns the most wins of any class in Kansas baseball history.
In 2006, Price helped lead the Jayhawks to a Big 12 championship, as Kansas went 4-0 to win the conference title. After earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, Price's squad went 1-2, earning a win over Hawaii in the opening game.
Price was one of the ironmen of college baseball, starting 252 consecutive games at shortstop. Although no official records are kept by the NCAA, his streak likely ranks among the best in college baseball history. He was a four-time all-Big 12 selection, and was named the conference's best defensive shortstop in 2004 by Baseball America.
Following his highly successful career with the Jayhawks, Price was an 18th-round draft pick of the New York Mets in Major League Baseball's first-year player draft. Not only did Price play rookie ball with the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League, but he also spent a week in Class A, playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League.
Price graduated from Kansas in 2007 with a degree in communication studies.
SUMMIT LEAGUE RACE: South Dakota State has been picked to finish fourth in the eight-team Summit League race, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league's coaches.
SDSU received one first-place vote and 30 points, while defending conference champion Oral Roberts was picked to win its 12th consecutive Summit League title with seven first-place votes and 49 points.
Southern Utah was picked second with 49 points, followed by Centenary in third place with 35.
Rounding out the fifth through eighth spots were: Western Illinois (29), Oakland (17), IPFW (13) and North Dakota State (11).
TRANSITION OVER: The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Committee, acting on behalf of the DI Management Council, announced in late June 2008 that South Dakota State University has met the requirements to become an active member of NCAA Division I, starting at the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year.
Previously a member of Division II, SDSU successfully completed the five-year process of moving its athletics programs to comply with Division I membership requirements. Requirements include compliance with Division I rules for the final four years, meeting minimum financial aid and contest scheduling limits, engaging in a rules compliance review and successfully completing the athletics certification process.
SDSU officials submitted an extensive self-study to the NCAA in the spring of 2007 and a peer-review team completed the study during a campus visit in October 2007.
SEASON PREVIEW: The South Dakota State University baseball team has some big shoes to fill as it begins the 2009 season under first-year coach Ritchie Price.
The Jackrabbits face the task of replacing five mainstays in the lineup a year ago ? four of which were four-year starters and the fifth who was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Infield
Two regular starters in the Jackrabbit infield return, led by second-team all-Summit League catcher Tony Martin. A senior from Omaha, Neb., Martin enters his fourth season as the starting catcher after leading the team in batting a year ago with a .365 average and .449 on-base percentage. He contributed two home runs and 25 runs batted in, while playing solid defense behind the plate.
The other starter in the infield is second baseman Jesse Ayala. A senior from Missoula, Mont., Ayala started 38 games, hitting .261 with 12 RBI. He also ranked second on the team with 12 doubles.
Penciled into the Opening Day lineup at first base is senior Stephen Turner, who will fill the spot held down the last three years by Tyson Fisher. Turner, who platooned at the designated hitter spot much of last season, hit .256 with a home run and 11 RBI in 2008.
At third base, newcomer Jesse Sawyer is expected to take over for Craig Parry, who was drafted in the 50th round of last June's Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. A sophomore, Sawyer is a product of the Prairie Baseball Academy in Lethbridge, Alberta, and is one of four Canadians on the roster this season as SDSU expanded its recruiting base to new areas.
Sophomore Erik DeJong, who hit three home runs last season, also is expected to see time at third base this season.
True freshman Eric Cain is projected as the Opening Day starter at shortstop, replacing Korby Mintken ? a four-year starter who played shortstop most of his senior season in 2008. Cain was an all-Colorado selection as a third baseman at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton, Colo.
Junior college transfer Scott Hood is a candidate to fill in at either middle infield position during the season.
Outfield
Starting center fielder Billy Stitz returns to the Jackrabbit lineup, but SDSU will have a new look at the corner outfield spots as it has to replace four-year starters Tim Hanigan and Nick Adams.
A sophomore from Burnsville, Minn., Stitz was one of the top freshmen in The Summit League last year, earning second-team all-league recognition. Stitz drew 40 starting assignments and ranked third on the team with a .339 batting average, nine home runs and 10 stolen bases.
Newcomers Beau Hanowski and John Lee are projected as the starters in left and right field, respectively. Hanowski is a true freshman from Little Falls, Minn., while Lee began his collegiate career at Nebraska before transferring back home to Mason City, Iowa, to play the 2008 season at North Iowa Area Community College. Both players bat and throw left-handed.
Three other first-year players, Milbank native Jeff Fish, Daniel Telford and Joel Blake, also could see playing time in the outfield this season. Fish and Blake also should see at-bats in the designated hitter role.
Starting Pitching
The Jackrabbits return two of their top three starters from the 2008 season, including wins leader Caleb Thielbar. Pitching mostly in the No. 2 spot in the rotation last year, the senior southpaw compiled a 5-4 record with a 5.94 earned run average. He also led the staff with 41 strikeouts in a team-high 66.2 innings pitched.
Jared Koch, who held the third spot in the rotation much of his junior season, is expected to fill the same role this season after posting a 3-4 record last season.
Freshman Layne Somsen is projected as the second starter in this weekend's season-opening series. A Yankton native, Somsen
Isaac Johnson and Mike Robinson also have starting pitching experience. A senior from Verndale, Minn., Johnson was 1-3 a season ago in 14 appearances, including six starts. Robinson, a junior left-hander from Rapid City, has made eight career starts, including six as a freshman. He went 0-2 with a 4.94 ERA in 14 appearances last season, two of which were starting assignments.
Bullpen
Senior Kirby Morsching anchored the bullpen during the 2008 season, posting a team-best seven saves to go along with a 3-5 record and team-leading 4.08 ERA. Morsching was often called upon to record more than three outs in late-inning situations.
Also returning to the Jackrabbit bullpen are right-handers Sam Pieczynski, Matt Spinar and Trever Vermeulen.
Additional help could come from newcomers Blaine Alberta, Austin Busse and Blake Treinen.
THE ROSTER: The 2009 SDSU baseball roster features 28 players from 11 different states plus Canada. Of the 28 players, six are from South Dakota, five are from Minnesota, three hail from Iowa, with two each from California and Texas. Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Oregon are represented by one player each. In addition, four players are from Canada. By class, seven are seniors, five are juniors, seven are sophomores and nine are incoming freshmen.
Sunday, May 31
Saturday, May 30
Saturday, May 30
Thursday, May 28