Baseball season begins Friday

Friday, February 15

Russellville, Ark.

4 p.m.

South Dakota State University

UT Martin

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

2/13/2019 7:06:00 PM | Baseball

Games 1-3: South Dakota State (0-0) vs. UT Martin (0-0)

When	Friday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m. \| Saturday, Feb. 16, 1 p.m. \| Sunday, Feb. 17, noon
Where	Tech Field \| Russellville, Arkansas
TV	None
Radio	None
Live Stats	Game 1 \| Game 2 \| Game 3
Series Notes	South Dakota State \| UT Martin \| Summit League
Social Media	Twitter \| Instagram \| #Rabs

The location may have changed, but the South Dakota State University baseball team is on track to open the 2019 season Friday by taking on UT Martin in the opening game of a three-game series.

First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Tech Field on the Arkansas Tech University campus in Russellville, Arkansas. The series, which was moved due to the threat of inclement weather in Tennessee, will conclude with games at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Live stats will be available through GoJacksLive.com.

SDSU finished the 2018 season with an 18-32 overall record, including a 14-13 record in Summit League play. The Jackrabbits concluded last season by reaching the Summit League Baseball Championship title game.

UT Martin went through a rebuilding season in 2018, finishing the year with an 11-40 overall record. The Skyhawks posted a 7-22 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference.

FOR OPENERS: The Jackrabbits are 4-10 in Opening Day games during the Division I era, which began with the start of the 2005 season. SDSU fell to Austin Peay, 4-2, in the 2018 season opener played in St. Louis, Missouri.

SDSU ended a two-game losing streak in season openers in 2017 by defeating Northern Illinois, 7-2 in a game played in Glendale, Arizona. The Jackrabbits also won the next day against Chicago State, 3-1, to start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2013.

THE SERIES: Friday's game will mark the sixth meeting between South Dakota State and UT Martin on the baseball diamond, with the Jackrabbits holding a 3-2 series advantage.

The series began in 2007, when the two squads split a two-game set played in Martin,Tennessee. The Skyhawks won the initial game, 5-4, while SDSU claimed Game 2 by a 15-4 score. SDSU shortstop Jake Rogers homered twice as part of a 4-for-6, 7-RBI performance in the series finale.

SDSU and UT Martin met again in a three-game series during the 2011 season. Once again,the Skyhawks won the series opener, on their home field, 14-5, before South Dakota State took the series with 2-0 and 10-3 victories. In the Jackrabbits' shutout win, current Oakland Athletics all-star reliever Blake Treinen struck out 11 over eight innings, while All-America closer Trever Vermeulen pitched a perfect ninth inning for the save.

Jesse Sawyer hit a pair of solo home runs for the Jackrabbits in the 2011 series finale to lead an SDSU offense that scored seven times over the final three innings.

VERSUS THE OVC: South Dakota State will be playing an Ohio Valley Conference opponent in the season opener for the second consecutive year. In 2018, the Jackrabbits dropped a 4-2 decision to Austin Peay.

The Jackrabbits turned in a 2-3 record against OVC foes last season, losing both contests to Austin Peay that were played in the St. Louis area Feb. 16-17 before rallying to win the final two games of a three-game series at Southeast Missouri March 2-4.

PRESEASON POLL: South Dakota State has been picked to finish second in the upcoming Summit League baseball race, according to a poll conducted among conference coaches that was announced Feb. 7 by league officials.

The Jackrabbits received one first-place vote, finishing with 21 points. Defending league champion Oral Roberts again paced the six-team race with five first-place votes and 25 points. North Dakota State completed the upper half of the poll with 17 points.

Rounding out the poll were: Western Illinois, 12 points; Omaha, 9 points, and Purdue Fort Wayne, 6 points.

In addition, the Jackrabbits' Nick Smith and Brady Stover were recognized among the Summit League's top players to watch.

A two-time all-Summit League honoree, Smith has posted a batting average of better than .300 each of the past two seasons. Smith, a senior from Chanhassen, Minnesota, hit at a .303 clip with 18 runs batted in en route to first-team honors as a utility player during the 2018 campaign.

Stover, a junior from Huxley, Iowa, posted a 3-2 record in 2018 with a 4.57 earned run average in 10 appearances, including nine starts. The left-hander struck out 63 batters in only 43.1 innings, setting an SDSU single-season record with an average of 13.09 strikeouts per nine innings. He also limited the opposition to a .203 batting average.

Summit League play is slated to begin March 15, when SDSU opens a three-game series at Western Illinois.

The top four teams during the regular season will advance to the 2019 Summit League Baseball Championship, which is scheduled for May 22-25 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

SEASON PREVIEW: The South Dakota State University baseball team expects to balance a mix of talented newcomers with a core group of players as it prepares for another run at a Summit League title during the 2019 season.

"One of our big pushes last year in recruiting, and even the previous year, is that we're really trying to get more athletic all around the diamond," said Rob Bishop, who enters his third season as head coach of the Jackrabbits. "We're going to get a lot of guys on the field early and really just try to be consistent overall with the quality of player we have out there."

A common theme throughout the program is that the 2019 squad is expected to be deeper — top to bottom.

"On the pitching side, we have a lot of guys that we like in specific roles," said Bishop, who led SDSU to the title game of the 2018 Summit League Baseball Championship. "We also have four or five position guys on the bench who will play a lot. I'm excited about having that level of depth in our program."

Following is a closer position-by-position look:

Infield
The Jackrabbits will have to replace the starting left side of their infield following the graduations of all-Summit League performers Newt Johnson at third base and shortstop Tony Kjolsing.

Sophomore Gus Steiger is expected to move across the diamond to shortstop after filling the starting role at second base a year ago. Steiger earned second-team all-Summit League recognition after batting a team-best .311 overall (.355 in Summit League games) with two home runs and 27 runs batted in. He also proved to be sure-handed in the field, committing only one error in 195 defensive chances.

"Gus had a year with Tony and that was good for him to see how that spot could be played at a high level," Bishop said. "Gus has all the tools to be really good there."

The third base spot will likely be held by a newcomer as freshmen Luke Ira and Drew Beazley, along with junior college transfer Matthew Krambeck, will vie for the regular starting role.

Beazley also is line to be the Jackrabbits' closer out of the bullpen, which could limit his time in the field.

"Drew is a great competitor – he loves that tight spot at the end of the game," Bishop said, noting that he plans to still include Beazley's bat in the lineup on a consistent basis as the designated hitter.

On the right side, Josh Falk returns for his second season as the Jackrabbits' starting first baseman. The top returning power threat in the SDSU lineup, Falk recorded a team-high 11 doubles and added six home runs in 2018, compiling a .439 slugging percentage.

Senior Josh Kutzke will provide additional extra-base potential off the bench and can play either corner infield position.

At second base, junior college transfer Braeden Brown is penciled in as the opening day starter. Brown was an all-region selection his first season at Southeastern Community College in his hometown of Burlington, Iowa.

Ira also will likely see some action at second.

"They both are high-level guys defensively and can swing the bats," Bishop said of Brown and Ira.

Behind the plate, sophomore Derek Hackman and freshman Ryan McDonald are expected to vie for the starting role, with Krambeck and veteran Ian Cote also competing for playing time. The left-handed hitting Hackman made the most starts among the catching group last season with 24, posting a .241 batting average with a .446 on-base percentage.?He did not commit an error and ranked third on the team with 135 putouts on the defensive side.

Outfield
Two-thirds of the starting outfield remains intact with multi-year starters Nick Smith and Landon Badger.

A senior, Smith has earned all-Summit League honors each of the past two seasons as a utility player, but is expected to make more of a full-time move to left field in 2019. Smith hit a team-best .340 during the 2017 campaign before finishing with a .303 average while battling injuries last year. He added seven doubles, three triples a home run and 18 RBIs in 2018.

Badger, a junior from Pierre, is back for his third season as the starting center fielder. He improved his offensive output in 2018, tallying a .273 batting average with six doubles and 17 RBIs, while tying for second on the team with 10 stolen bases. Badger also is one of the league's top defensive players.

Senior Logan Holtz is penciled in as the opening day starter in right field after hitting .221 and driving in six runs in limited action a year ago.

The remainder of the outfield crew will be made up of three newcomers — none of whom have played a collegiate game. The trio is made up of redshirt freshmen Colton Cox and Chase Kortan, as well as true freshman Jamie Berg.

Pitching
The Jackrabbit pitching staff is in line for a bounce-back season after being beset by injuries and inconsistency a year ago.

"The quality of arms is really much improved, especially the depth," Bishop said.

Bishop said the battle for who fill the starting spots in the rotation has been competitive, with four or five hurlers separating themselves from the rest of the pack in the fall and during early preseason workouts.

Junior left-hander Brady Stover is the likely opening day starter. Stover has battled injuries each of his first two seasons, but has shown glimpses of being one of the top pitchers in the Summit League when healthy.

Last season, Stover was limited to 10 pitching appearances — nine starts — but set an SDSU single-season record with an average of 13.09 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, fanning 63 batters in only 43 1/3 frames. Stover recorded two double-digit-strikeout performances and held opposing batters to a .203 batting average.

Fellow junior Tyler Olmstead made eight starts before moving to the bullpen over the final month of the season. A second-team all-Summit League performer, Olmstead turned in a 4.67 overall earned run average while posting a 2-3 record.

The rotation is will be further bolstered by the return of Ryan Froom. A sixth-year senior, Froom suffered a season-ending arm injury early in the league portion of the 2017 season and sat out the entire 2018 campaign.

Froom has made 34 career starts for the Jackrabbits, including 14 in 2016. He posted a 5-3 record with 11 starts as a sophomore in 2015 and was off to a 3-2 start in 2017 before his injury.

Freshman Nic McCay has impressed the coaching staff early in his career and is a leading candidate to be the fourth starter early in the year.

"He was probably our best guy in the fall," Bishop said. "We knew he was good, but he's been better than expected. He's come along quickly so we expect big things out of him."

Korey Kuhlmann, who made six starts and tied for the team lead with three wins in 2018, gives SDSU another left-handed option.

Two other left-handers, Bryce Johnson and Cody Carlson, also have the capability to start, but likely will be suited to eat up innings out of the bullpen.

Adding to the arsenal of southpaws is sophomore Bret Barnett, who has made significant strides after appearing mostly as a situational reliever in 19 games a year ago.

Likely to pitch in the middle and late innings from the right side are senior Alex Marro, juniors Quinn Reimers and Brett Mogen, and sophomore Mitchell Oehme.

Marro moved into the closer's role midway through his first season with the Jackrabbits in 2018 and ended with a team-leading four saves while tying for the team lead in appearances with 21.

Both Reimers and Mogen will attempt to regain the consistency they displayed during their first seasons with the Jackrabbits in 2017. Reimers struck out 15 batters in 18 innings last season, while Mogen made 18 appearances, including one start.

Another junior, Brady Moxham, is slated to pitch out of the bullpen this season after tying an SDSU single-season record in 2018 by making 16 starts.

Oehme made 20 appearances during his freshman campaign in 2018.

Seniors Austin Suhr and Otis Roby also are back after combining for 25 appearances, including four starts, a year ago. Suhr shared the team lead in wins with three.

Freshman right-hander Riley McSherry closes out the pitching staff, while fellow first-year hurler Alex Bertram is likely to redshirt this season.

Schedule
The Jackrabbits are scheduled to be on the road for the first six weeks of the season, staring with a season-opening series Feb. 15-17 at UT Martin. Matchups against Florida International and 2018 NCAA regional qualifier Northeastern follow the next weekend in Port Charlotte, Florida.

"We're definitely always going to play a competitive early season schedule, and this year is no different," Bishop said. "I care about the record early; I want to win those games just like anybody would, but to me, the whole entire focus is just trying to be ready for Summit League play."

Series with Central Arkansas and UA Little Rock, with a single game against Missouri mixed in, complete the pre-conference schedule. Many of the early weekends will consist of four-game slates, giving the Jackrabbits more opportunities to further develop their depth.

"It's always hard not to put what you think is your best nine out there, but at the same time we really have to play for the big picture and get those backup guys some reps," Bishop said.

The 30-game Summit League schedule kicks off March 15, when the Jackrabbits open a three-game series at Western Illinois.

"To me, to win or to be good in The Summit League, you have to win on the road. The road stuff is good for our team because you have to face adversity and we'll get tested right away."

SDSU's home opener is set for April 3 against Dakota State, followed by the Summit League home opener two days later against Omaha.

COACH BISHOP: Rob Bishop, who has guided college baseball teams to nearly 600 victories, was named head baseball coach at South Dakota State University on Aug. 1, 2016. Bishop is the ninth head coach in program history and the fourth in the Division I era of Jackrabbit baseball.

Entering his third season with the Jackrabbits, Bishop holds a 44-56 record at SDSU. In his first season, Bishop's 2017 squad returned to the winning side of the ledger with a 26-24 overall mark, including an 18-12 record for a third-place finish in The Summit League standings. SDSU won its opening-round game in the Summit League Baseball Championship, 6-5, over second-seeded North Dakota State.

In 2018, SDSU overcame a slow start to post a winning record in Summit League play at 14-13 and went on to reach the title game of the Summit League Baseball Championship. The Jackrabbits finished with an 18-32 overall record during a campaign in which they played only six home games.

Overall, Bishop holds a 593-378-1 record (.611 winning percentage) as a collegiate head coach.

Individually, Jackrabbit players have been honored as all-Summit League performers 10 times during his brief tenure, including six all-league selections in 2018. Utility player Nick Smith and third baseman Newt Johnson received all-Summit League recognition in both 2017 and 2018.

In addition, catcher Luke Ringhofer was selected in the 22nd round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles and relief pitcher Chris Halbur was offered a free agent contract by the Los Angeles Dodgers after Bishop's first season in Brookings.

Prior to becoming head coach at SDSU, Bishop spent six years at NCAA Division II member Montana State University-Billings, where he led the Yellowjackets to back-to-back Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular season titles in 2015 and 2016, attaining the program's first-ever 30-win season with a 30-20 record this past spring. His squads also were honored as the top academic team in the GNAC each of the past three seasons.

Previously, Bishop spent 10 years at Miles City Community College in Montana, where his teams won MonDak conference championships every year. His squads also claimed five consecutive junior college region titles and a Northwest District championship in 2007 to advance to the NJCAA Division II College World Series. Bishop's teams won at least 30 games each of his 10 seasons, including four 40-win seasons. He ended his tenure at Miles City with a 377-151 overall record.

He also served as athletic director the last five years of his tenure at Miles City.

Bishop served as a graduate assistant at SDSU under head coach Mark Ekeland during the 1998 and 1999 seasons. In his first season as a head coach, Bishop led Huron University to the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference title in 2000 with a 38-18 record.

A 1994 graduate of Jamestown College, Bishop earned NAIA All-America honors during the 1992 and 1994 seasons as an infielder.

THE ROSTER: The 2019 SDSU baseball roster features 33 players from seven different states and one Canadian province. Of the 33 players, 11 are from Iowa, nine are from South Dakota and eight hail from Minnesota. Arizona, Nebraska, Washington and Wisconsin are represented by one player each, as is Manitoba.

By class, 10 are seniors, nine are juniors, five are sophomores, two are redshirt freshmen and seven are incoming freshmen.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits will again head south for four games in Port Charlotte, Florida as part of the Snowbird Invitational Feb. 22-24. SDSU will face Florida International in its first two games, followed by two games against 2018 NCAA postseason qualifier Northeastern. All four games will be played at North Charlotte Regional Park (Field 10).

Friday, Feb. 22
• SDSU vs. Florida International, 2 p.m. Eastern Time
Saturday, Feb. 23
• SDSU vs. Florida International, noon ET
• SDSU vs. Northeastern, 3:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, Feb. 24
• SDSU vs. Northeastern, 10 a.m. ET

-GoJacks.com-