The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program was picked to finish eighth in the NSIC Preseason Baseball Coaches’ Poll released by the conference office. The Golden Eagles received 101 points, edging Concordia University-St. Paul by three points, and trailing Northern State University by 11 points.
UMC is coming off a 28-21 (20-12 NSIC) to earn its third NSIC Tournament appearance in the last four years. The Golden Eagles are led by Steve Gust, who enters his sixth season in 2020.
Top returners include Brock Reller (Jr., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.) who hit .284 last season with 37 runs scored, nine home runs, and a team-high 47 RBIs. Bryce Jorgenson (Sr., OF, Thunder Bay, Ontario) hit .260 with 39 runs scored and a team-leading 15 doubles. The Golden Eagles have added Arkansas State transfer and Crookston Reds amateur baseball team’s Will Zimmerman (Sr., SS, Park River, N.D.), who hit .290 last season with 16 runs scored and 10 RBIs.
On the mound, the Golden Eagles return Jayden Grover (Sr., RHP, Cooperstown, N.D.), who was 5-3 last season with a 5.43 ERA with 43 strikeouts on the year. Out of the bullpen, UMC will be anchored by the arm of Dalton Grose (Sr., LHP, Waterville, Minn.). Grose was 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA last season with 39 strikeouts and 22 walks and a school-record 13 saves.
The Golden Eagles will have a tough non-conference schedule as they open up with a three-game series at Pittsburg State Feb. 14-16 in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Gorillas went 31-21 last year. Former Minnesota Crookston assistant coach Taylor Steen is the assistant coach for Pittsburg State.
UMC will travel to Florida for two weeks to play non-conference games against Gannon University, Florida Tech University, Florida Southern College, St. Cloud State University, and Saint Leo University. The Golden Eagles open up NSIC play March 14-15 at Winona State University.
Augustana University was picked up to finish first in the poll with 195 points and 13 first-place votes. Minnesota State University was slotted second with 184 points and two first-place votes. Jordan Barth of Augustana was named NSIC Preseason Player of the Year, while Max Steffens of Augustana was picked as NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
2020 NSIC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll
1. Augustana (13)……………………….195
2. Minnesota State (2) …………………184
3. St. Cloud State ……………………….164
4. Wayne State …………………………..153
5. Minot State …………………………….152
6. Winona State ………………………….118
7. Northern State ………………………..112
8. Minnesota Crookston…………………101
9. Concordia-St. Paul …………………….98
10. University of Mary…………………….79
11. Minnesota Duluth……………………..77
12. Southwest Minnesota State………….48
13. Upper Iowa …………………………….45
14. Sioux Falls ………………………………31
15. Bemidji State …………………………..18
First-place votes in ( )
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