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WIAC Baseball Preview

02/12/2020, 3:30pm CST
By WIAC

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the three-time defending conference champion, has been selected to win the 2020 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball title, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

The Warhawks won the 19th regular-season championship a season ago and made the program’s 22nd NCAA appearance. UW-Whitewater, ranked No. 17 in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA Preseason Top 25,  has won at least 30 games in 12 straight seasons and their 21 league victories in 2019 matched a program record. Five of the top-seven hitters from last year return, including Noah Jensen, who was second on the team with a .394 batting average and four triples, and third with 36 RBI. Nick Santoro contributed a team-best 74 hits, 16 doubles and eight triples, while placing second with a .651 slugging percentage and fourth with a .379 batting average.

Westin Muir and Matt O’Sullivan provided strong performances on the mound with Muir posting a 2.07 earned run average, eight victories and 78 strikeouts in 65.1 innings pitched. O’Sullivan compiled a 2.87 earned run average, seven wins and 80 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched. Head coach John Vodenlich is 25 wins away from reaching 600 with the program.

UW-Whitewater is followed in the conference predictions by:  UW-La Crosse; UW-Oshkosh; UW-Platteville; UW-Stout; UW-Stevens Point; and Finlandia University (Mich.).

UW-La Crosse’s 28 wins last year marked the ninth consecutive season the program has registered at least 21 victories. Zach Pronschinske, the reigning WIAC Pitcher of the Year, leads the returnees. A season ago, he posted a league-best 1.99 earned run average, while placing third with a .195 opponent batting average and fourth with 77 strikeouts. Five of the top-seven hitters are back, including Carson Youngquist, who had a team-best .385 batting average, .471 on-base percentage and 11 doubles. Brennan Schmitt led the Eagles with a .601 slugging percentage, 40 runs scored, 29 RBI and six home runs, while finishing second with a .353 batting average and .433 on-base percentage.

UW-Oshkosh’s Hunter Staniske compiled a team-best 50 hits and 29 RBI a season ago, while placing second with a .333 batting average, .381 on-base percentage, 31 runs scored and 10 doubles. Sean Cummins, Matt McNabb and Eric Modaff played in 30 games, 27 games and 20 games, respectively. Cummins recorded a .424 slugging percentage, 20 runs scored and 14 RBI. Will Michalski logged the most innings pitched of any returnee with 35.0 to his credit during the 2019 campaign.

UW-Platteville made its first WIAC Tournament appearance since 2010 last season and recorded 14 conference victories for the highest total in program history. Jonathan Kelso returns after leading the league with 20 stolen bases and placing fourth with a .391 batting average and 61 hits. He topped the Pioneers with 36 runs scored, three home runs and 37 RBI. Josh Moses led the conference with 32 walks and recorded team highs of 11 doubles, four triples, .595 slugging percentage and .497 on-base percentage. Nate Jennings was second on the team with 12 appearances and fourth with 31.0 innings pitched.

UW-Stout’s 20 wins a season ago marked a 10-game improvement from 2018 and its 12 WIAC victories were the most since the 2007 squad had 13. The Blue Devils also qualified for the WIAC Tournament for the first time since 2014. Kasey Bass led the 2019 team with a .376 batting average, .556 slugging percentage, .455 on-base percentage, 15 doubles and 31 RBI. Jace Baumann threw 18.1 innings in nine appearances, recording 14 strikeouts and a pair of victories.

UW-Stevens Point brings back its top-four hitters from the 2019 campaign, including Payton Nelson, who led the squad with a .357 batting average and .438 on-base percentage, while finishing second with 55 hits, 13 doubles, 10 stolen bases and third with 33 RBI and 32 runs scored. Aaron Simmons topped the team with 58 hits, 42 RBI, 15 doubles, 11 stolen bases and a .634 slugging percentage, while placing second with a .354 batting average. Bradley Comer and Tommy Duddleston each contributed a .299 batting average.

Finlandia University brings back Sawyer Murrell, who had a .298 batting average, .411 slugging percentage and .319 on-base percentage. Ashton Knutson led the team with 49.0 innings pitched and 39 strikeouts. His seven starting assignments included two complete game performances.

2020 Preseason Predictions
(Voted on by WIAC head coaches & sports information directors)

                                                2019 Record

1. UW-Whitewater          (35-12 overall, 21-3 WIAC)

2. UW-La Crosse               (28-15, 19-5)

3. UW-Oshkosh                (18-21, 11-13)

4. UW-Platteville              (20-21, 14-10)

5. UW-Stout                       (20-17, 12-12)

6. UW-Stevens Point      (14-24, 6-18)

7. Finlandia Univ.              (4-32, 1-23)

Team Capsules

Finlandia University (Mich.)
Head Coach:  Evan Brandt; 3rd season at FIN; 14-50
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  14/16
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  4/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  4/8
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  0/1

Returning All-WIAC:  None

Notable Returning Position Players:  Nik Geiser, Sr., 1B; Ben Loya, Jr., C; Sawyer Murrell, Jr., OF/INF

Notable Returning Pitchers:  Ashton Knutson, Sr., RHP; Will Thompson, Jr., LHP

UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  Chris Schwarz; 16th season at UWL; 372-266-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  19/14
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  4/5
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  4/3
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  0/3

Returning All-WIAC:  Zach Carney, Jr., OF (2018-Honorable); Connor Cook, Sr., RHP (2019-Honorable); Zach Pronschinske, Sr., RHP (2019-First/Pitcher of the Year); Brennan Schmitt, Sr., INF (2019-First); Carson Youngquist, Sr., C (2019-First)

Notable Returning Position Players:  Shane Coker, Sr., OF; Tommy Nelsen, So., OF; Cal Tully, Sr., INF

Notable Returning Pitchers:  Garrett McGraw, Sr., RHP; Jack Mizgalski, Jr., RHP; Bryce Wesling, So., LHP

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Kevin Tomasiewicz, 7th season at UWO; 136-108-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/16
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  2/4
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/2

Returning All-WIAC:  Hunter Staniske, Jr., 2B (2019-Honorable)

Notable Returning Position Players:  Sean Cummins, Jr., OF; Matt McNabb, Jr., OF; Eric Modaff, Jr., OF

Notable Returning Pitchers:  Alex Larson, Jr., RHP; Will Michalski, Jr., RHP; Matt Wiechmann, Sr., RHP

UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Chad Harris; 2nd season at UWP (10th overall); 147-194 (overall) / 20-21 (UWP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  21/13
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  6/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  0/4
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Jonathon Kelso, Jr., CF (2018-Honorable, 2019-First); Ross Krist, Jr., OF (2019-Honorable); Josh Moses, Sr., RF (2017-Honorable, 2018-First, 2019-First); Brendon Reifsteck, Jr., 3B (2018-Honorable)

Notable Returning Position Players:  Ben Espinoza, So., OF; Logan Kozak, So., C; Collin Mormann, Sr., 1B

Notable Returning Pitchers:  Nate Jennings, So., RHP

UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Jeremy Jirschele; 5th season at UWSP; 81-78
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  23/12
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  3/5
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/1

Returning All-WIAC:  Payton Nelson, Jr., OF (2018-Honorable, 2019-Honorable); Aaron Simmons, Jr., OF/INF (2019-First)

Notable Returning Position Players:  Bradley Comer, So., INF; Tommy Duddleston, Sr., INF

Notable Returning Pitchers:  Zach Haupt, Jr., RHP; Austin Syvertson, So., RHP

UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Ben Kincaid; 4th season at UWST; 40-71
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  18/14
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  7/2
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  4/4
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Kasey Bass, Sr., 1B (2018-Honorable, 2019-First); Ben Vanhove, Sr., INF (2018-Honorable)

Notable Returning Position Players:  Danny Deis, Jr., OF; Kyle Hamilton, Sr., INF; Hunter Merrill, Jr., C

Notable Returning Pitchers:  Jace Baumann, Jr., RHP; Cooper Beving, So., LHP; Cody Urban, So., RHP

UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  John Vodenlich; 19th season (17th at UWW); 604-225-1 (overall) / 575-185-1 (UWW)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  17/15
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  6/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  4/3
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/2

Returning All-WIAC:  Alex Doud, Sr., OF (2018-First, 2019-Honorable); Noah Jensen, Sr., OF (2019-First); Westin Muir, Jr., RHP (2019-First); Matt O’Sullivan, Jr., LHP (2019-First); Nick Santoro, Jr., INF (2019-First); Connor Spear, Jr., RHP (2019-First)

Notable Returning Position Players:  Matt Korman, So., OF; Connor Moroder, Sr., INF/DH; Ben Wilkins, Sr., INF

Notable Returning Pitchers:  Hayden Fox, So., RHP; Evan Sigmund, Jr., RHP

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