MINOT, N.D. – Taking advantage of some unseasonably warm weather, the Minot State baseball team has already had time outside this winter as the Beavers prepare for the 2024 season.

A season that opens this weekend as Minot State plays a four-game series against host Regis in Denver, Colorado this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Having tasted practice action on the diamond at Corbett Field already in this month, the Beavers are more than ready to begin the season.

"Yeah, we're really excited to start," second-year head coach Sam Boisner said. "We play four games in Denver and new this year in the NSIC we play some conference games early, … which will be exciting to just kind of see how you stack up against the conference a little earlier and maybe be able to work on some things moving into the season."

That early-season NSIC slate begins next weekend as the Beavers take on Concordia, St. Paul in a four-game set in Joplin, Missouri, Feb. 24-25.

But first comes the Regis Rangers (3-4-1) who already have eight games under their belt this season having played in California and Kansas already this month.

"I think our groups are ready and we're ready to see some different competition other than ourselves," Boisner said.

A group led by a veteran lineup as the Beavers have six returning position starters set to hit the field along with three starting pitchers from last year's team which went 29-19, along with Ricky Apodaca, a standout pitcher and position player who was named to the All-NSIC team in 2022 who returns after sitting out last spring.

Leading that group is preseason NCBWA All-American first baseman Gunnar Kozlowitz who hit a team-best .410 and had 16 home runs and 53 RBIs for a Minot State team that blasted a new school record of 89 home runs, 8^th-most in the nation.

Also back are catchers Mark Ossanna (.337, 14 HRs, 44 RBIs) and Martin Rodriguez (.317, 22 RBIs), outfielders Brent Riddle (.330, 10 HR, 37 RBIs) and Javier Gutierrez (.322, 15 HR, 34 RBIs), and infielder Shane Kary (.202, 17 RBIs).

On the hill, the Beavers return starters Craig Schmich (5-4, 5.44 ERA, 55 Ks), Gage Yost (4-2, 5.01 ERA, 44 Ks), and Trevyn Badger (2-2, 5.77 ERA, 57 Ks), along with Apodaca who was 4-2 with a 5.08 ERA and 70 Ks in 2022, giving Minot State plenty of arms on the mound to be a tough foe for anyone.

"We're excited about our offense, and really about our pitching staff as well," Boisner said.

That excitement extends to some of the potential impact newcomers like Grant Gabbert, a junior outfielder from Miles City Community College, junior infielder Brian Parry from the College of the Desert, junior catcher Seungjun Song from South Suburban College, and sophomore catcher Martin Sanchez from College of the Desert, all of who can make an impact at the plate and in the field for the Beavers.

As for the guys on the hill who will bolster that returning group of four starters, Coach Boisner said that junior righties Devin Marton from the University of Nevada, Hayden Bode from Butte College, and Gage Eastlick from Sacramento City College are just a few of the arms ready to step up for Minot State this season.

A season filled with high expectations for a veteran team that saw the 2023 campaign end way too soon with a season-ending, 10^th-inning loss in the NSIC Tournament.

"I think we're all a little disappointed with how it ended last year; another one-run game, which was kind of our Achilles heel is just finishing off those tight games at the end," Boisner said.

"But we're more excited to get to the conference tournament again, obviously we have a lot of work to do, … but our players' mission really is to have an opportunity to play in the regional."