MINOT, ND - The Minot State Beavers baseball team is gearing up for their final road series of the regular season as they travel to St. Cloud, Minnesota, to take on St. Cloud State University. The three-game NSIC series will be held at Joe Faber Field, featuring a doubleheader on Saturday, April 26, and a single game on Sunday, April 27. Saturday's action will get underway with game one at 1:30 p.m., followed by game two shortly after the conclusion of the opener. Sunday's series finale is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.
The Beavers (16-25 overall, 10-22 NSIC) head into the weekend aiming to finish strong on the road after their recent conference match-ups. St. Cloud State (20-22 overall, 16-16 NSIC) will look to defend their home turf. The last time these two teams matched-up against one another was back on April 28, 2024, where the Beavers defeated the Huskies by a final score of 5-3.
At the plate, Minot State continues to be led by standout hitters including
Brent Riddle (.333 AVG),
Connor Hill (.325 AVG), and
Oscar Pegg (.312 AVG). As a team, the Beavers hold a collective batting average of .296 and an OPS of .820, while tallying 40 home runs so far this season.
The Huskies bring a potent offense of their own into the match-up, highlighted by key contributors such as Liam Moreno (.335 AVG), Ethan Navratil (.333 AVG), and Blaine Guthrie (.330 AVG). St. Cloud State currently sports a team batting average of .294 and an OPS of .853, with 41 home runs to their credit.
On the mound, Minot State's rotation is anchored by
Connor Hill (4.11 ERA),
Noah Balandran (4.00 ERA), and
Hayden Bode (7.88 ERA), with
Ayden Sauerbrei leading the bullpen efforts with 4 saves. As a pitching staff, the Beavers have posted a team ERA of 8.10 with opponents batting .331 against them.
St. Cloud State counters with a strong pitching corps led by Brady Nelson (4.30 ERA), Bryce Brassfield (6.22 ERA), and Cael Kolacia (7.43 ERA), while Frankie Volkers leads the bullpen with 8 saves. The Huskies currently have a team ERA of 6.19 and opponents are hitting .275 against them.
After wrapping up the series at St. Cloud State, Minot State will return home for a 2-game midweek NSIC series against Bemidji State on Tuesday, April 29, with game one starting at 12:00 pm, and game two to follow shortly after the conclusion of game one.
