Rochester, Mn-
Several baseball programs across the Minnesota College Athletic Conference put together strong performances over the recent week, as team complete spring trips in warm locales and head back to the land of 10,000 lakes, where they will prepare for the Minnesota College Athletic Conference spring baseball campaign.
A handful of student-athletes stood out for their teams, and have been recognized as MCAC Baseball Players-of-the-Week for their efforts.
NORTHERN DIVISION:
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Tristan Lawrence Rainy River Community College Pitcher-of-the-Week
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Tristan Lawrence had a 2-0 week between March 12-18, including a one-hit outing in a 7-3 win over #10 Northern Essex. Lawrence went on to pick up his second win of the season in a 2-1 win over Cannoniers Academy. He pitched a complete game with seven strikeout and no walks. Rainy River Community College returns home from their spring trip with a 3-5 overall mark and are next scheduled to play at Minnesota West CTC in Worthington, Minnesota on March 24-25. |
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Hibbing Community College Player-of-the-Week
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Hibbing Community College baseball student-athlete Joe Lescarbeau got his 2018 spring season off to a strong start over the Week of March 12-18. Lescarbeau is currently hitting .623 with 15 hits in 22 at-bats, while driving in six runs and scoring four himself. The sophomore from Chisholm, Minnesota, had a pair of doubles among his 15 hits and has only struck out twice so far in 2018. HCC will next compete on Wednesday, March 21, when they take on the JV team of St. Scholastica College. |
CENTRAL DIVISION:
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St. Cloud Technical & Community College Pitcher-of-the-Week |
Austin Gohl, a pitcher from St. Cloud Technical & Community College has started his 2018 spring baseball season in fine form on the mound. The freshman from Sartell, Minnesota has 20 strikeouts so far in 2018, leading the MCAC in that category. His ERA is under 3 at 2.92 over the course of 12.1 innings of work. SCTCC is next scheduled to play on Sunday, March 25, when they take on the JV team of St. John's University, in Collegeville, Minnesota.
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Central Lakes College Player-of-the-Week |
Alan Pietila started off the 2018 Minnesota College Athletic Conference baseball season by making things happen for his Central Lakes College squad on the basepaths and at the plate. Pietila has six steals so far already in 2018, and has yet to be thrown out. He has seven hits in 21 at-bats, including a double and three RBI's. He has also been strong defensively for the Raiders, clocking in with a .917 fielding percentage. Central Lakes College is next scheduled to play against the JV team of Luther College on March 25, in Decorah, Iowa.
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SOUTHERN DIVISION:
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Josh Molina Riverland Community College Player-of-the-Week |
Riverland Community College baseball player Josh Molina has started his 2018 MCAC Baseball season with a strong offensive output so far this spring for the Blue Devils. Molina is hitting .424 in 2018, with a home run and thirteen RBI's. He has scored 5 runs himself, while notching a .576 slugging percentage. Riverland is 7-3 to start the season and is scheduled to play next against Central Lakes College on April 8, in Brainerd, Minnesota.
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Anoka-Ramsey Community College Pitcher-of-the-Week |
Anoka-Ramsey Community College pitcher Jake Bloomstrand went the distance in a strong effort against NJCAA Division II opponent Dawson Community College on March 15. The Golden Ram hurler faced 35 batters, striking out six on the day. Bloomstrand conceded 5 earned runs in a complete game seven-inning affair, scattering 11 hits over that time. ARCC next plays on Saturday, March 24 when they will take on Dakota County Technical College in double-header action. |
MCAC Baseball Homepage: http://www.mcacsports.org/sports/bsb/index
About baseball in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference:
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference boasts a strong tradition in America's pastime; over fifty years of collegiate competition has prepared student-athletes in the MCAC to pursue careers at four year college programs as well as professional ranks.
Currently the MCAC Baseball squads compete in a three-division set-up. Northern Division teams include Hibbing Community College, Itasca Community College, Mesabi Range College, Rainy River Community College and Vermilion Community College. The Central Division is home to St. Cloud Technical & Community College, Central Lakes College, Ridgewater College, M State Fergus Falls and Northland Community & Technical College. In the Southern Division, Anoka-Ramsey CC, Minnesota West CTC, Riverland Community College, Rochester Community & Technical College and Western (WI) Technical College compete for a divisional title.
Beginning with the 2018 spring season, MCAC Division Champions and Divisional runner-up teams will advance to the 2018 NJCAA Division III Regional Tournament. Additionally, a seventh playoff slot will be allocated to the highest ranked MCAC team as designated by the 2018 Region XIII which did not earn a championship or runner-up finish in divisional play.
Baseball in the MCAC features athletes from over 20 states and five countries. Our campus environments include the opportunity to attend college and compete in a variety of Minnesota State System colleges, from the urban hubs of the Twin Cities, Rochester, St. Cloud and La Crosse, Wisconsin to the picturesque college towns ranging from Thief River Falls to Ely, Worthington to Brainerd. Learn more at: http://www.minnstate.edu/
This release sponsored in part by:
The United Heroes League seeks to keep military kids healthy and active through sports while their parents are serving the nation. The United Heroes League is headquartered in Hastings, Minnesota and offers several opportunities for colleges, businesses, organizations and individuals to help support their cause. The #1 goal for the United Heros League is to ensure that all 5 million military kids are able to develop critical life skills through sports. This intense focus on youth development and serving the families of our miliary service members motivates the United Heroes League to keep programs focused. This focus has also inspired over 90 professional athletes and over 30 sports franchises to lend their name and support to the United Heroes League.
About the Minnesota College Athletic Conference
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the organizational body for NJCAA-affiliated two-year technical and community college athletic programs in the Minnesota State system. The mission of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is to advance intercollegiate athletics by providing an engaging and supportive environment for success of our student athletes and competition among member institutions. The MCAC is committed to the guiding principles of encouraging the development and success of student athletes, promoting the integrity, honesty and loyalty to member schools as well as upholding the sustainability of conference athletic programs.