Rochester, Mn-
As Mother Nature continues her grip on much of Minnesota, only a handful of MCAC had the opportunity to hit the diamond this past week. However, there were several notable performances and some standouts have earned Player-of-the-Week or Pitcher-of-the-Week for their efforts for the week ending April 15. As much of Minnesota sits in a late winter deep freeze, several teams are looking at different options and altered schedules as synthetic turf fields fill up with area college and high school games.
Be sure to check the MCAC Sports website at: www.mcacsports.org for the most current list of cancelations, postponements and schedule changes in baseball this spring.
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Northern Division Pitcher-of-the-Week (Reliever) Freshman Mesabi Range College
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Cody Brown, freshman pitcher from Duluth, Minnesota, came on in relief for the Norseman and delivered three innings of solid work to allow Mesabi Range College to pull out a win over Vermilion Community College in a game played at Minnetonka High School. Brown tossed three full innings of relief, conceding only four hits and one earned run, while striking out three Ironmen. His performance set the stage for the Mesabi Range offense to get back on track and the Norsemen scored seven runs over the last two innings of play to take the 8-7 win over Vermilion. Mesabi Range is next scheduled to play on April 21, when they host Rainy River Community College. First pitch in Virginia, Minnesota is set for 1pm. |
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Northern Division Pitcher-of-the-Week (Starter) Freshman Vermilion Community College
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Vermilion Community College pitcher, Connor Knettel, delivered a seven-inning complete game performance for VCC this past week, and in doing so, earned Pitcher-of-the-Week honors among MCAC starting pitchers. Knettel had solid command of his pitches in the complete game outing, conceding only two earned runs, walking four batters while striking out three. He faced 33 Mesabi Range batters and gave up only three runs total, while his offense provided strong run support in the batters box. The 8-3 victory for Vermilion and Knettel pushed their MCAC record to 1-1 in the Central Division and lifted their overall mark to 2-7 on the year. Vermilion is scheduled to play next on Wednesday, April 18 against Mesabi Range at Proctor High School. First pitch is slated for Noon. |
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Northern Division Player-of-the-Week Sophomore Itasca Community College
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Itasca Community College put together a 4-0 run in baseball this past week and sophomore standout Nicholas Johnson was a big factor in their success. Johnson, from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, was strong at the plate for the Vikings, going 4-for-9 in a trio of games, scoring four runs and driving in a run. He also had a stolen base during Itasca's four game winning streak. Nicholas Johnson also took the mound for ICC, tossing 3.0 innings and giving up only one run on a solo shot round tripper, while striking out four batters. His solid effort shut the door on Hibbing Community College and helped allow Itasca to pull away for 7-1 victory. Itasca Community College is scheduled to take the field on Wednesday, April 18 at Central Lakes College
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Southern Division Player-of-the-Week Sophomore Minnesota West Community & Technical College |
Minnesota West Community & Technical College standout Jeremie Garcia put together a monster week at the plate and on the basepaths and has earned the Southern Division Player-of-the-Week for his efforts. Garcia went 10-for-17 over the course of four games and knocked in eight RBI's. He drew a walk and scored eight runs himself in the 2-2 week for the BlueJays. On the basepaths, Garcia swiped six bases total across the four contests. The sophomore from Miami Lakes, Florida, currently leads the MCAC in both batting average at .464 and stolen bases, with 19. Minnesota West is next scheduled to play on Friday, April 20 at Riverland Community College. |
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Central Division Player-of-the-Week Freshman M State, Fergus Falls |
Ryan Schmitz, a freshman third baseman for M State, Fergus Falls has been tabbed the Player-of-the-Week for the Central Division in MCAC Baseball for the week ending April 15. Schmitz went 2-for-2 at the plate for the Spartans in a 12-0 loss to NJCAA Division II Bismarck State College. He also turned in an error-free performance at third base for M State over the course of the week. The Spartans are next scheduled to play on Friday, April 20 at Vermilion Community College and hope to open up Central Division play on April 28 against SCTCC. |
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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 ConferenceThe 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. For more information, visit www.mcacsports.org
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