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Dakota Athletic Conference Tournament
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Minot State University's Mike Ronnie was named the Dakota Athletic Conference Senior of the Year following the postseason tournament that wrapped up Sunday at Minot's Corbett Field.

Ronnie, a senior from Red Deer, Alberta, was also first team All-DAC selection - the Beavers only such selection. He was joined on the second team by sophomore Eli Mihalick of Minot (third base), junior Kerry Boon of Red Deer (outfield) and senior Chris Corpe, of South Bend, Ind. (catcher).

Minot State dominated the Gold Glove Team as Mike O'Dwyer (Innisfail, Alberta) was named at first base, Ryne Hornecker (Minot) at shortstop, Kory Houston (Minot) in centerfield and Ryan Bodell (Minot) at the pitcher's spot. One player was named for each of the nine positions on the field.

Efrain Ruiz of Dickinson State was named the DAC MVP and teammate Jamil Acosta was named Pitcher of the Year. Hibraim Cordova of Dakota State took home Freshman of the Year honors, while Blue Hawks skipper Duane Monlux was named Coach of the Year.

The Comets collected 14 hits and eliminated Minot State University from the Dakota Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament with a 16-4 win Friday night at Corbett Field.

"We are a much, much better team than we showed today," MSU head coach Brock Weppler said. "It just wasn't our day. I don't know? ... It just wasn't our day."

The loss to Mayville was the second of the day for the Beavers, who also fell in their opening game with Jamestown College 10-0. For the MSU seniors, who played a big part in the turnaround of the Beavers' baseball program, it was a tough pill to swallow.

"It's just hard to believe it ends this way," MSU senior Mike Ronnie said. "It sucks for sure."

Mayville hit the ball early and often, as the Comets collected 11 runs through the first three innings.

"It's something you hope happens, it's just not something you're expecting," Mayville State head coach Scott Berry said of the hitting. "Crazy things happen in this game and Minot threw good pitching at us, (MSU starter Denver Wik) dealt with us quite handily a few weeks ago, we just had a great hitting day."

Eirk Scott led the Mayville charge with a perfect 3 for 3 day at the plate with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Jake McLain went 2 for 5 with a homerun in the fourth inning that helped put the Comets way ahead.

With the win, Mayville stayed alive in the tournament to play Dakota State today at 11 a.m. in a loser-out game.

"It's just hard to explain it. We are very proud of our kids for having the day that they did, but it wasn't like Minot didn't have good pitching," Berry said. "It was good pitching, but we just had a real good day and unfortunately for (the Beavers) they didn't."

MSU got off to a solid start, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Kory Houston scored the first on a single by Mike O'Dwyer, who went 3 for 4 at the plate. Ryne Hornecker scored the second on a balk by Mayville pitcher Heath Lee, who earned the win.

Kerry Boon went 3 for 4, Houston was 2 for 4 and Ronnie scored a run on a Boon homer in the top of the third inning.

While it was disappointing end for the MSU seniors, they leave behind a team and a younger group that has a bright future.

"It's going to make us hungry next year," Weppler said. "There's a lot of young guys that are going to now what it takes. Those eight seniors we had taught them a lot and it's going to carry over."

Ben Cairns hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to spark a 10-0 Jamestown College win over Minot State in the second game of the day Friday.

Cairns' home run scored four of the Jimmies' six runs in the sixth inning. Jamestown took an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second, and it worked behind solid pitching from starter Phil Curtis.

"All year we felt that if could get good starting pitching, we were going to be OK," Jamestown head coach Tom Hager said. "Phil Curtis set the tone for us today. Not only did he put up a goose for us, but he also was able to keep plugging away with runners behind him in scoring position. I really felt like he was the difference for us."

Curtis' ability to work out of a jam meant the Beavers were left with runners stranded. In all, MSU left eight runners stranded through seven innings. Curtis went the full seven innings, scattering five MSU hits in the shutout win.

JC collected eight hits and a pair of home runs. Along with Cairns' grand slam, Kyle Montgomery also hit one out and was 2 for 3 with four runs batted in.

"We made plays when we had to, and we put the bat on the ball, so it was a pretty good day," Hager said.

At the start of the 2009 college baseball season, the Minot State University Beavers had only one goal.

A Dakota Athletic Conference title was the mark set by the team, especially for the MSU seniors, who have survived through the ups and downs of the past.

All the Beavers will get their shot this weekend as MSU (7-7 DAC, 10-17 overall) hosts the 2009 DAC Baseball Tournament at Corbett Field beginning today at 9 a.m.

"(Conference title) was definitely the goal, especially for the seniors because this is our last season and we want to play as long as possible," MSU senior pitcher Ryan Bodell said. "So anything short of that championship would be a disappointment."

Fellow MSU senior and DAC Baseball Player of the Week, Mike Ronnie, who has played all four collegiate years for the Beavers, feels a conference championship would be icing on the cake for the upperclassmen.

"For the seniors, I hope we can go out and finish on a winning note," he said. "For me, it would mean everything to win the tournament."

Ronnie is one of eight MSU seniors that have helped pull the MSU program out of the gutter and into contention, along with head coach Brock Weppler.

"It's been a while since we've had that older group like we've had this year," Weppler said. "It's been like having coaches out there, or when we are dealing with other things, they are right there helping the younger guys. They've been through it all, and they're hungry, as hungry as I've seen. The program has taken a lot of strides, but the future is now for them."

The Beavers enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed after taking three out of four games from Dakota State University this past weekend at Corbett. Last year, MSU entered as the No. 6 seed, but proved that it could play with anybody when it's on top of its game, which is exactly where the Beavers hope to be when they play No. 2 Jamestown College (10-5 DAC, 22-8 overall) today at noon. The two teams split in the regular season.

"We did well last year, played well, pitched well the whole conference tournament," Ronnie said. "The conference tournament is always about who gets hot at the right time, which is why last weekend was big. If we can stay hot and continue to put up runs, play solid defense and get our pitching going - we're going to be tough to beat."

MSU relied heavily on its hitting in the three wins over DaSU, and it sparked a hitting onslaught.

Folowing the weekend series, MSU is batting a combined .322, with seven players above the .300 mark. Ronnie leads the team as he is hitting .419, which is the third highest average in the conference behind Jamestown College's Jeremy Newman and Dickinson State's Efrain Ruiz. Ronnie has five home runs, 29 runs batted in, 17 stolen bases and carries a .677 slugging percentage. Also hitting above .300 currently are Mike O'Dwyer (.389), Chris Corpe (.377), Kerry Boon (.356), Eli Mihalick (.346), Taylor Isakson (.333) and Kory Houston (.322).

Along with his .322 batting average, Houston currently leads the conference in steals with 24 in 26 games. His average of .923 stolen bases per game ranks No. 3 in the nation at the NAIA Division I level. He also ranks No. 2 in the nation in steals attempted per game at 1.077.

"It's nice when you can put the bat on the ball like we have been doing," Weppler said. "It's the best we've been at the plate in a while and it gives pitchers confidence."

Weppler hopes the confidence gained over the weekend can carry into the tournament, where the Beavers will need solid performances on the mound.

"We've come a long way this season. Our sticks get better each time out and pitching has started to come around, but it has hurt us at times," he said. "We need to start holding teams to less runs and we need solid pitching to keep the momentum on our side when we take control."

Bodell will start on the mound for MSU when it takes on Jamestown today. The Minot native is coming off a shut-out performance against DaSU Saturday, and he feels that pitching is going to be key for all teams at the DAC tourney.

"I think whoever pitches the best is going to end up winning it all," he said. "(The MSU pitchers) definitely need to come out and throw strikes, and pitch the way that we are capable of pitching. When we do well on the mound, and our guys hit the way they have been, we are going to be tough to stop."

DAC No. 1 seed Dickinson State (12-3 DAC, 24-12 overall) receives a bye to start the day, but will play the winner of No. 4 Dakota State (5-7 DAC, 18-19 overall) and No. 5 Mayville State (4-10 DAC, 15-21 overall) this afternoon at 4 p.m.

Weppler feels that the tournament is going to come down to who wants it the most and is willing to do what it takes to capture the title.

"We're ready. The guys have shown that we can hang with any team in the conference," he said. "We're not going to settle for anything. The guys are hungry, excited and ready to go. I haven't seen them with this type of hunger and intensity. If we can go out there and get hot, anything can happen. It's just a matter of carrying everything into the weekend and getting the job done."

Mike Ronnie; Minot State; Senior; Left Fielder; Red Deer, AB ~ Ronnie batted .560 in leading the Beavers to a 4-2 record for the week. In the six contests, he was 14 of 25 at the plate with a double, two home runs, ten runs scored and ten RBI. He also walked twice and was seven for seven on stolen base attempts.

Bodell Named DAC Pitcher of the Week

Ryan Bodell; Minot State; Senior; Pitcher; Minot, ND ~ Bodell pitched in seven innings and allowed three hits in a 5-0 shutout win over Dakota State in his lone outing of the week. In the ballgame, he struck out nine and walked four.

Marathon Men

A day after the running of the Trestle Valley Marathon, the Minot State University baseball team decided to have one of its own.
The Beavers outlasted Dakota State University 15-14 in 10 innings, using a walk-off RBI single by Kerry Boon to keep their hopes alive of grabbing the No. 3 seed for the Dakota Athletic Conference playoffs.
The Beavers trailed 8-1 after 31/2 innings, led 11-9 after seven innings and trailed 14-11 after 81/2 innings.
"It was a roller coaster for sure. Really up and down," said Boon, whose fourth single of the game scored Mike O'Dwyer from second in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Boon finished 4-for-6 and was one of four MSU players to have multiple hits. Mike Ronnie went 3-for-6, while Braden Messer and Travis Bruner both batted 2-for-4 for the Beavers, who had 16 hits and committed two errors.
Brody Pinkerton picked up the win as he relieved Josh Hvidsten to start the ninth inning with the score tied at 14.
Trailing 14-11, the Beavers tied the game with a three-run eighth. Messer scored one of the three runs on Ryne Hornecker's sacrifice fly and Ronnie provided the other two with a two-out, two-run home run.
"We came out and did what we needed to do," Beavers head coach Brock Weppler said. "Pitching wasn't great, but at the same time we were down 8-1 in that first game and could've folded right there. But we showed a lot of resiliency and stuck with it."
Dakota State had an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the ninth, but Ryan Breitling and Chad Hunt both were tagged out at the plate by MSU catcher James Tolboe for an unusual inning-ending double play.
The win left the door open for the Beavers, who needed to sweep DaSU to take the No. 3 seed. They didn't let the opportunity slip away as they pounded out 14 hits and four home runs to win the nightcap 18-11.
The Beavers had 30 hits and six home runs during the doubleheader, helping them overcome less-than perfectpitching. Ronnie, Eli Mihalick and Bruner each finished with two home runs.
"We had good approaches at the plate, great approaches," Weppler said. "When the pitchers were getting down they went up there and looked for their pitch and they got it. Almost every ball was hit hard. Outs were hit hard. It was a very good day at the plate. Good to see."
Beavers starter Andy Leraas picked up the win in game two, despite allowing 14 hits and 10 runs (nine earned) in 4 2/3 innings.
Dakota State had 11 hits in game one and 15 in in game two. Josh Tiede had two home runs, including a three-run jack that cut the Beavers lead to 14-10 in the fifth inning of game two. Brian White homered in game one.
Minot State will play the DAC No. 2 seed in the opening round of the DAC playoffs this week. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will be decided by the outcome of a DAC doubleheader between Jamestown College and Dickinson State to be played early this week. Jamestown must sweep to earn the No. 1 seed.

Beavers Reach Pivitol Point

Coming into the 2009 season, the Minot State University baseball team had one goal.
Win a Dakota Athletic Conference championship.
With just a pair of conference doubleheaders remaining in the regular season, MSU is looking to put itself in the best possible position heading into the conference tournament.
As fate would have it, the Beavers are playing the right team at the right time.
MSU is hosting Dakota State for back-to-back DAC double headers this weekend, both of which will play a key role in claming the No. 3 seed heading into the DAC Tournament in Minot May 1-3.
"We want that No. 3 seed, and we are right there with a good chance to get it," MSU head coach Brock Weppler said. "That's a key position to be in, and it's a spot that we feel can play a role in us accomplishing our goal of winning a conference title."
The Beavers (4-6 DAC, 7-16 overall) currently sit fourth behind Dakota State (4-4 DAC, 17-16 overall). To seal the No. 3 seed, MSU will likely need to win three out of four Sunday and Monday.
A win over Dickinson State this past Monday helped get the Beavers into the position they wanted to be in. Sparking the win was a strong pitching performance from Andy Leraas that allowed MSU to play its type of baseball.
"We were able to do some things, steal some bases and move guys across, that's our type of baseball," Weppler said. "In order to do that, we need everything to come together, pitching, defense, hitting. It all has to come together if we want to win three out of four."
MSU is currently sixth in the NAIA in stolen-base attempts (3.217) and is eighth in stolen bases per game at 2.609 per contest.
Leading MSU in stolen bases is Kory Houston, who has been hampered by a shoulder injury. Houston has 21 attempts on the season, and was successful on 18 times.
Chris Corpe is leading MSU at the plate with a .375 batting average and is one of seven Beavers batting over .300. Mike Ronnie (.365), Mike O'Dwyer (.364), Eli Milhalick (.344), Kerry Boon (.343), Taylor Isakson (.333) and Houston (.303) are all hitting above .300.
Ryne Hornecker (.299) and Lee Loendorf (.299) are just under the mark for the Beavers, who are batting .306.
Dakota State is currently hitting .297, while giving up .300 against.
MSU will look to find a complete game, and will have the opportunity to finally play on its home field at Corbett Field.
"I think the win gave us back some confidence, and the guys are excited about finally getting back on Corbett, so we are expecting a good showing this weekend," Weppler said. "Now it's just a matter of getting out there and getting the job done."

Beavers Back on Track

After losing three straight to rival Dickinson State University, the Minot State University baseball team needed a lift.
The Beavers got the lift they needed and they responded.
Starting pitcher Andy Leraas threw a complete game shutout in the back half of a Dakota Athletic Conference non-conference doubleheader to lift the Beavers to a 4-0 win Monday afternoon at Jack Hoeven Park.
"That's the best Andy's been by far all year," MSU head coach Brock Weppler said of Leraas. "That was big."
Leraas retired 18 of 23 batters he faced, including eight strikeouts. He feels that when the Beavers are top of their game, they can play with anyone, and that the win over conference leading DSU is a step in the right direction.
"Dickinson is a great team, probably the best in the conference right now, and coming off of losing three in a row to them - it was a great win," Leraas said. "The guys got to their pitcher, and we did the little things to get the lead. Luckily I had the defense behind me to help me out of a couple of jams."
The win avenged DSU's 10-3 win in the opening game of the doubleheader. Weppler felt that the difference between the two games came in the team's approach.
"Better effort all the way around. We talked about it in between games, that we needed to step up the intensity," he said. "The first game we didn't show up. We just went through the motions and we didn't go through them very well. We took the benches away (inside the dugout), told the guys to stand up and get loud and it made for a completely different second game."
In game 2, MSU held DSU (22-11 overall) scoreless through three innings and took a 1-0 lead on a Dan Jackson run scored on a balk that was caused by Kory Houston stealing second base in the bottom of the third. Ryan Bodell hit a single in the fourth that scored Kerry Boon and gave MSU a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth, where the Beavers added two more insurance runs with Ryne Hornecker and Mike Ronnie both crossing home plate.
Weppler said getting the early lead has been key for the Beavers, who improved to 7-16 overall with the win, in the games they've won.
"In the games we've won, we got out early and the pitchers gained a little confidence and we start scoring some runs," he said. "We also did some good things on the base paths. We stole some bases, little things like that are our style of ball. That's the way we have to play."
Houston went 2 for 3 in game 2, while Boon was 1 for 3 and Chris Corpe went 2 for 2 for the Beavers, who will host Dakota State this weekend in four crucial games.
"We have Dakota State this weekend. We are right with them for that No. 3 seed, which is going to be important," Weppler said. "We're shooting for that three seed, so we have to go into (the weekend) and take three out of four. If we show up like we did in that second game, it's very possible. But if we show up like we did in the first game, we're probably going to lose four. We need to show up even-keeled and ready to go."
With the end of the regular season drawing near, the MSU players, especially the seniors, realize it's now or never.
"These are the most important games of the season, so hopefully our pitching, hitting and defense can all click together because when they do we're tough," Leraas said. "We know that when we put everything together, we can stick with anybody. We just have to continue to do that these last two weeks. I think this win is going to give us a good chance to come out strong this weekend."
This weekend's games between MSU and Dakota State are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Corbett Field starting at 1 p.m.

Beavers Split with Comets
CROOKSTON, Minn. - Minot State University pounded out 13 hits and eight runs to salvage a split of a pair of Dakota Athletic Conference games against Mayville State Thursday in Crookston, Minn.
The Beavers dropped a 3-1 decision in the first game, while they won the second game 8-2 in the second game.
"It was a real windy day in from right and it cut down the hitting," Minot head coach Brock Weppler said. "The first game turned into a small-ball game. We didn't get our leadoff man on and that cost us. (Ryan) Bodell threw pretty well, we just didn't score runs."
Bodell limited Mayville to five hits and three runs, but was the tough-luck loser in game 1.
Hits and runs, however, weren't at a premium in game 2 as the Beavers scored five in the second and ran to the win. Kory Houston had the big hit in the second as he deposited a three-run homer to cap the five-run second. Denver Wik had a solid outing on the hill as he went six innings, gave up three runs and struck out nine.
"We did a better job at the plate in game 2. We got the leadoff guy on in five of the seven innings and hit the ball hard," Weppler said. "Denver was real good on the mound."
Kerry Boon and Chris Corpe each went 3 for 3 in game 2 and Mike Ronnie added a home run to Houston's.
The Beavers take on Dickinson in four straight games, two in Dickinson Sunday and two at Minot's Jack Hoeven Park on Monday (2 p.m.) in the Beavers home opener.

Beavers Comeback Earns Split
SIDNEY, Mont. - Minot State University used a four-run rally in the seventh inning to earn a 9-8 win over Jamestown College here Saturday in Dakota Athletic Conference baseball action.
Also keying the win was reliever Bryan Krahler, who came in the seventh and earned a save. Ryan Bodell picked up the win as a starter for the Beavers, who were error-free in game 1. The Beavers trailed JC 7-5 heading into the top of the seventh.
MSU fell behind early in the second game and never recovered as Jamestown took the game 11-1 in five innings.
"We had a good game in the first one," MSU head coach Brock Weppler said. "We played good defense throughout and we seemed to get better as the game went on. After the fifth, we picked it up and started to the hit the ball. Bryan Krahler threw really and it was nice to see us get the lead and protect it.
"In the second game, we got down early and didn't recover. We just came out flat and we need to come out ready to close things out."
MSU's split improved its record to 3-5 overall in the DAC. Weppler said it's been a solid start to the season, which was made possible by the people of Sidney, Mont.
"It was nice to get to play there and everybody was real friendly and willing to help out in any way," he said. "When the second game was done, they welcomed us back out anytime. We really appreciate it and it's nice to have that with the way things are with snow situation."

Beavers split with Jimmies
SIDNEY, Mont. - Minot State University freshman Ryne Hornecker hit a double in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift MSU to an 18-17 win over Jamestown College in Dakota Athletic Conference baseball here Friday.
" He's been doing well," said MSU head coach Brock Weppler of Hornecker. "I can't count how many times he's come up big for us already. Every at bat he seems to give us something, which is nice to see that he's going to be a good player for us."
Hornecker's double scored fellow Minot native Kory Houston and Dan Jackson, who was pinch running for Chris Corpe. The Beavers had 16 hits in the win, which was earned by Lee Loendorf on the mound.
MSU continued its hot hitting in the second game, but fell 7-6 for the split. In all, the Beavers finished the day with 28 hits, while giving up 28 also.
"We hit the ball well today, but pitching is a big thing for us right now," Weppler said. "Lineup-wise, we have played the best pitchers in the conference, and we've proven we can put up runs, but we need to improve our pitching. Until we do that, we won't become the team we are capable of being."
James Tolboe, Travis Bruner and Ryan Bodell all hit home runs for MSU on the day. Hornecker went 3-for-5 in game one, Mike O'Dwyer went 5-for-7 at the plate in two games for the Beavers, who play Jamestown again today in another DAC doubleheader.

MSU Baseball Signs Three

Minot State University head baseball coach Brock Weppler headed north of the border for a trio of standouts as the Beavers signed Anthony Friesen, Jordan Gilmour and Cole Stober, the university an-nounced Saturday.
Friesen and Stober are pitchers, while Gilmour is an outfielder.
Friesen, from Somerset, Man., is a 6-foot-1 lefthanded pitcher. He participated on Team Manitoba in 2006 in the Canada Cup.
"I have been trying to get Anthony to Minot State all year. I tried to get him to transfer at break, but due to an injury, he was not able to," MSU head coach Brock Weppler said. "He will come in next year as a freshman and will throw quality innings for us right away. I had him down here in the fall and he was 84-87 mph with a good changeup and developing curveball. Anthony has a chance to be very good for us and I am excited to seem him pitch for Minot State."
Stober, a 6-foot-1 right handed pitcher from Hays, Alberta, is attending school at the Vauxhall (Alberta) Baseball Academy. He was the state tournament MVP last summer for the Vauxhall Legion team, striking out 115 batters in 75 innings with only 25 walks. He finished with an 11-2 record and a 2.76 earned runs average.
"Cole will come in next year and fight for a spot right away for us," Weppler said. "I am very excited to have the chance to coach him for next four years. He comes from an elite high school program, which is one of the best in Canada. He is well coached and is ready to come in and be successful as a freshman."
Gilmour is currently attending college in Quebec City, but will be a freshman next season for the Beavers. According to Weppler, Gilmour's best attribute will be his ability to run.
"Jordan can absolutely fly," he said. "He will probably be the fastest player on the team next year. He bats left handed and has a good swing and displays a strong arm in the outfield. He definitely deepens the depth in the outfield next year."

Kramer to Play at MSU
Bishop Ryan standout catcher Ben Kramer has decided to play baseball for Minot State University.
Kramer, a four-year starter at Bishop Ryan, is a two-time state Class B baseball champion and a four-time state baseball qualifier. He was twice named to the all-state tournament team, has a 3.5 GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society and plans to major in sports medicine.
As a junior, Kramer batted .574 with 31 runs scored, 16 doubles, two triples and two home runs. He had a slugging percentage of .875, an on-base percentage of .660 and a fielding percentage of .995.

Dickinson State tops MSU twice
GLENDIVE, Mont. - Dickinson State University swept Minot State in a Dakota Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader Tuesday.
Dickinson State scored one run in the seventh and eighth innings to win 10-9 in the opener and used a five-run sixth to pull away for a 14-8 win in the nightcap.
Minot State head coach Brock Weppler said hitting wasn't a problem, but their pitching needs work.
"If we put nine runs on the board, we expect to win that game," he said of the opener. "We just have to do a better job pitching. We have to challenge hitters and pitch with a little more confidence."
Eli Mihalick batted 2-for-5 with a home run in the opener, where Kory Houston went 2-for-5, Ryne Hornicker 2-for-4 and Mike O'Dwyer 2-for-4.
In game two, Kerry Boon and Mihalick both batted 3-for-4.
Minot State plays Jamestown in a DAC doubleheader Friday in Sidney, Mont.

MSU Baseball and Dream Catchers 3rd Annual "Day at the Dome"
1/28/09

The Minot State University Baseball Team and the DreamCatchers held their 3rd annual "Day at the Dome" Wednesday evening at the MSU Dome. The DreamCatchers are a team comprised of special needs children, many of whom are wheelchair bound. The DreamCatchers organization was created by Michelle Bliven. Michelle and the MSU baseball team have been participating in the event for three years now and look forward to interacting with each other in the future.

The event started off by pairing the MSU Baseball Team with members of the DreamCatchers to form four teams of even numbers. The MSU Dome is divided by a net to form two fields for the games. The rules for the games are as follows: There are no outs, each batter gets to hit one time each inning, the last batter will run all of the bases. After the last batter has touched home, the teams switch and the team batting will now take the field. Some batters choose to hit off a tee, while others want to try their hand at swinging at a pitch thrown by a MSU baseball player. Once the teams have completed three innings of play, they lineup and shake hands with the opposing team.

"It is a fun game to watch and take part in", Head Baseball coach Brock Weppler said. "Both the baseball team and the DreamCatchers have a great time at the event. After the game it seemed as though some of our player's could have talked and joked around with some of the DreamCatchers all night long, it's a great experience. I think my favorite part of the evening was seeing some of the DreamCatchers slide into home plate."

Curt Stasiw Earns All Canadian Honors for the Beavers

Curt Stasiw was recently named to the All Canadadian team. The All Canadian team consists of Canadian baseball players from Div 1, 2, 3, Junior College, and NAIA players. Curt was named to the 2nd Team as Designated Hitter. Stasiw batted .361 on the season with 8 home runs. In Conference play Stasiw batted .419 with 7 home runs.

Beavers Put Cap On Fall Season
Green comes back from 2 game deficit to defeat White 3 games to 2

Brock Weppler hopes one part Magic City and two parts Maple Leaf will make for a winning combination for the Minot State University baseball team next spring.
If this fall's Green and White Series is any indication, it may be the perfect equation.
The Beavers put a cap on their fall season Saturday, playing their final inter-squad scrimmage at Jack Hoeven Park.
The green team took a 7-3 win to earn a 3-2 win in the series.
The team has strong influences from both local players and Canadian players.
Seven players on the Beavers' fall series roster are former Minot American Legion and high school standouts. Another seven hail from Alberta and five more from the province of Manitoba.
Weppler, the Beavers head coach, said the team is looking primed to make a run at a DAC title in the spring.
"Right now the way they're looking, every aspect of the game is getting better," he said. "We're starting to make bigger strides, and as far as chemistry, it's just great. They all want to work hard and improve and that's what college baseball is all about."
The elder statesmen of the Minot contingent is senior pitcher Ryan Bodell. Bodell finished his junior year strong and will be among the top starters for the Beavers in 2009.
"We've got a lot of new and some old players coming back," he said. "We showed in the conference tourney we can play with anyone... The new fields have been great for us to play on every day. We put a lot of things together this fall. The competition (of the series) can only make us better."
Weppler said that competitive fire is something he wanted to ignite with the series.
"The last month, it's been night and day," he said. "The first couple practices in was pretty quiet. One of the biggest things we've focused on is competing and just getting the fire in the belly. The green team won yesterday and had a dogpile in the middle of the field."
Scott Peters is one of the many talented Canadians that Weppler expects to make an impact in the spring.
A native of Altona, Man., Peters has been tearing the cover off the ball in the fall series.
"I tore tendons in my ankle (over the summer) and was out for a month," Peters said. "I came down here fresh. When I got my timing back, it all came together. I started sitting back on the ball."
Weppler said that while the Beavers have made strides in the past month, the next four to five months until the season starts will be just as important.
"Right now, it's kind of on the players," Weppler said. "Our 25 fall practices are done. I told them, 'you can go home, sit on the couch, eat Taco Bell, get good at MVP Baseball on Playstation or you can go out and work hard, throw, hit and lift weights. I told them I expect to hear the ping of the bats every day from my office."

Late additions and fresh faces have joined a talented older group on the Minot State University baseball team for its fall, off-season scrimmages.
The Beavers mix of experience, youth and overall talent has the coaches and players excited about the 2009 season.
"We have a real good mix this year," MSU head coach Brock Weppler said. "We have some real leaders and we some have guys that are just coming in, that are more than willing to learn from the older guys."
"We have a big old crew and we have a big young crew," MSU senior Mike Ronnie said. "We have a lot of leadership also, and everyone can play this year - up and down the lineup. Hands down, I've been here four years and this the best we've had since I've been here."
MSU held its third scrimmage of the fall season Wednesday afternoon at the Jack Hoeven Park fields, a complex the older Beavers help to build.
"It's kind of cool to see it come together," Ronnie said. "I know that a few of the guys that helped on it aren't here, so I feel lucky to get the chance to actually play here. It's real nice to have another place to play outside of Corbett Field."
MSU has made good use of the complex, which has two full-size and two little league fields. Weppler said having another full-size field to play on has been a blessing.
"It's nice, real nice," he said. "We were left having to practice on softball fields, and it's pretty tough to get 30 plus guys to fit on a softball field."
MSU went split squad Wednesday, with the teams made out to be as even as possible. The MSU green team led by Michael Mesh (2-for-4), Ryne Hornecker (2-for-5) and Taylor Isakson (2-for-3) took the contest 5-2 in extra innings. Brody Pinkerton took the win on the mound.
While the scrimmage games are officially supposed to be for practice, Ronnie said they do get competitive.
"Sometimes we get into it pretty good," he said. "We're all competitors, so it's tough to not get competitive. It's all fun and games, but we get a little intense at times."
Ronnie, Chris Corpe and Eli Mihalick all went 1-for-3 for the white team, while the loss went to Bryan Krahler.
The scrimmage was the first of the week for the Beavers, as they will also be playing on Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m., which will be the last of the MSU fall outdoor practices.
While the weather hasn't exactly been ideal, it's nothing new for the older MSU group.
"When the season starts, it won't be much warmer," Ronnie said. "We're used to it by now for the most part, but I don't know about a few of these younger guys - they look a little cold."

Four Beavers earn All Conference Selections
Michael Ronnie, Curt Stasiw, Ryan Bodell, and Kory Houston receive 2nd team All Conference awards for the 2008 baseball season.
Mike Ronnie has been 1st team All Conference his Freshman and Sophomore years at 3rd base. He was voted 2nd team All Conference in his first year in the outfield this season. He finished the season with a .364 batting average and led the team in hits with 48. Ronnie has one more year with the Beavers as he is a Senior next season.
Curt Stasiw recieved 1st team All Conference DH in 2006. He chose to take a year off last year and returned in 2008 for the Beavers where he recieved 2nd team All Conference outfielder. Curt batted .361 on the season with a .419 average in conference play. Curt lead the team in home runs with 8 and RBI's with 41. Curt is able to come back next year with the Beavers and play in his Senior season.
Kory Houston recieved 2nd team All Conference outfielder in his freshman year with the Beavers. Houston batted leadoff for the Beavers most of the season and played a very good center field. Houston batted .361 on the season and tied with Ronnie for the team lead in hits with 48.
Ryan Bodell recieved 2nd Team All Conference as a starting pitcher for the Beavers. It is the first time since 2000, the beavers have had a pitcher named to the All Conference Team. Bodell had an overall ERA of 4.02 and led the team with a conference ERA of 2.36 in 34.1 innings pitched. Bodell led the team in strikeouts with 32.
All of the Beavers All Conference players are able to return next season and look to lead the team in 2009.

VALLEY CITY — Minot State University’s run was cut short.
The Beavers, who came into the day at 2-1 in the Dakota Athletic Conference tournament, dropped an 8-4 decision to Dickinson State, the tournament’s eventual champion, Sunday at Charlie Brown Field.
The Blue Hawks defeated Dakota State 9-6 in the championship.
MSU took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning, but gave up five runs in the top half. Tyler Schlagenhauf suffered the loss going 8 1/3 innings, giving up eight runs on 12 hits. Dickinson’s Tyson Sturza pitched two shutout innings to earn the win.
Mike Ronnie led the offense for the Beavers collecting three hits and scoring two runs. Kory Houston went 2-for-5, Jordan King 1-for-3 2ith two runs scored, Kerry Boon 1-for-3 with two runs batted in and Kevin Krasowski 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Minot State tops Mayville in extras
VALLEY CITY — The Minot State University baseball team got stellar pitching and a key hit from Curt Stasiw to earn a 1-0 extra-inning win over Mayville State in the Dakota Athletic Conference tournament’s opening round.
Minot native and starting pitcher Ryan Bodell pitched 81/3 scoreless innings before yielding to eventual winner Andy Leraas, who pitched 22/3 scoreless. Bodell struck out eight and gave up just four hits.
“It was a huge win,” MSU head coach Weppler said. “Bodell came out and threw as well as he could. He was lights out and that was big. It was big for him to go nearly nine full innings. He really bowed his neck and did a good job for us.”
The Beavers scored the game’s only run in the top of the 11th inning as Curst Stasiw knocked in Minot native Jordan King for a 1-0 Minot run.
King was tough at the plate for the Beavers. King collected three of the Beavers’ eight hits, stroking two doubles.
Weppler feels the win could be a springboard for the Beavers for the rest of the DAC Tournament.
“Definitely, this win is huge, we had to get it to be in a good position,” Weppler said. “We have our work cut out for ourselves. If we lose that, it’s a heartbreaker. It builds a lot of momentum and we just have to keep it going.”
Mike Ronnie also collected two hits for the Beavers.
Weppler said the wind at Valley City’s Brown Memorial Field was ferocious and limited offensive chances for both teams.
“The wind was just ridiculous,” he said. “It was a tough wind to hit with. We stuck with it and improved our at-bats and it paid off. We have confidence and we hope we can put up some runs (today).”
The Beavers take on Jamestown College Saturday at 10 a.m. in the tournament’s second round. The Beavers were originally scheduled to play today, but bad weather postponed the tournament until Saturday and Sunday. Game times remain the same.

Beavers Bunt earns Sweep over Mayville
Minot State University was looking to get at least three out of four wins against Mayville State University at home in Dakota Athletic Conference baseball.
Consider it mission accomplished, as the Beavers did just that with a 6-2, 5-4 sweep of the Comets Monday afternoon in a DAC doubleheader at Corbett Field. With the sweep, MSU improved to 4-3 in DAC play and 6-14 overall.
MiSU head coach Brock Weppler feels that by achieving their goal of winning three of four, the Beavers gained exactly what they were looking for — momentum.
“That’s huge,” Weppler said of taking the three wins. “It definitely gives us a heck of a lot of confidence, in ourselves individually and as a team. We really needed this because confidence is everything.”
Prior to the start of the weekend homestand, Weppler felt that getting out ahead early was going to be key. MiSU answered, as they took leads early in both game 1 and game 2. The early leads went as expected, but sparking the win unexpectedly was the Beavers use of the bunt.
MiSU used bunts to set up runs in both games, and the winning run of the second game was garnered on a bunt attempt by shortstop Jordan King.
“All day we used bunting to set up runs and our situational play was the best it’s been,” Weppler said. “Everytime we needed a key bunt or a timely hit, we got it. It’s nice when you’re doing those types of things well because it makes it seem easy.”
Minot State held a 4-2 lead going into the top half of the seventh and final inning of game 2, but MaSU scored two unearned runs to tie the game at 4-4. In the bottom half of the inning, MiSU’s Kevin Krasowski hit a single to right-center that was followed by a Kory Houston single to right that moved Krasowski to second base. King laid a bunt down to advance the runners, but instead of throwing to first to get the sure out, Mayville attempted to throw out Krasowski at third.
The throw ended up in left field and Krasowski sprinted in for the winning run.
“I was just hoping to get to third,” said Krasowski about the final play. “It ended up just being a good heads-up play. When I saw that I had a chance (to score) I just gave it all I could.”
Krasowski’s game winner was the only run he scored all day for MiSU, which was led offensively by Curt Stasiw. Stasiw went 3-for-7 on the day with six runs batted in, two runs scored and a home run. His homerun was a three-run shot to opposite field that scored King and Mike Ronnie in game 1. King went 3-for-8 with a run scored, while Ronnie went 3-for-8 with two runs scored.
As a team, MiSU had 11 hits in game 1 and 10 in game 2 and had a combined 10 runs batted in.
Ryan Bodell took the game 1 win for MiSU, while closer Mike Montross pitched himself into the win in game 2. The Beavers also got solid innings from Andy Leraas, who pitched 22/3 innings and had two strikeouts. Bodell held the Comets scoreless in 61/3 innings in game 1 and had five strikeouts.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more from my pitchers all weekend,” Weppler said. “All of them did an outstanding job and they have really gained a lot of confidence. It helps them when they know that our guys can rack up hits in a hurry also.”
Mayville was led by Kyle Swenson, who was 4-for-4 in game 2 and 1-for-3 in game 1. The Comets’ Ryan Cramer also hit a long ball Monday, while pitchers Pat Waterman and Jason Gradidge were tagged with the losses on the mound.
The Beavers are up next Wednesday when they play host to Dickinson State in a non-conference doubleheader at Corbett Field starting at 2 p.m.
“We have Dickinson up next and we’ve seen them a couple of times, but we are feeling like a different team right now,” Krasowski said. “We’re hoping to take the momentum gained here and build on it for the rest of the season.”

Jordan King Awarded the Doug Lockrem Memorial Scholarship Award
Congratulations to Jordan King for receiving the Doug Lockrem Memorial Scholarship Award. Jordan and Brittany Walker of the MSU Women's Basketball team recieved the award Wednesday, February 20th.

The award is given to two outstanding student athlete's who demonstrate oustanding character and community involvment.