GAMES 25, 26, AND 27

Newman Jets (11-13, 5-5 MIAA) vs Central Missouri Mules (16-7, 8-2 MIAA)

Sunday, March 19^th – Monday, March 20th  | Tompkins Field | Warrensburg, Missouri

Sunday - 1 PM | Sunday  – 3 PM | Monday – 1 PM

Series Record: UCM leads Newman 9-0 all time |  Last Meeting: NU 7, UCM 11

Video: THE MIAA NETWORK Live Stats: Newman at UCM

Up next: vs UCO | March 24^th – 26^th  | WICHITA, KANSAS | VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
STAYING ON TRACK
Newman is 11-13 overall and 5-5 in MIAA play. The Jets looked as good as ever in their series victory over No. 21 Rogers State. They were 3 outs away from the sweep before RSU put up 6 runs in the top of the 9^th to take the game 3 win. The Jets then hit a slump and lost their next 5 games to Southeastern Oklahoma State, East Central, and then was swept on the road at Washburn. The Jets would find their winning ways again with mercy rule victories over Central Christian (13-3) and Northwest Oklahoma State (13-3) and back to back mercy rule wins vs Missouri Western before dropping the series finale vs the Griffons. NU then traveled to Hays, Kansas for a single game conference matchup and defeated Fort Hays State 13-8. Newman is winners of 5 out of their last 6.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Newman captured the Fort in Hays, Kansas with a 13-8 road win. Ian Lecki earned his 3^rd win of the season after coming in relief in the 5^th inning and throwing 2.2 innings with 5 strikeouts. 7 Jets combined for 12 hits. Jenner Steele led the way with 3 hits and Zack Stewart finished with 3 RBI's. The win moved the Jets to 8-7 all time vs the Tigers. RECAP | BOX SCORE

MEET YOUR COACHES
Drew Maus is in his 4th season as head coach of the Jets. His 2022 campaign saw the Jets post their best record since the 2016 SEASON, finishing 23-23 and 1 game shy of making the MIAA tournament for the first time ever. 2022 SCHEDULE

Kyle Crookes is 303-108 in 9 seasons as head coach at UCM. |

THE JETS
Newman is 11-13 through the first 5 weeks of the season. The Jets won their opening series vs Southern Nazarene, taking 2 of 3 from the Crimson Storm. Newman lost their next 2 games before their series vs Minot State and then defeated Southwestern College the following Tuesday. The Jets gave Rogers State an early top 25 exit after taking 2 of 3 from the No. 21 Hillcats 2 weeks ago. Newman then took losses vs Southeastern Oklahoma State (7-17) and East Central (5-8) and then was swept by Washburn in Topeka. Newman bounced back their next 2 games with mercy rule wins vs Central Christian and NWOSU C.C.C VS NU BOX SCORE | RECAP and then back to back mercy rule wins over Missouri Western to take the series win before dropping game 3. NU bounced back with a dominant performance over Fort Hays State on Tuesday. MWSU GAME 1 BOX SCORE | MWSU GAME 2 BOX SCORE | MWSU GAME 3 BOX SCORE 

SCOUTING THE MULES
UCM is 16-7 overall and sit at 8-2 in MIAA play. The Mules are winners of 5 out of their last 6 and their only conference losses were against Emporia State and Northeastern State.
UCM has 6 hitters batting above .300 with Carter Young leading the team with a .432 average which is good enough for 2^nd in the MIAA. As a team, the Mules are batting .321 which trails the leading Jets who are .327 from the plate.
The Mules are 2^nd in the MIAA with a 4.31 ERA and 4^th in the MIAA in fielding.

SERIES HISTORY BETWEEN NU AND UCM
UCM is 9-0 all time vs the Jets. Newman's closest margin of defeat vs the Mules came in 2020 in a 14-11 loss.   SERIES HISTORY
 
SWINGING AWAY
The Jets offense ranks 1st in the MIAA in average (.327) and is 6 points ahead of the UCM Mules who are at .321. Newman is 2^nd in hits (269), 2^nd in RBI's (190), 3^rd in total bases (397), and 3^rd  in walks (122). The Jets 23 runs scored in game 3 at SNU is tied for most runs scored by an MIAA team this season and their 22 RBI's in the same game is also tied for the most by an MIAA team all season. (2023 SEASON STATS)
 
WHAT DO SNAPCHAT, THE UNDERTAKER AT WRESTLEMANIA, AND NEWMAN BASEBALL HAVE IN COMMON?
Streaks! The Jets have been no stranger to streaks this season. Every conference series the opposing team has been on some sort of streak heading into the matchups vs Newman. Rogers State was on an 8 game win streak heading into the MIAA series opener vs NU before having it broken by the Jets. Washburn was hot on a 9 game win streak before their series vs Newman and Missouri Western is on an 8 game losing streak heading into this weekend's series at McCarthy. The Jets were on a 4 game win streak before MWSU snapped it in game 3 of the series last Sunday.

MADE OF STEELE
Jenner Steele has been on a tear this season. The senior out of Branson, Missouri is 4th in the MIAA after 23 games with a .409 batting average with 38 hits, 30 RBI's and 8 home runs. Steele has been an on base machine posting a .477 OBP and a 1.197 OPS.

In the series against Washburn, Steele became the Newman all-time home run leader in the D2 era with his 16^th bomb going over the left center field wall into the trees to make history. Steele did it in just a season and a half at Newman and hit his 17^th career home run just 2 days later in game 3 at Washburn.

ANGEL(ico)S IN THE OUTFIELD
Jake Angelico has started in 23 games for the Jets. The senior out of New Braunfels, Texas earned MIAA Hitter of The Week in week 1 for his 6 hit, 10 RBI performance, the first MIAA AOW for Baseball in Newman history. Angelico is batting .365 with 31 hits, 5 doubles, a triple, and 4 home runs to go along with a team leading 32 RBI's. Jake is 15-16 on stolen base attempts this season.

Eli Wohl (JR/Ponca City, OK) is 21 for 66 this season in 21 starts in his first season as a member of the Jets. The transfer from Cowley CC is 7-8 on stolen bases.

Hayden Vandepol is back! The graduate student has posted a .307 career batting average for the Jets and looks to replicate and top last season's .317 season where he started 46 games and belted 7 home runs with 38 RBI's. The 5^th year has been hot as of late, moving his average up to .315 with 17 hits and 15 RBI's. He hit his first home run of the season last week vs MWSU.

MAKING HIS MARQ
Shawn Marquis is batting .357 with 25 hits and a home run in 17 starts and 19 appearances. Marquis is 8-8 on stolen bases and was a key figure in the Jets 2-0 shutout over No. 21 Rogers State. Marquis made 2 SportsCenter top 10 worthy diving plays, one that doubled up a man on second base to keep the shutout in tact ending the inning.

THE MEN IN THE MASK 
Dalton Smith and Anthony Ferrante have split time behind the plate for Newman. Smith (SR/Norman, OK) is 10 for 31 with 12 RBI's this season and Ferrante (SR/Midlothian, OK) is batting .313 in 81 at bats with 2 doubles. Dalton had 3 RBI's in the win vs NWOSU on Wednesday, knocking a ball off the wall for a 2 run double.

ON THE MOUND
Garrett VanDeventer is 3-1 in 5 appearances in 2023 with 23 K's. He'll look to build upon his 2022 season where he threw for 4 wins, 41 K's, and 1 complete game in 70.1 innings pitched. The senior out of Arkansas City got the win in his first start of the season at SNU and his 2^nd win in the 2-0 3 hit complete game shutout vs Rogers State, his most impressive start to date. He went 7 innings strong only allowing 2 runs in his outing vs Washburn. He helped keep the Griffon's bats cold in their 10 run victory over MWSU.

Asher Finke is 2-1 in 5 starts this season. Finke will try and top his 7-2 stat line from last season where he held opponents to a .258 average with 62 K's while throwing a complete game in 78.1 innings of work. He got the win in game 2 of the series vs Rogers State, allowing just 2 earned runs and 5 hits in 5 innings of work. He has struck out a team high 33 batters in 26 innings of work.

Nate Denniston is 1-2 in 5 starts this season, earning the win in 4 innings of pitching in a 7 inning win over SNU in the first series of the season. Denniston was 5-7 a season ago with 68 K's. No. 20 struck out 9 batters in his outing vs Minot State. He has pitched the 2^nd most innings on the team his season (30).

Jaret Granger has appeared in 9 games in relief with 11 K's in 10.2 innings pitched.

Braden Oberle has appeared in 4 games with 4 K's in 4.2 innings.

Andrew Prieve has struck out 13 batters and has earned the lone save for NU in 6 appearances. He struck out the side to end the game vs Southwestern College.

Colby Wilson has recorded 20 strikeouts in 27 innings. Wilson has appeared in 9 games, starting 5 of them. He pitched 4.1 innings in the win over Fort Hays State.

Lance Elsen has appeared in 7 games, recording 6 strikeouts 

Ian Lecki has 16 strikeouts in 11 innings of work. He is 3-1 on the season.

AROUND THE HORN
First baseman Carson Hawks has played in 14 games this season with 12 starts. He has 4 home runs and 14 RBI's in 44 at bats. He and Jenner Steele have been the main two at first base this season.

Don't be fooled by his freshman status, second basemen Jack Kiser has started in 22 games this season with a .319 batting average and a .438 OBP.

Shortstop Zack Stewart has 23 RBI's in his first 23 games. The senior hit a home run in every game vs Rogers State to bring his total to 6 on the season at the time. He hit his 7^th home run of the season in game 2 of the series last weekend vs MWSU.

Third baseman Jason Schneider is 30 for 90 (.333) in 23 starts. He has hit 2 home runs, 2 triples, and 4 doubles this season

HISTORY MAKERS
Jake Angelico became the first MIAA Hitter of The Week award winner in Newman history. The senior earned MIAA Hitter of The Week in week 1 for his 6 hit, 10 RBI performance in the opening series at Southern Nazarene. MIAA HITTER OF THE WEEK 

Garrett VanDeventer decided he wanted in on the awards too. The Senior threw a 3 hit complete game shutout over then No. 21 Rogers State, putting a stop to the Hillcats 8 game win streak and giving the Jets their best win of the season. He was voted MIAA Pitcher of The Week for the performance, the first in Newman Baseball history. MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK

UP NEXT
Newman will head back to Wichita for 12 straight home games, including a 3 game conference series vs UCO, a single game conference matchup vs Fort Hays State, 2 conference series slates vs NW Missouri and Emporia State and midweek matchups vs East Central and SWOSU.



2023 MIAA Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Central Missouri [11] – 121 Points
2. Pittsburg State – 100 Points 
3. Northeastern State [1] – 97 Points
4. Central Oklahoma – 94 Points 
5. Washburn – 85 Points
6. Missouri Southern – 77 Points
7. Rogers State – 60 Points
8. Northwest Missouri – 45 Points
9. Emporia State – 43 Points
10. Newman – 33 Points
11. Missouri Western – 26 Points
12. Fort Hays State – 11 Points

2023 MIAA Baseball Standings
1. Missouri Southern (18-6, 9-2)
2. Washburn (16-9, 9-2)
3. Central Missouri (16-7, 8-2)
4. Pittsburg State (16-7, 8-3)
5. Central Oklahoma (17-7, 7-5)
6. Newman (11-13, 5-5)
7. Rogers State (16-8, 5-7)
8. Emporia State (8-15, 4-6)
9. Northeastern State (9-12, 4-7)
10. Fort Hays State (10-16, 3-9)
11. Northwest Missouri (4-17, 2-8)
12. Missouri Western (5-15, 2-10)
* Nebraska Kearney and Lincoln do not have baseball programs