GAMES 32, 33, and 34

Newman Jets (13-18, 7-10 MIAA) vs Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (6-22, 4-13 MIAA)

Friday, March 31^st – Sunday, April 2^nd    | McCarthy Field | Wichita, Kansas

Friday - 3 PM | Saturday  – 3 PM | Sunday – 1 PM

Series Record: NW leads the series 5-3 SERIES HISTORY |  Last Meeting: NU 3, NW 2 BOX SCORE | RECAP

Video: THE MIAA NETWORK Live Stats: www.newmanjets.com

Up next: vs Southeastern Oklahoma State | April 4th  | WICHITA, KANSAS | VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
READY FOR A RUN
Newman is winners of 2 out of their last 4. However, they lost 3 to UCM and was 1-2 vs UCO last week. The Jets rebounded with a 10-run win over Fort Hays State on Tuesday and with a struggling Northwest team coming in to Wichita, Newman has a chance to get back to .500 in the MIAA with a sweep over the Bearcats. After NW, the Jets will have 2 non-conference opponents in SEOSU and East Central next Tuesday and Wednesday. They'll face Emporia State for their final home MIAA series next Thursday-Saturday.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Newman captured the season series vs Fort Hays State with an offensive onslaught that gave Newman a 14-4 victory over the Tigers. Colby Wilson got his first win of the season. The Jets combined for 12 hits in the game.

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

Darin Loe is 558-586 heading into the 2023 season. He has been with the Bearcats since 2000.

THE J-E-T-S
Newman Baseball is 13-18 overall and 7-10 in the MIAA. NU has been on and off this season and are looking for consistent play as they get closer to the later half of the season. Their next 2 MIAA opponents sit below them in the standings currently and if the Jets get hot they'll set themselves up nicely after the home stand.
Newman is 55-66 on stolen bases and ranks 5^th in the conference.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is having a season to forget. The Bearcats sit with just 6 wins overall and 4 in the conference. They come into the series with Newman having lost 4 of their last 5.
The offense is led by Cole Sibowski and Ryan Koski. They're the only Bearcats batting above .300.
The pitching staff ranks 6^th in the conference with a 5.70 E.R.A.

SERIES HISTORY BETWEEN NU AND NW
The Bearcats lead the all-time series 5-3. NW edged the Jets last season and took 2 of 3 in Maryville to eventually keep the Jets out of a playoff spot.

SWINGING IT
The Jets offense ranks 3rd in the MIAA in average (.315). They're tied for 3rd in hits, 3^rd in RBI'S, and are 3^rd in runs. They put together a streak of 4 games where they mercy ruled their opponents. Newman has mercy ruled 5 opponents this season.
The Jets 23 runs scored in game 3 at SNU are 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)
 

THE 300 CLUB
7 different Jets are batting .300+ heading into the series with the Bearcats. Jenner Steele leads the team with a .377 average and 9 home runs. Jake Angelico, Eli Wohl, Jason Schneider, Jack Kiser, Shawn Marquis, and Dalton Smith all are in the club.

ANGEL(ico)S IN THE OUTFIELD
Jake Angelico has started in 30 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 .364 with 46 hits, 6 doubles, a triple, and 5 home runs to go along with a team leading 38 RBI's. Jake is 2^nd in the MIAA in stolen bases, going 19-20 this season. He ranks 2^nd on the team in average.

Eli Wohl (JR/Ponca City, OK) is 31 for 86  this season in 28 starts in his first season as a member of the Jets. The transfer from Cowley CC is 9-10 on stolen bases. In the series finale vs UCM, Wohl hit his 1^st home run of the season.
 
HAY HAYDEN
Hayden VanDePoll is here to stay. 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. 
Hayden had an excellent performance in the game vs UCO last Friday, going 2-3 with 2 huge triples in the 5-1 win.

MAKING HIS MARQ IN RIGHT FIELD
Shawn Marquis is batting .302 with 27 hits and a home run in 22 starts and 25 appearances. Marquis is 9-9 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 13 for 41 with 14 RBI's this season and Ferrante (SR/Midlothian, OK) is batting .293 in 58 at bats with 3 doubles. Dalton had 2 RBI's in the 10 run win over Fort Hays State on Tuesday.

ON THE MOUND
Garrett VanDeventer is 4-2 in 8 appearances in 2023 with 30 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. He threw 8 innings of 3 hit and 1 run baseball vs UCO last Friday to earn the win 5-1. No. 15 leads the team with 50 innings pitched.

Asher Finke is 2-3 in 7 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 39 batters in 34 innings of work.

Nate Denniston is 1-3 in 7 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 this season (41).

Jaret Granger has appeared in 11 games in relief with 12 K's in 13 innings pitched.

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

Andrew Prieve has struck out 20 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 22 strikeouts in 33.1 innings. Wilson has appeared in 11 games, starting 6 of them. He pitched 5 innings and earned his first win of the season in Tuesday's win over Fort Hays State.

Lance Elsen has appeared in 8 games, recording 7 strikeouts 

Ian Lecki has 22 strikeouts in 16.2 innings of work. He is 3-1 on the season.

AROUND THE HORN
Jenner Steele leads the team in batting average as well as leads in home runs. Steele is the Newman Jets all time home run leader in the NCAAD2 era.

Don't be fooled by his freshman status, second basemen Jack Kiser has started in 29 games this season with a .312 batting average and a .440 OBP.

Shortstop Zack Stewart has 26 RBI's in his first 30 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 two weeks ago vs MWSU.

Third baseman Jason Schneider is 38 for 115 (.330) in 30 starts. He has hit 3 home runs, 3 triples, and 5 doubles this season.

EARNING MIAA RECOGNITION
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
VanDeventer earned MIAA week 8 Pitcher of The Week this past Tuesday after his 8 inning, 3 hit and 1 run performance vs UCO in the 5-1 win. MIAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK (2)

UP NEXT
The Jets will face off against Southeastern Oklahoma State on April 4^th and East Central April 5^th. The Jets lost to both teams earlier in the season. WATCH | LIVE STATS


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 (25-7, 14-3)
2. Central Missouri (22-8, 14-3)
3. Pittsburg State (21-9, 13-4)
4. Washburn (20-11. 13-4)
5. Central Oklahoma (21-9, 10-7)
6. Rogers State (19-11, 7-10)
7. Newman (13-18, 7-10)
8. Emporia State (12-19, 7-10)
9. Northeastern State (12-16, 6-11)
10. Fort Hays State (13-20, 4-13)
11. Northwest Missouri (6-22, 4-13)
12. Missouri Western (6-22, 3-14)
* Nebraska Kearney and Lincoln do not have baseball programs