GAMES 41, 42, and 43

Newman Jets (19-21, 11-13 MIAA) at Missouri Southern State Lions (30-10, 18-6)

Friday, April 14^th-Sunday, April 16^th | Joplin, Missouri |

Friday – 6 PM - Joe Becker Stadium | Saturday – 1 PM - Warren Turner Field | Sunday – 1 PM - Warren Turner Field

Series Record: MSSU leads NU 4-2 all time | Last meeting: NU 6, MSSU 4 BOX SCORE | RECAP

Video: THE MIAA NETWORK Live Stats: NU at MSSU

Up next: vs Oklahoma Baptist | April 19th | WICHITA, KANSAS | VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
CONTROLLING THEIR DESTINY
Newman is winners of 5 out of their last 7 heading into the series vs Missouri Southern. Newman took a crucial series win vs Emporia State, downing the Stingers in games 2 and 3. The Jets overcame a 9-1 loss in game one and a 5 run 1^st inning by the Hornets in game two to win game two 13-5 and game three 2-1. The series wins separates the Jets and Hornets in the standings, moving the Jets to 6^th in the standings and putting them in control of their own destiny as it relates to making the MIAA Tournament for the first time ever.

LAST TIME OUT
The Jets dropped their final MIAA midweek matchup of the season in a pitcher's battle to Fort Hays State. NU took the series 2-1 after winning the previous 2 matchups on the road and at home. The loss put the Jets back 2 games under .500. Jenner Steele hit his 13^th home run of the season in the win.  BOX SCORE | RECAP


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

Bryce Darnell is 434-317 in 15 seasons at MSSU heading into the 2023 season

SCOUTING THE LIONS
The Lions are 30-10 and 18-6 in MIAA play. They were voted 6^th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll but have exceeded expectations this season, standing at only 1 game behind the 1^st place Central Missouri Mules. They'll come into the series vs Newman as winners of 2 of their last 4, winning game three vs UCM 3-2 to avoid a sweep and winning their midweek matchup vs Rogers State 11-1 in 8 innings.
The offense ranks 3^rd best in the MIAA, just 1 point lower than Newman who sits at 2^nd with a .325 team batting average. The 389 runs scored, 364 RBI's, and 460 hits this season is 1^st in the MIAA and their 83 home runs is 19 ahead of the next best in Pittsburg State who has 64. The pitching staff ranks 3^rd in the MIAA with a 5.20 ERA.

SERIES HISTORY BETWEEN NU AND MSSU
Southern leads the all-time series 4-2, dating back to April 2021. The Jets took the series last season 2 games to 1. SERIES HISTORY
 
THE HOME RUN CHASE
McGuire vs Sosa? How about Steele vs Stewart vs Angelico? Jenner Steele broke the Newman single season home run record 2 weeks vs Northwest with his 11^th home run of the season. Not even 3 days later Zack Stewart tied Steele by hitting 2 home runs in the win over Southeastern Oklahoma State to earn his 10^th and 11^th home runs of the season. Jenner would hit his 12^th home run of the season in game 2 vs Emporia State and his 13^th this past Tuesday at Fort Hays State. Zack Stewart hit his 12^th of the season vs Emporia State no less than a few at bats after Steele.
Jake Angelico is right behind Stewart in the race. Angelico caught fire before the Emporia State series, hitting 5 home runs in 5 games to bring his total to 10 on the season.

The Jets rank 3^rd in the MIAA in home runs with 51, and Steele, Stewart, and Angelico combine for 35 of those 51.

SWINGING IT
The Jets offense ranks 2nd in the MIAA in average (.325). They're 2^nd 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 a few weeks ago. Newman has mercy ruled 7 opponents this season.

The Jets 23 runs scored in game 3 at SNU and vs Southeastern Oklahoma State are 2^nd in the MIAA for most runs scored by an MIAA team this season and their 23 RBI's in the win vs Southeastern Oklahoma State are tied for most by an MIAA team all season. (2023 SEASON STATS)
 

THE 300 CLUB
6 different Jets are batting .300+ (they meet the minimum requirement) heading into the series with the Hornet. Jenner Steele leads the team with a .394 average and 13 home runs. Jake Angelico, Eli Wohl, Jason Schneider, Jack Kiser, and Shawn Marquis are all in the club.

ANGEL(ico)S IN THE OUTFIELD
Jake Angelico has started in 39 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 .363, good for 2^nd best on the team, with 53 hits, 9 doubles, 2 triples and 10 home runs to go along with a team leading 54 RBI's. Jake had one of the most impressive weeks of the season, going 10 for 16 with 4 home runs and hit for the cycle in the series against Northwest to walk it off in game 3 to clinch the series victory over NW Missouri.

Eli Wohl (JR/Ponca City, OK) is 43 for 120  this season in 37 starts in his first season as a member of the Jets. The transfer from Cowley CC is 11-12 on stolen bases. Wohl has 3 home runs this season and is third on the team in average.
 
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 is batting .306 with 26 hits and 18 RBI's.

MAKING HIS MARQ IN RIGHT FIELD
Shawn Marquis is batting .330 with 36 hits and a home run in 29 starts and 32 appearances. Marquis is 12 for 13 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. Marquis went on a 7 at bat hit streak after going 5 for 5 vs SEOSU and 2 for 4 in the win against ECU.

THE MEN IN THE MASK 
Dalton Smith and Anthony Ferrante have split time behind the plate for Newman THIS SEASON, both contributing to a very good offensive Jets team.
 
Smith (SR/Norman, OK) is 16 for 54 with 18 RBI's this season and Ferrante (SR/Midlothian, OK) is batting .306 in 72 at bats with 4 doubles. 

ON THE MOUND
Garrett VanDeventer is 5-3 in 10 appearances in 2023 with 44 K's. 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 2 weeks ago to earn the win 5-1.
 
Garrett had a season high 8 strikeouts in game 1 vs ESU last week. No. 15 leads the team with 63 innings pitched and topped his 2022 strikeout stat line when he earned his 45^th strikeout of the season last week.

Asher Finke is 3-4 in 9 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 46 batters in 42.2 innings of work. He earned his 3^rd win of the season last week vs ESU in game 2.

Nate Denniston is 3-3 in 8 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 (56). and leads the team in strikeouts with 48.

Jaret Granger has appeared in 12 games in relief with 13 K's in 14 innings pitched.

Braden Oberle has appeared in 5 games with 4 K's in 4.2 innings.

Andrew Prieve has struck out 23 batters and has earned the lone save for NU in 13 appearances. He struck out the side to end the game vs Southwestern College. He earned his 1^st win of the season against Southeastern Oklahoma State on April 4^th.

Colby Wilson has recorded 34 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. Wilson has appeared in 14 games, starting 7 of them. He pitched 5 innings and earned his first win of the season over Fort Hays State in their midweek matchup.

Lance Elsen has appeared in 10 games, recording 9 strikeouts 

Ian Lecki has 29 strikeouts in 23 innings of work. He is 3-1 on the season and earned his 2^nd save of the season in last week's game 3 vs ESU. He threw 1.1 innings of shutout baseball to secure the 2-1 win.

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.
Carson Hawks has 16 hits, 5 being home runs in 20 starts at first base and DH this season.

Don't be fooled by his freshman status, second basemen Jack Kiser has started in 36 games this season and has a .309 batting average and a .462 OBP.

Shortstop Zack Stewart has 40 RBI's in 38 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. After his 2 home run performance vs SEOSU he tied the single season home run record with Jenner Steele. He currently sits at 12 home runs on the season and is 1 behind Jenner Steele.

Third baseman Jason Schneider is 49 for 149 (.329) in 39 starts. He has hit 4 home runs, 5 triples, and 10 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
Newman heads back to Wichita for their final home game of the season. They'll face Oklahoma Baptist on April 19^th at 1 PM. WATCH | LISTEN | 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. Central Missouri (28-10, 19-5)
2. Missouri Southern (30-10, 19-5)
3. Pittsburg State (27-11, 18-6)
4. Central Oklahoma (23-11, 11-9)
5. Washburn (22-16, 15-9)
6. Newman (19-21, 11-13)
7. Rogers State (22-15, 10-14)
8. Northeastern State (16-20, 10-14)
9. Emporia State (15-24, 9-15)
10. Fort Hays State (17-24, 7-17)
11. Missouri Western (9-27, 6-18)
12. Northwest Missouri (8-28, 6-18)
* Nebraska Kearney and Lincoln do not have baseball programs