GAMES 45, 46, and 47

Newman Jets (19-25, 11-16 MIAA) at Pittsburg State Gorillas (29-13, 19-8)

Friday, April 21^st – Sunday, April 23rd | Pittsburg, Kansas | Al Ortolani Field

Friday – 6 PM | Saturday – 1 PM | Sunday – 12 PM

Series Record: PSU leads NU 7-5 all time Last meeting: NU 3, PSU 11 BOX SCORE | RECAP

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

Up next: at Northeastern State | April 28^th-30^th  | Tahlequah, Oklahoma | VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Newman is 19-25, 11-16 in MIAA play and the stakes are starting to get higher. The Jets sit in 8^th place in the standings, currently in the final tournament spot a game ahead of Emporia State. Ahead of NU is Rogers State and Northeastern State. Newman already has the season series win over the Hillcats. The Jets face Northeastern State to finish out the regular season next weekend. The Jets most likely need three wins in their final six games to make the MIAA Tournament for the first time in program history.


LAST TIME OUT
Newman dropped their final midweek and home matchup of the season on Wednesday afternoon vs Oklahoma Baptist, 6-12. The Bison hit four home runs, bringing their total to 71 this season. Zack Stewart hit his 14^th home run of the season, inching closer to Jenner Steele who leads the team with 15. It was the first time the Jets lost their final home game of the season in the Drew Maus era.  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

Bob Fornelli is 135-79 in his 5 seasons at Pitt State.

SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
The Gorillas are 29-13 and 19-8 in MIAA play. They were voted 2nd in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll and have met expectations this season, standing at only two games behind the 1^st place Central Missouri Mules and Missouri Southern Lions who sit at 21-6 in MIAA play. They'll come into the series vs Newman as winners of five of their last seven.

The Gorilla offense ranks 4^th in the MIAA in average, two spots behind the 2^nd place Jets. They've scored 382 runs this season, good for 2^nd, 466 hits which is good for 3^rd, and their 69 home runs are good enough for 2^nd in the MIAA. Their offense is led by Nixon Brannan who has a .437 average which leads the MIAA. His 69 hits are 3^rd most in the MIAA.

The pitching staff ranks 6^th in ERA. They've given up 378 hits, 9^th most in the MIAA. Zac Shoemaker and Ben Des Rosiers have been their top two this season. Shoemaker has an ERA of 2.84 and Des Rosiers has a 4.58 ERA.

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 PSU
Pitt State leads the all time series 7-5. They've won 4 of the last 5 and took the season sweep last season vs Newman. The 4 game win streak is PSU's longest over the Jets. SERIES HISTORY
 
THE HOME RUN CHASE
McGuire vs Sosa? How about Steele vs Stewart?
Jenner Steele has been a feared hitter this season. Steele is batting .412, a team best and is good enough for 2^nd in the MIAA. He has slugged 15 home runs this season which broke the single season home run record that he set last season (10). Although Steele has only been a Jet for two seasons, he is the Newman all time home run leader in the D2 era. He has homered in 4 of his last 7 games.

Zack Stewart has been someone to avoid in the box this season. He is batting .283 with 46 RBI's. It seems as if every time Jenner hits a home run, Stewart is right behind him with a home run of his own. Zack has hit 14 home runs this season. Stewart homered in the final home game vs Oklahoma Baptist on Wednesday.
 
SWINGING IT
The Jets offense ranks 2nd in the MIAA in average (.324). 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)

ANGEL(ico)S IN THE OUTFIELD
Jake Angelico has started in 43 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 .355, good for 2^nd best on the team, with 59 hits, 11 doubles, 2 triples and 11 home runs to go along with a team leading 59 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.
Angelico is 9^th in the MIAA in hits and 8^th in runs. He is 2^nd on the team in hits and 1^st in RBI's.

Eli Wohl (JR/Ponca City, OK) is 44 for 135 this season in 41 starts in his first season as a member of the Jets. The transfer from Cowley CC is 11-12 on stolen bases. Wohl has 4 home runs this season and is fifth on the team in average.
 
HAY HAYDEN
Hayden VanDePol 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 .286 with 26 hits and 20 RBI's.

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 18 for 61 with 18 RBI's this season and Ferrante (SR/Midlothian, OK) is batting .308 in 78 at bats with 5 doubles. 

ON THE MOUND
Garrett VanDeventer is 5-4 in 11 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 three weeks ago to earn the win 5-1.
 
Garrett had a season high 8 strikeouts in game one vs ESU two weeks ago. 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 3-5 in 10 starts this season. He got the win in game two of the series vs Rogers State, allowing just two earned runs and fifth hits in five innings of work. He has struck out 48 batters in 46.2 innings of work. He earned his 3^rd win of the season two weeks ago vs ESU in game two.

Nate Denniston is 3-4 in 10 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 (58.2). and is tied for the team lead in strikeouts with 48.

Jaret Granger has appeared in 13 games in relief with 16 K's in 17.2 innings pitched.

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

Andrew Prieve has struck out 26 batters and has one save for NU in 16 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 35 strikeouts in 44.2 innings. Wilson has appeared in 15 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 12 games, recording 12 strikeouts.

Ian Lecki has 30 strikeouts in 25 innings of work. He is 3-1 on the season and earned his 2^nd save two weeks ago in game three 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 and is one of the MIAA's best offensively. He and Carson Hawks have both seen time at first base.
Carson Hawks has 16 hits, 5 being home runs in 21 starts at first base and DH this season.

Don't be fooled by his freshman status, second basemen Jack Kiser has started in 39 games this season and has a .316 batting average and a .478 OBP.

Shortstop Zack Stewart has 46 RBI's in 42 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 two home run performance vs SEOSU he tied the single season home run record with Jenner Steele. He currently sits at 14 home runs on the season after hitting his 13^th of the season vs MSSU and 14^th against Oklahoma Baptist on Wednesday and is one behind Jenner Steele.

Third baseman Jason Schneider is 56 for 165 (.339) in 39 starts. He has hit 5 home runs, 5 triples which leads the MIAA, and 12 doubles this season.
Joe Kinneberg has risen to the occasion as of late. Kinneberg has been arguably the Jets hottest hitter. No. 10 has 8 hits in his last 14 at bats with 5 RBI's and 2 home runs.

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 ends their regular season vs Northeastern State. The Riverhawks and Jets are right next to each other in the standings. SERIES HISTORY VS NSU | 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 (34-10, 21-6)
2. Central Missouri (30-12, 21-6)
3. Pittsburg State (29-13, 19-8)
4. Washburn (24-18, 17-10)
5. Central Oklahoma (29-13, 19-8)
6. Northeastern State (18-22, 12-15)
7. Rogers State (23-17, 11-16)
8. Newman (19-25, 11-16)
9. Emporia State (16-27, 10-17)
10. Fort Hays State (18-26, 8-19)
11. Missouri Western (11-29, 8-19)
12. Northwest Missouri (10-30, 8-19)
* Nebraska Kearney and Lincoln do not have baseball programs