2018 UW-Stout Baseball Statistics
MENOMONIE (March 7, 2019) - With starters returning up-and-down the line-up and a solid core of senior leaders, UW-Stout baseball coach
Ben Kincaid can't wait to get the season underway.
And for the third-year skipper, the wait is nearly over as the Blue Devils will escape the white landscape of western Wisconsin and head to the St. Louis, Mo., area - Elsah, Ill., to be exact - to open the season Friday, March 8 to take on Principia College for what is hoped to be three games over the weekend. Impending weather has already made a change to the schedule, with the Blue Devils now playing two games on Friday night and, hopefully, one game on Saturday. Principia comes into the weekend with a 3-1 record.
"I haven't been as excited for a team since I have been here," Kincaid said. "This season will tell a lot about us. There should be a big jump in line for us this spring."
Stout will return starters at every position except right field. Six seniors - all-conference outfielder
Jordan Wilson, catcher
Tim Bott, infielder
Jared Jarvensivu and pitchers
Brad Rindfleisch,
Casey Ryan and
Jack Donahue - provide a solid group of leaders.
All of our seniors have been through the program and all have run the progression," Kincaid said. "It's nice to see our younger guys listening and taking in from them."
In addition to the senior class, the junior class will continue to make an impact on the program.
"A couple of years ago, we had a lot of freshmen," Kincaid said. "Now, we have a lot of juniors that have started for us the past couple of years."
Wilson and junior
Reid Akerman return to the outfield.
Wilson earned first team all-WIAC honors last year and hit at a healthy .327 clip, going 53 of 162 with a team-best 34 RBI, clubbing out 12 doubles. Akerman hit a bit of a sophomore slump following a good freshman season, but Kincaid sees Akerman returning to old form after a good fall season.
Danny Deis put together a good freshman season, starting 17 games and hitting .293. "Danny has matured as a player and has worked hard to tune his skills and should make some noise this year," Kincaid said.
Caleb Hurt transferred to Stout from Madison College and Kincaid expects to see a lot of Hurt, either in the outfield or at designated hitter.
Joe Halling has been around the program for several years and is expected to see time in the field.
Tyler Seymour brings a good deal of athleticism to the Blue Devils. Last season, Seymour pitched in four games and could both pitch and play in the outfield.
"We have a fast outfield," Kincaid said, "and that helps our pitchers. They have good arms and get good jumps off the ball."
In the infield, Stout returns starters first baseman
Kasey Bass, second baseman
Kyle Hamilton, shortstop
Ben Vanhove, third baseman Jarvensivu and catcher
Hunter Merrill.
Jarvensivu has shown he is capable of playing anywhere in the infield and the team has confidence in him wherever he plays. The senior captain settled in at third base last season and batted .253 with a .921 fielding percentage while starting 20 games at the hot corner.
"We feel confident wherever Jarvi is," Kincaid said. "He's not flashy, but he gets the job done. He's the firecracker we need on our team."
Vanhove earned honorable mention honors last year, starting 32 games at shortstop. Vanhove hit at a .322 clip with 14 RBI. He stole seven bases and had a fielding percentage of .912.
"Ben made strides from his freshman to sophomore year and gained confidence," Kincaid said. "He should be in line for another good season."
Hamilton at second base and Vanhove have established a solid chemistry up the middle for the Blue Devils, Kincaid said, after playing the last two years together. Hamilton started 24 games at second base, hitting .269 with 14 RBI. Hamilton posted the team's top fielding percentage at .970.
At first base, Bass overcame an early season injury and worked his way to honorable mention honors, finishing the season hitting at .306 with a team-high four home runs.
Joel Thimsen saw action last year at first base and third base and is expected to have a presence again in the lineup. Freshman
Charlie Szykowny is tagged at shortstop, but could also play in the outfield. Freshman
Connor Langbehn hit very well in the fall, perhaps the best on the team, Kincaid said, and brings a solid bat as well as a dependable glove at first base.
Jack Hemsath played primarily at designated hitter last year, starting 28 games at the spot, and delivered 28 RBI on a batting average of .317. Hemsath rapped out 10 doubles, trailing only Wilson's 12 doubles. Hemsath had four sacrifice flies and put down three sacrifice bunts. He stole four bases. Hemsath was golden when he played in the field, primarily at second base where he committed no errors in 19 opportunities.
During his freshman year, Merrill started 19 games behind the dish and developed a good "catcher-pitcher relationship," Kincaid said. "His experience will help the pitching staff." Merrill also had a good relationship with the bat, pounding out three home runs and driving in 11 runs while hitting .270. Merrill threw out 12 baserunners attempting to steal and also stole five bases in five stolen base attempts.
Experience is one of Bott's key virtues with the team. He has been through the system and knows all of the pitchers. "Tim has played a bunch and that experience will help us," Kincaid said. "He is a senior leader who does a lot for the team."
Alex Jinkins transfers to Stout after two years at St. Cloud Technical Community College and is expected to break into the line-up, both behind the plate and with the bat.
Rindfleisch and
Jack Donahue return with 12 starts between the two of them in 22 total appearances and have solidified their spots in the rotation.
"They will see a ton of innings for us. They are two veteran pitchers that will help us win a lot of games this year." Kincaid said.
Rindfleisch earned All-WIAC honorable mention honors and started four games with 11 appearances and tossed 46.1 innings. He was second on the team in strikeouts with 33. But Rindfleisch's 2018 season will be remember most for pitching a no-hitter inside a 17-inning game. Rindfleisch entered the game in the sixth inning and did not surrendered a hit through the next nine innings. For the season, Rindfleisch posted a 2.91 ERA.
Donahue threw a team-high 60 innings and started a team-high eight games, finishing with a 4-2 overall record, with two complete games. Donahue mowed down 30 batters and finished with an ERA of 2.85. Donahue earned his first save, pitching the final inning in a 6-5 win over UW-Oshkosh.
Kincaid is still searching for his No. 3 and No. 4 pitchers and a number of pitchers are vying for the spots.
Casey Ryan has made a career with the Blue Devils coming out of the bullpen, making 15 career appearances. Last season, Ryan made five appearances, going 2-2 with an ERA of 3.12 over 8.2 innings. Kincaid said Ryan will both start and continue to come out of the pen.
"Casey will get a lot of innings," Kincaid said, "and will manage the back end of our bullpen."
Sophomores
Jace Baumann,
James Palmer, and
Aaron Plotsky and freshman
Cody Urban could all work into the starting mix.
Baumann made seven appearances over 13.2 innings, striking out seven and walking only two. Palmer made two appearances last year, but did strike out two batters over two innings. Plotsky transfers to Stout from Indiana Wesleyan, but was out of college baseball last season.
Baumann will spot start and mostly come out of the bullpen, Kincaid said, citing a step up from last year. "He is better as a pitcher than just a thrower. He is learning what it takes to get guys out," Kincaid said.
The skipper has seen Palmer take a "huge jump" over last year, adding velocity to his pitches. Plotsky will be competitive. "He is a bulldog on the mound," Kincaid said.
The 6-foot-3 Urban is ready to throw now, but Kincaid is looking forward to see what Urban will be able to do after he gets one year under his belt.
The Blue Devils have plenty to look at in the bullpen if the starters get in trouble.
Brandon Bohl returns after a year off,
Robert Pilz has been throwing well and
Phil Schmit had a good fall and winter.
Transfer
Jake Bloomstrand played both pitcher and outfield at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. The previously-mentioned
Tyler Seymour made four appearances and posted a 2.08 ERA.
Logan Langbehn, the older brother of first baseman
Connor Langbehn, saw five appearances, posting a team-best 1.29 ERA over seven innings pitched.
Freshmen
Alex Mahaz and
Andrew Radloff have each had two fall seasons with the Blue Devils and know what to expect within the program. Freshman
Cooper Beving could see some hill time, but is a little unknown after suffering an injury in the fall.
"Our bullpen will be a huge part of our season," Kincaid said. "In previous seasons, we have been struggling closing out games, but the guys and depth we have this year will be a big factor in our success. If one guy can't get the job done that day, we have a bullpen that will pick each other up."
The 2019 Blue Devil pitching staff brings a noticeable change when scanning the roster - there are five left-handed pitchers listed, the largest number of southpaws in more than 10 years. The 2015 team had four lefties. Other than the year 2015, it has been three, two, one or no lefties since 2009.
Palmer, Bohl, Radloff, Schmit and Beving are the team's left handers.
"It's nice to have some versatility in our bullpen," said Kincaid. "Left-handed pitchers can be viable in college baseball if they are used right."
That is only one difference Kincaid hopes fans will notice this year.
"I think we will have a different mentality this year," Kincaid said. "Last year, we split with (UW-)Stevens Point and went a long distance (17-innings before losing) with (UW-)La Crosse.
"We should be in line for a jump in the program this year and are hoping to change our reputation."
Kincaid is assisted by veteran Blue Devil assistant coach Nate Kilness and is joined by newcomers Zach Bayruether and Ryan Christenson.
After the games with Principia, Stout is scheduled to play a doubleheader weekend at Gustavus Adolphus, March 16-17, then return to Illinois to face MacMurray College, Saturday, March 23 and Blackburn College, Sunday, March 24. Conference play is scheduled to open with a weekend doubleheader series, March 30-31, at UW-Platteville. Stout's home opener is scheduled for Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, with conference newcomer Finlandia University.
