Blue Devil baseball returns experienced players, a deep bench; open season Tuesday morning

2021 UW-Stout Baseball Statistics

MENOMONIE (March 4, 2022) - When sixth year UW-Stout head baseball coach Ben Kincaid looks at his roster, he sees a healthy return of players that carried the Blue Devils to a 23-19 overall record and a trip to the WIAC Baseball Championship tournament, a tournament appearance that went to the final day of the tournament.

While the Blue Devils lost a few players to graduation -  including three all-region players - Kincaid believes the depth of the roster can help fill any gaps left. With graduation, the Blue Devils saw 45 extra base hits from all-region players and a total of 61 extra base hits walk across the graduation stage.

Behind the plate, the Blue Devils return two players that played a combined 30 games last season - senior Paul Weise and sophomore Justin Schnell. Weise saw his season cut a little short last year due to injury, but should be ready to go when the Blue Devils open play Tuesday, March 8 against Bethel University at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. Weise started 16 games last season and Schnell 10. Weise last year threw out 10 players attempting to steal and Schnell tossed out five runners. 

TJ Carlson has college experience behind the plate, transferring to Stout from Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa. Freshman Vince Fonti is also expected to see time behind the plate. 

The Blue Devils lost Kasey Bass at first base, a position he held for four years and had twice earned all-region honors. Ryan Herbst saw action last year, starting eight games at first base and playing in 13 games. Transfer Justin Sedin is expected to see some time at first. Sedin transferred from Northern State University where he played football, but not baseball. The sophomore from Poplar, Wis., was a second team all-state player in high school and was his conference player of the year where he yielded a powerful bat.

Levi Wilson and Colin Hageman were the only two players at second base last year, with Wilson starting 22 games and Hageman 20. Wilson had a .946 fielding percentage and Hageman .963.  The pair combined for 26 RBI. 

At shortstop, strong armed Charlie Szykowny returns after a first team all-conference and third team all-region year that saw him bat .372, hitting a school record and fourth in the NCAA Division III 22 doubles, three triples and four home runs. Szykowny has been Stout's only shortstop the last two seasons and last season led the team in stolen bases with 11.

"Charlie is an all-around player," said Kincaid. ""He can hit for contact, hit for power, smart on the basepaths, has a plus arm, and can get to a lot of balls that most college infielders can't."

Szykowny is also one of three team captains and Szykowny might even take a turn on the pitcher's mound in relief. When Szykowny goes to the mound, Hageman could slide over to shortstop.

Joel Thimsen started 35 games at third base last year and the team captain saw action in 37 games. While Thimsen hit .262 last season with 16 RBI, the coaching staff would like to see him return to his sophomore form when he hit .340. Thimsen is steady at the "hot corner" and is a very good, overall leader, said Kincaid.

Drew Ries proved to be a "gamer" Kincaid said. Ries backed up Thimsen at third base, starting seven games at third and nine as the designated hitter.  Ries hit .333 (20-60) with 11 RBI. "He will do anything to move runners or get a hit," Kincaid said.

Transfer Jacoby Endreas brings a big bat and could certainly see time at third base.

The Blue Devils last season led the NCAA Division III in double plays made, finishing the season with 46 double plays over 42 games, averaging 1.10 per contest.

Riley Boushack had a nice freshman year, hitting .319 (43-135) with 21 RBI and 10 stolen bases, working primarily from the lead-off position. Boushack had a penchant for getting on base, drawing a team-leading 30 walks. In center field, Boushack covered the area well and showed a strong arm, snagging four outfield assists.

Several players will look to fill left and right field.

Reese Vold, Jack Schirpke and Nolan Harke shared time last season in left field. Hageman also played six games in the outfield, five at left field.  Vold hit .311 (14-45) in 19 games, while Harke hit .241 (7-29) in 13 games. Hageman hit .239 (26-109) with 18 RBI. Schirpke played 10 games in left field and drove in four runs.

Right field was vacated with the graduation of all-conference pick Hunter Merrill, who started 38 games. Hageman and Endreas will vie for time in the outfield.

Ries, Endreas and freshman Parker Hagebock are slated for the designated hitter spot. 

The Blue Devils lost pitcher James Palmer to graduation. Palmer had an outstanding senior season in 2021, earning all-conference and all-region honors, and threw the first nine-inning no-hitter in school history.

Jace Baumann, Cody Urban and Brock Burg should be in the starting four rotation and freshman Drew Buss is staring at working into the starting four.

Baumann brings the most experience, making 27 appearances over his career. Baumann started eight games and came on in relief twice, including working the final 2.1 innings, throwing shutout ball in the rain to earn a save in Stout's first home playoff game since the early 1990s. Baumann worked a total of 41.2 innings, striking out 25 with an ERA of 3.46. 

Urban started 10 games last year, working 58.2 innings and striking out 36. Burg saw action in 10 games and started six games, striking out 33, while walking only 14 in 48.0 innings pitched. 

Senior Cooper Beving, a team captain, will also be a leader for the Blue Devil pitchers, coming out of the bullpen. Junior Ethan Kjellberg started five games last year in 10 appearances and this year will primarily work out of the bullpen, as will Reece Lucas, who struck out seven last season over eight innings pitched. Beving returns after missing last year and not seeing action during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Beving threw 15 innings over six appearances and three starts in 2019, striking out six and earning a win.

The Blue Devils will be making their first return to Florida for spring break since 2018 and, with eight games over seven days, will have a need for pitchers. Returners Connor Hemme, Luke Kallod, Marty Kiernan, Alex Foss, Dak Doyle and Trevor Miller, who logged two saves last year, will have a chance to see live action, along with several freshmen pitchers.

"There will be plenty of opportunities for pitchers, as well as position players in Florida," Kincaid said. 

With conference games slated to start less than a week after the Blue Devils return from Florida, Kincaid said the coaching staff still has some sorting out to do.

"We are still trying to find our identity," Kincaid said. "Overall, we have more depth than in previous years. All-around, we have some good pitching and fielding and we can hit for contact or power."

The Blue Devils open the season with a red-eye game Tuesday, March 8 against Bethel University, with first pitch slated for 5:30 a.m. at US Bank Stadium. When the Blue Devils return to Fort Myers, their first opponent will be Bethel on Sunday, March 13. Stout plays two opponents Monday, March 14, facing 10th-ranked Eastern Connecticut State and Skidmore College. Stout will play Eastern Connecticut again Friday, March 18. Stout will face Lasel University twice, on Tuesday, March 15 and against Thursday, March 17. Stout will meet Saint Michael's College, Wednesday, March 16. The Blue Devils will conclude their Florida trip by facing the US Merchant Marine's Academy, Saturday, March 19. All games in Florida are scheduled as nine innings.

The Blue Devils will get the conference season started less than a week after they return from Florida and are scheduled for a pair of WIAC games at UW-Platteville, Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27.

Stout is scheduled to open the 2022 season at home Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 when they host UW-Eau Claire. Stout is also home April 14-15 (vs. UW-Stevens Point), April 23-24 (UW-La Crosse), May 4 (Ripon College) and May 6-7 (Finlandia University).