*UPDATE* Saturday's game has been cancelled due to weather. The Warriors and Gorillas have tentatively scheduled a doubleheader for Sunday at 12 p.m. Stay tuned for updates.
WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University baseball team begins its 2019 campaign with a three-game series at Pittsburg State University on February 16-17. The Warriors and Gorillas will play doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday and conclude the weekend with a single game on Sunday set for 12 p.m.
The series was originally scheduled for four games, but was shorted and pushed back a day due to inclement weather in Pittsburg.
The Warriors posted an 18-23 (17-15 NSIC) record in 2018 while making a return trip to the conference tournament for the first time in three seasons.
WSU returns four of its five batters that hit over .300 from last year. Around the infield, Sam Kohnle (1B), Zac Stange (2B) and Derek Martin (SS) all return this season. Kohnle led the team with a .361 average a year ago while also posting team highs in doubles (12) and RBI (29). Martin had a breakout season in 2018 en route to being named to the NSIC Second Team. Stange batted .302 as a true freshman last season.
In the outfield, Tanner Williams (.330) and Andrew Pliner (.293) are also back for the Warriors. Pliner led the team with 35 runs scored last season.
The Warriors also return a strong starting rotation in Aaron Mutter, Austin Savary, Caleb Schoenholz and Dillon Whittaker. Savary (4-1) led the staff with a 3.38 ERA last year. Whittaker (5-1) led the team in wins as a freshman, Mutter (3-3) had a team-best four complete games and Schoenholz (1-3) led WSU in innings pitched (62.2) and strikeouts (51).
Winona State was picked to finish seventh in the 15-team NSIC conference race this season.
Pittsburg State was voted to finish third in the MIAA preseason poll. The Gorillas went 33-21 (23-13 MIAA) a year ago, reaching the conference tournament semifinals, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional in 2018. They went 0-2 in the Regional, including a 9-4 loss to the eventual National Champion Augustana University Vikings.
Pittsburg State is off to a 4-2 start this season.
Winona State and Pittsburg State have played once before with the Warriors winning a 7-5 ballgame on March 8, 1998.
Following this road trip, the Warriors are set for a four-game series in St. Louis, Missouri with Maryville University on March 1-3.
