SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Winona State University baseball team opens up play in the 2021 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) baseball tournament today, May 13, taking on the Augustana University Vikings in Sioux Falls, S.D. at 6pm.
The Warriors, 22-18 overall and 19-16 in the NSIC, earned a second shot at #19 Augustana University (31-9 / 27-9 NSIC), by qualifying for the postseason as the seventh-seed in the eight-team tournament. The trip to the playoffs marks the second-straight appearance for Winona State in the conference postseason, as WSU also participated in 2019 NSIC Tournament held in St. Cloud, Minn.
Head coach
Kyle Poock and HBC Sports director Justin Barrientos connected recently to talk about the 2021 Warrior regular season and the impending playoffs. Click here for the full interview on HBC Sports 25.
Nationally ranked Augustana is set to host the series, which will feature up to three 9-inning games over the course of two days, Thursday, May 13 and Friday, May 14. The two teams will tangle at Karras Park, home of Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S. D.
New this year, the 2021 NSIC Baseball Tournament will be conducted in a two-week format. The competition will begin on May 13-14 with a best of three game series hosted by the top four seeds (one 9-inning game Thursday and Friday with a second 9-inning game if necessary on Friday).
The remaining four teams move forward to a four-team double elimination tournament in Sioux Falls hosted by Augustana University May 19-21, 2021.
For the Augustana - Winona State series held at Karras Park, home of Ronken Field, the host Vikings note that while in attendance, all spectators must wear a mask unless actively eating or drinking. Masks are required across all NSIC contests this season and help support a safe environment for our student-athletes, staff and community. Disposable masks will be available at the entrance and fans not wearing face coverings appropriately will be asked to leave the facility.
Winona State closed out the 2021 NSIC regular season with three-game home stand against another nationally recognized foe, #15 Minnesota State - Mankato. The Warriors went 1-2 against the Mavericks, winning the first game 3-1 behind an outstanding pitching performance by
Cameron Kramer, who tossed a two-hit gem to open the series. Minnesota State battled back to claim games two and three, by 5-1 and 4-1 scorelines. Both losses were nine-inning contests. Holding the hot bat for WSU continues to be
Sam Kohnle, who has reached base via a hit or walk in the last eight contests for the Warriors. He is currently batting .366 over the course of 40 games this season.
#19 Augustana concluded their 2021 regular season campaign with a 3-game sweep over Upper Iowa, played on the road in Fayette. When the Warriors hosted Augustana on April 24 and 25, Winona State was able to secure a split on the first day, narrowly falling 6-5 in the 7-inning opener, but beating Augustana 5-4 in game two in the cozy confines of Loughrey Field. The third contest on Sunday, moved up to 10am due to predicted weather, did not go the way of the Warriors, as they dropped a close game 6-4.
Head coach
Kyle Poock and his team will look to continue a pattern of scoring first in games against the Vikings; WSU has scored first in the last two games against AU. For full coverage of the 2021 NSIC Baseball Tournament, head
to this link.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
