WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University baseball team will travel to Liberty, Mo., to face off against William Jewell College (Mo.) at 5:00pm on February 25th to open the 2025 season. Following this contest, the team will travel to Topeka, Kan., to face off against Washburn University at 2:00pm on February 26th.
The Warriors look to start the 2025 season with the help of the Winona State Player and Pitcher to Watch,
Cole Fuecker and
Pierce Gritzmaker. Fuecker and Gritzmaker return to the Winona State baseball team after having a great 2024 season. In 2024, Fuecker led the way in batting average of .356, 48 runs, 16 doubles, and eight home runs. Gritzmaker led on the mound with nine starts in 10 appearances, 3.88 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 46.1 innings pitched. Both Fuecker and Gritzmaker, along with the rest of the Warriors baseball team, are under the helm of head coach
Seth Wing, who holds a 220-279 career record and a 44-56 record in his third season at Winona State University. Under the direction of Wing, WSU finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 21-28 and 18-21 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
Winona State will open the season against non-conference opponent William Jewell College (Mo.). The Cardinals ended the 2024 season with an overall record of 32-22 and a record of 20-16 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. William Jewell made a post-season run, losing to Quincy in the third round of the GLVC conference tournament. The Cardinals are currently 2-2 and will face Upper Iowa University on Monday, February 24th, before facing off against the Warriors the following day. After the completion of this matchup, Winona State will finish the two-game road stand against non-conference opponent Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. The Ichabods ended the 2024 season with an overall record of 32-21 and a record of 21-12 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Conference play. Washburn made a post-season run, losing to Missouri Southern and Central Missouri deep in the MIAA conference tournament. The Ichabods are currently 5-5 and will face the University of Central Oklahoma on Monday, February 24th, before facing off against the Warriors the following Wednesday.
Winona State and the Cardinals meet for the ninth time in school history, where historically, the teams are 4-4 against each other. In their last meeting, the Warriors lost 6-9. Winona State and the Ichabods meet for the 10th time in school history, where historically WSU is 6-3 against Washburn. In their last meeting, the Warriors won 6-5.
In addition to Fuecker in the field, the Warriors bring back some key returners, which include
Joshua Hawksford,
Alex Berreth,
Mason Trocke,
Connor Weed, and
Jess Ondell. Alongside Gritzmaker, WSU Sophomore
Mason Beltrand will be returning to the mound for his second season with the team. The Warriors have a young core of players, along with some transfers that will look to make an impact this season.
Winona State will hit the road to face off against William Jewell College (Mo.) on Tuesday, February 25th with the first pitch being thrown at 5:00pm. Following this contest the Warriors will finish off the two game road trip against Washburn University with the first pitch being thrown at 2:00pm.
