College baseball: Ridgewater Warriors amped up for the season

Mar. 3—WILLMAR — Since last fall, members of the Ridgewater College baseball team have practiced in preparation for the 2023 season, playing more intrasquad scrimmages than almost can be counted.

The Warriors are more than ready to play someone else besides themselves.

"We've been going since January 16th," Ridgewater head coach Tyler Hebrink said. "And then we had all the fall ball stuff, too.

"It's really time for the season to start for us."

The season begins with much anticipation after the Warriors put together a third-place finish in regional play and qualified for the super regional for the first time.

Ridgewater's regional berth was its first since 2016 and came after the Warriors had not played a game in two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Warriors posted a 17-20 overall record after a slow start and are optimistic that 2023 can be better.

They open the season Monday in Auburndale, Florida, where they have eight games scheduled before returning to Willmar, starting with a doubleheader against Mid Michigan College, an NJCAA Division II program that offers athletic scholarships. The Lakers were 31-19 last season.

"Our schedule is brutal," Hebrink said, listing off games against Owens College, ranked seventh in Division III, and games against Lake Michigan College and Glen Oaks College of Michigan, both Division II programs.

Ridgewater is an NJCAA Division III program, which means it does not offer scholarships.

The Warriors are ready to give it a shot in Florida. They have 11 sophomores returning from last season and two more second-year players who have transferred in. There are also seven freshmen joining the team.

"We have talent up and down the roster," Hebrink said.

Notable returnees include catcher Tyler Flis, pitcher/utility man Reece Schwirtz, pitcher Jack Howard, second baseman Bennett Knapper, designated hitter/pitcher Josh Robb, first baseman Nolan Spence and pitcher Ty Schulte. All played key roles last season.

Also back is outfielder Carter Thelen, pitcher Ayden Gustafson, catcher Sebastian Rehnelt and first baseman Isaiah Anderson.

Flis, from Robbinsdale Armstrong, won postseason honors last year and spent some time last summer playing for the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League after batting .320 with a .385 on-base and .500 slugging percentage. He had three home runs and drove in 19 runs.

Hebrink said Flis had scholarship offers from NCAA Division II programs, but decided to return.

Spence is another top returnee. Spence, from Zimmerman, has bulked up and is expected to improve on his '22 numbers that include a .274 average with three homers and 20 RBIs. Hebrink said he hit .550 in fall ball games.

Robb, from St. Peter, (2 HR, 21 RBI, .300), Knapper, from Yellow Medicine East and Granite Falls (2 HR, 16 RBI, .316) and Schwirtz (1 HR, 13 RBI, .257) were all steady performers in '22.

Schwirtz, a right-hander from Glencoe-Silver Lake, also is expected to be the Warriors' ace pitcher. He was 4-4 last season with a 6.05 earned-run average in 41- 2/3 innings. Hebrink said he has added speed to his fastball and now tops out at 91-92 miles per hour. He also is expected to garner Division II scholarship offers from four-year colleges.

Howard, a Renville County West right-hander, led the Warriors with 42-1/3 innings pitched. He was 3-5 with a 6.59 ERA. Hebrink said he has come into practice in excellent shape and expects a big year from him because of his improved repertoire and control.

Others expected to see time on the mound include Robb, a right-hander who was 1-1 in 18- 2/3 innings last year and Schulte, a crafty left-hander from YME who threw 13 innings.

Gustafson, a right-hander from RCW, suffered a broken arm in practice. Hebrink hopes to have him available in April after he threw 29- 2/3 innings in '22.

Two transfers to watch are Matt Beacom and Zeke Walton. Beacom is a center fielder from Blooming Grove, Texas, who is expected to start in center field and hit at the top of the order. Walton is a sophomore outfielder/right-handed pitcher from BOLD, who comes to Ridgewater after a season at Hibbing Community College.

The freshman class includes infielder/pitcher Hank Bulson of St. Cloud Tech, shortstop Nikson Knapper of YME, third baseman Sam Etterman of Willmar, catcher/outfielder Caden Lang of Glencoe-Silver Lake, outfielder/right-hander James Coffland of Springfield, first baseman/right-hander Tanner Olson of St. James and first baseman Nick Schmitt of Tracy-Milroy-Balaton.

Nikson Knapper is expected to start at shortstop with his brother Bennett starting at second.

Hebrink is hedging his enthusiasm for the season because he believes that Ridgewater's Central Division in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the best in the state.

Central Lakes College is returning division champion. St. Cloud Technical & Community College is a perennial regional team and newcomer Alexandria Technical & Community College is expected to be strong. Alex is a new program coached by Jason Fischer, the former head coach at St. Cloud where Hebrink was an assistant.

"They're going to be good," Hebrink said.

So will the Warriors, Hebrink believes.

Central Division

Team Con. Over.

Central Lakes 13-3 28-15

St. Cloud 11-5 26-13

Ridgewater 8-8 17-20

Fergus Falls 5-11 11-24

Anoka-Ramsey 3-13 5-23

North Division

Team Con. Over.

Itasca 7-3 20-22

Northland 5-5 13-17

Mesabi Range 5-5 13-23

Hibbing 5-5 10-19

Vermilion 4-6 15-17

Rainy River 4-6 12-21

South Division

Team Con. Over.

Rochester 14-2 31-15

Century 13-3 30-16

Riverland 8-8 22-25

Western Tech 4-12 19-28

Minn. West 1-15 3-22