Northern State selected to finish ninth in NSIC preseason baseball poll

Northern State University, coming off of a season in which it finished ninth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, was selected to finish in that spot again this season in the preseason coaches baseball poll.

Minnesota State Mankato was selected as the top team, while Augustana received six first-place votes and was selected to finish second.

Carter Howell, a junior outfielder for Augustana, was tabbed as the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year.

Last season, the Wolves went 15-22 overall and 14-19 in conference play. From that team, Northern will be returning seven of nine starters and three key pieces from the starting rotation.

Northern will return Spence Sarringar and Seth Brewer. Sarringar made the NSIC All-Defensive Team, while Brewer was named first-team all-conference.

As a trio, Roman Vega Jr., Karson Hesser and Reece Ragatz batted at a .301 average with 86 hits, 23 doubles, 10 home runs and three triples.

In the rotation, Brian Baker, Max Otter and Brewer will return for the Wolves. As a staff, Northern recorded four shutouts last season, which ranked 16th nationally.

"We have a veteran group that has played a lot of games in the NSIC, and we feel the experience we have will bode well for us as we enter the 2022 season," Northern coach Dean Berry said in a news release.

Berry has been at the helm of the program for 12 years and holds a 208-254 overall record. In 2014, Berry was selected as the NSIC Coach of the Year.

The Wolves will open their season on Feb. 4 in at the Edmond First Pitch Classic in Oklahoma. They will face off against Emporia State, Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Northern State NSIC baseball preseason rankings dii