Tribune notebook: It's the NDSCS Wildcats for Ridgewater

May 10—The Ridgewater baseball is back in regions for the first time in six years. And waiting for them in the first round is the NDSCS Wildcats.

North Dakota State College of Science, located in Wahpeton, is the 10th seed in the NJCAA Division III Region 13 playoffs, which get underway Thursday in St. Cloud.

Ridgewater is the seventh seed in the double-elimination tournament. NDSCS and Ridgewater play at 10 a.m. Thursday at Joe Faber Field at the St. Cloud Municipal Athletic Complex.

The winner plays second-seeded Central Lakes Conference at 4 p.m. Thursday at Faber. The tournament continues through Saturday, with the winner advancing from the Central Plains regional to district competition across the country.

NDSCS and Ridgewater did not play this season.

The Wildcats went 6-21. They had two common opponents with the Warriors. They lost to Anoka-Ramsey 15-14 in 11 innings on March 17 in Tucson, Arizona. On May 4, NDSCS beat MS-Fergus Falls 3-2.

Ridgewater beat Anoka-Ramsey 14-1 and lost to the Golden Rams 12-8 in a doubleheader April 21. The Warriors just got done playing MS-Fergus Falls four times over the weekend, winning three of four. Ridgewater beat the Spartans 18-1 and 8-2 on Saturday in Willmar, then split at Fergus Falls, winning 5-3 and losing 4-3.

The Wildcats' top hitters are Isaac Loosmore (1 HR, 12 RBI, .385 BA, .452 OBP, .477 SLUG), Devan Swerman (7 RBI, .319/.373/.511), Hunter Wamre (3 HR, 21 RBI, .313/.338/.516 and Grant Mundahl (9 RBI, .300/.462/.350).

NDSCS' top pitchers Ben Welle (0-3, 7.85, 28-2/3 IP, 25 K, 19 BB) and Wamre (1-2, 7.24, 27-1/3 IP, 28 K, 23 BB). The Wildcats have a team earned-run average of 9.96.

They also have two West Central Tribune area athletes on their roster: Paynesville freshman outfielder Drew Tangen and Willmar sophomore second baseman Asaiah Smith. Tangen is 0-for-7 at the plate. Smith has five doubles, three RBI and a batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage slash line of .235/.350/.382 in 34 at-bats.

For Ridgewater, the top hitters have been Brad Bickmann (7 HR, 26 RBI, .416/.491/.752), Tyler Flis (3 HR, 17 RBI, .337/.400/.547), Bennett Knapper (10 RBI, .314/.390/.451), Jadrien Keavy (10 RBI, .306/.329/.389) , Josh Robb (2 HR, 15 RBI, .304/.412/429) and Tyler Traphagen (5 HR, 18 RBI, .294/.395/5.39).

The Warriors' pitching leaders are Jack Howard (2-5, 7.29 ERA, 33-1/3 IP, 19 K, 11 BB), Reece Schwirtz (4-2, 3.98 ERA, 31-2/3 IP, 42 K, 10 BB), Bickmann (4-1, 5.72 ERA, 28-1/3 IP, 32 K, 23 BB), Sam Lenarz (0-5, 7.81 ERA, 27-2/3 IP, 23 K, 17 BB) and Ayden Gustafson (1-1, 7.94, 22-2/3 IP, 14 K, 21 BB).

It's Ridgewater's first regional appearance since 2016 and the first for head coach Tyler Hybrink, who is in his first full season as head coach after getting hired before the 2020 season.

Benson junior Thomas Dineen, a two-time state wrestling champion, has committed to Division I South Dakota State to continue his wrestling career. Dineen won his second straight 195-pound Class A title in March in St. Paul. He will enter his senior year having won 86 straight matches.

He also won the 195-pound 33rd Annual National High School Coaches Association National Tournament on March 25-27 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Litchfield catcher Bauer Wahl is headed to the University of Northwestern-St. Paul to continue his baseball career at the NCAA Division III institution.

Peyton Fischer and Hunter Fischer, juniors on the St. John's University tennis team, have been named to the All-MIAC men's tennis team.

Peyton Fischer had a 5-4 MIAC record at No. 2 singles. He also teamed with Wil McDowell of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to post an 11-5 record, including 6-3 in the MIAC at No. 2 doubles.

Hunter and Ryan Will of Northfield earned all-conference honors at No. 1 doubles, where they were 4-4 in the MIAC, winning five of their last six matches.

The Johnnies finished fourth in the MIAC with a 6-3 record and were 10-7 overall, making their eighth MIAC playoff appearance in 10 seasons.

SJU's Jack Bowe was named the MIAC coach of the year.

Willmar senior Ian Koosman is a Central Lakes Conference Performer of the Week in baseball. Koosman threw 11 innings in two victories, allowing four hits and two runs. He struck out 23. He was the only Willmar athlete honored this week.

Lac qui Parle Valley's Sarah Halvorson has made the 2022 Ms. Minnesota Golf Watch List this spring. She is one of 15 finalists for the prestigious award that goes to the state's outstanding high school senior female golfer.

On the Mr. Minnesota Golf Watch List is New London-Spicer's Peyton Coahran. He's one of 15 finalists on the list.