Please note: Friday's live video webcast has been cancelled due to rain

ST. PAUL, Minn. - With the final weekend of the regular season in Northern Sun baseball at the doorstep, Concordia-St. Paul (17-21, 15-15 NSIC) enters senior weekend at Barnes Field in control of its own destiny to clinch an NSIC / US Bank Tournament berth for the third consecutive season. The Golden Bears, eighth place in the standings with eight teams making the tournament field will host 10th place Sioux Falls (15-31, 12-18 NSIC) with the Cougars clinging to tournament hopes as well. The teams will play a four game series with a 1:30 doubleheader on Friday and a noon doubleheader on Saturday for senior day.

 

CU	STAT	USF
17-21	W-L	15-31
15-15	Conf	12-18
2-3	Last 5	0-5
2-8	Last 10	0-10
1L	Strk	10L
.298	Avg	.274
.369	Obp	.357
.379	Slg	.381
56	2B	80
6	3B	10
9	HR	17
29-39	SB-A	42-59
4.7	R/G	5.4
5.82	ERA	7.71
1.68	WHIP	2.04
7.2	K/9	5.4
3.4	BB/9	4.9
2.1	K-BB	1.1
.316	OAV	.348
23	opp HR	33
.956	Fld%	.944
33	DP	50
35-49	opp SB-A	50-70

THE SIMPLE SCENARIO
The Golden Bears will clinch a postseason berth by winning the series (3 of 4) and can also clinch a postseason berth by simply winning greater than or equal to the number of wins Southwest Minnesota State achieves in its weekend series at home against Wayne State. If Concordia and SMSU are tied in the final standings, the Golden Bears will need either Northern State, Wayne State or Winona State to go 0-4 to force a three-plus team tie to force advanced tiebreakers as SMSU has the head-to-head advantage over Concordia. Concordia holds the head-to-head tie-breaker over Wayne State if SMSU sweeps the Wildcats and Concordia goes 2-2 provided Northern and Winona State each win a game.

The Cougars can only make the conference tournament with a 4-0 weekend over Concordia along with SMSU losing its series to Wayne State (0-4 or 1-3), or an SMSU split combined with advanced tiebreakers as USF and SMSU split a doubleheader in league play.

SIX TEAMS FIGHTING FOR FOUR SPOTS & SEEDING
With each team scheduled for four games this weekend, the conference tournament field will boil down to percentage points. The eight teams with the highest conference winning percentages will comprise the tournament field. Entering the final weekend, four teams have clinched postseason berths (St. Cloud State 27-3, Minnesota State 27-3, Augustana 21-9, Minnesota Duluth 22-10). Five others have been eliminated (Upper Iowa 11-21, Minot State 8-22, Bemidji State 7-21, Minnesota Crookston 8-26, U-Mary 6-26).

That leaves six teams fighting for the final four spots in the tournament field*:
5. Northern State (18-14, .563) hosts 1. St. Cloud State (27-3, .900) - magic number 2 against SMSU; or 3 against Concordia
5. Wayne State (18-14, .563) at 9. SMSU (14-16, .467) - clinches with a win over SMSU; or magic number 3 against Concordia
5. Winona State (18-14, .563) at 1. Minnesota State (27-3, .900) - magic number 2 against SMSU; or 3 against Concordia
8. Concordia (15-15, .500) hosts 10. Sioux Falls (12-18, .400) - clinches with at least 3 wins, or at least the same number of wins as SMSU
9. SMSU (14-16, .467) hosts 5. Wayne State (18-14, .563) - clinches with a sweep of WSC, or by winning more games than CU as long as USF doesn't sweep CU
10. Sioux Falls (12-18, .400) at 8. Concordia (15-15, .500) - needs 4 wins plus at least 3 SMSU losses, or 2 SMSU losses and tie-breaker

* - no tie-breakers were broken in the above scenarios

TURNING THE TIDES
Concordia-St. Paul recently snapped a seven game losing streak, turning it around with two straight wins over Winona State last Saturday (game 2) and Sunday (game 1) in a four game series split with the Warriors. Sioux Falls is looking to do the same while clinging to its playoff hopes entering the series having lost 10 in a row and 14 of 16 after a 10-4 start to Northern Sun play.

SERIES HISTORY: Concordia 6, Sioux Falls 4
The Golden Bears and Cougars have met each of the last three years with the 2012 and 2013 games played at Barnes Field and last season played in Sioux Falls. Concordia and USF split a 2012 doubleheader in non-conference play with the second day of the four game series rained out. In 2013, the Cougars were first year Northern Sun members as the teams split a four game series at Barnes Field. Last year, Concordia took three of four to close out the regular season with the fourth seed in the NSIC Tournament and a program record 20 NSIC wins (20-10) en route to a 28-14 overall record.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES VS SIOUX FALLS
Tyler Krekling has hit .583/.667/.583 (7-12) in three games against Sioux Falls, scoring three and driving in three runs with three walks and no strikeouts including a 4-hit performance ... Kyle Dalton is a .270/.325/.270 (10-37) hitter while playing in all 10 games against USF with seven runs and six RBI while swiping three bases. Last year, he hit .400 with a .471 on base percentage (6-15) with five runs and three RBI in four games ... Alex LaPorte is a .273/.429/.273 (3-11) hitter against USF in seven games, scoring four runs and driving in two along with three walks and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 15 chances. He appeared in three games as a reserve in 2013 and started all four of last year's games where he received all of his plate appearances ... Eric Fasnacht is a .241/.313/.276 (7-29) hitter in eight games against USF with five runs, a double and four RBI, scoring five runs in last year's four game series and driving in four runs in the 2013 four game series ... Ryan Poppitz is a .231/.394/.269 (6-26) career hitter in eight games against Sioux Falls, with a double, three runs and two RBI. He's drawn five walks and two hit by pitch ... Trevon Bargfrede has hit .214/.294/.214 (3-14) in seven games (four starts) against the Cougars, going 3-12 (.250) with two walks, two runs, three RBI in four games in 2013 ... David Henke has not recorded a hit (0-5) against the Cougars in three games over the last two years, but holds a .444 on base percentage, drawing three walks and a hit by pitch with a run and an RBI along with a sacrifice bunt ... Austin Hebig is 1-2 with an RBI against the Cougars, seeing action in two games last season.

INDIVIDUAL PITCHER NOTES VS SIOUX FALLS
Yuji Suzuki is 1-1 in two appearances (one start) against Sioux Falls with a 3.00 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in nine innings, striking out seven with six hits and two walks. He's held USF to a .176 average. In his start last year at USF, Suzuki worked a complete game shutout for a win, holding USF to four hits and a walk with five strikeouts ... Kevin Woebke pitched once last year against the Cougars with a complete game shutout victory, holding USF to three singles and two walks while striking out five as USF hit .143 against him ... Adam Fredericks has faced the Cougars three times in relief, throwing 3.0 shutout innings while allowing just a hit and a walk with a save. He's held USF to a .100 average, with all three appearances coming in 2013 ... Jake Kounkel has appeared in one game against Sioux Falls, a 2014 relief appearance allowing one unearned run on one hit over 2.1 innings, striking out three and walking four as the Cougars hit .125 against him ... Tyler Brekke has faced the Cougars once in relief, a 2013 appearance working a scoreless inning for a save, allowing a single ... Zach Rengel allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts in a loss to the Cougars last year in his only career start against USF. He pitched five innings, had a 5.40 ERA and held USF to a .250 average.

SENIOR DAY NOTES
#2 Tyler Krekling (LF, 5-10, 175, Sr., R/R, Hayfield, Minn. / Hayfield HS / Riverland CC)
Krekling has started in 70 of 73 games he's played in two years for the Golden Bears, hitting .304/.404/.344 (69-227) with 46 runs, 36 RBI and nine doubles. He's also drawn 33 walks and only struck out 33 times while committing just one error in the outfield and adding four assists. He's perfect in five stolen base attempts as well. As a senior, he's hitting a career best .313/.409/.348 with 17 walks.

#3 Trevon Bargfrede (RF, 6-4, 205, Sr., R/R, Jackson, Minn. / Jackson County Central HS / Rochester CTC)
Bargfrede has started 67 games while playing in 91 in three seasons with a .264/.335/.373 career slash line (58-220), scoring 37 runs and driving in 27 with 10 doubles, a triple and four home runs. He's set career highs in games (31), starts (30), hits (26), doubles (6), triples (1), RBI (13), walks (9) and stolen bases (4-4) as a senior while hitting .271/.340/.385 (26-96).

#11 Tyler Brekke (RHP, 6-2, 215, Jr., R/R, Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS)
Brekke enters senior weekend with another year of eligibility after being awarded a medical redshirt as a true freshman in 2012 when he made one start, allowing two runs on two hits in six innings before missing the rest of the year. As a Golden Bear, Brekke has appeared in 21 games with 13 starts, compiling a 2-5 record with four saves while starting game one of the NSIC Tournament each of the last two years. He holds a 2.91 career ERA, a .214 opponent batting average and a 1.11 career WHIP in 92.2 innings while surrendering just four home runs. Prior to this year as he's made just three starts, Brekke held ERAs of 2.60 and 2.30 as a sophomore and junior, holding opponents to .186 and .190 averages, respectively over 70.2 combined innings. This year, Brekke has made three starts, working 16.0 innings since rejoining the rotation in April.

His 2.91 career ERA ranks second in program history while his .214 opponent average is a modern record since Concordia joined the Division II era and opponent batting average became a tracked statistic. His four saves are tied for sixth most in a career.

#13 Kyle Dalton (CF, 6-0, 175, Sr., L/R, Minnetonka, Minn. / Hopkins HS)
A 2014 Daktronics All-America First Team utility player splitting time between second base and center field, Dalton is a four year starter and has been entrenched as the team's leadoff hitter. He holds a career .376/.430/.430 slash line (216-575) in 160 games (all starts) including last year's .436/.478/.497 to rank 18th in the country in average. He's the third player to reach 200 career hits as a Golden Bear, adding 20 doubles, four triples and a home run with 114 runs and 65 RBI and 22 stolen bases. He's walked 52 times and only struck out 59 times. He's hit at least .333 every year and has hit a career high eight doubles and two triples during his senior campaign.

In his career, he ranks 10th in program history in average (.376), seventh in games played (160), third in at bats (575), third in hits (216), 11th in runs (114), 11th in triples (4), sixth in total bases (247) and 18th in walks (52).

#14 Adam Fredericks (RHP, 6-0, 195, Sr., R/R, Minnetonka, Minn. / Minnetonka HS)
Has made 23 career relief appearances as a Golden Bear, working to a 5.17 ERA with a 1-1 record and three saves in 31.1 innings. The last two seasons he's held 4.32 and 4.66 ERAs in 17.2 innings out of the bullpen in 11 appearances. As a sophomore in 2013, he had a career high three saves in 10 appearances while working to a career low .263 opponent average in a career high 10.1 innings. He's tied for fifth in team history with 14 games finished among his 23 appearances.

CONCORDIA PITCHING NOTES
The Golden Bears enter the final weekend armed with a full pitching staff due to a mid-week bye. The timing of the mid-week bye allows the coaching staff the luxury to decide which of the team's eight pitchers who have started at least a game to use for the weekend series. As a result, there will not be a projected starting pitching table, but rather a breakdown of all eight hurlers to start a contest for the season, sorted by games started (innings pitched, then appearances to break ties).

CONCORDIA SPs	R/L	Yr.	GP-S	W-L	CG-SHO	SV	ERA	WHIP	IP	K/9	BB/9	K/BB	OAV
Kody Knaus	L	Jr.	8-7	3-2	1-0	1	4.57	1.45	41.1	6.1	2.8	2.2	.294
Kevin Woebke	L	Jr.	7-7	3-3	1-1	0	5.66	1.65	41.1	9.6	2.6	3.7	.333
Zach Rengel	L	Jr.	7-7	3-3	3-0	0	4.46	1.34	40.1	10.7	2.5	4.4	.276
Cody Schacht	R	Jr.	6-6	2-3	1-0	0	8.33	1.72	31.1	5.2	0.9	6.0	.359
Josh Lenz	L	So.	8-5	2-1	0-0	1	4.65	1.65	31.0	8.7	6.1	1.4	.242
Tyler Brekke	R	Jr.	3-3	0-2	1-0	0	5.62	1.81	16.0	5.6	3.9	1.4	.355
Yuji Suzuki	R	Jr.	11-2	2-4	0-0	4	5.12	1.52	31.2	5.4	3.7	1.5	.280
Erik Monson	L	So.	8-1	0-1	0-0	1	7.84	2.32	20.2	5.7	6.5	0.9	.363

ABOUT THE COUGARS
After a rocky 0-8 start to the season, the Cougars settled into a groove when league play began. USF split with Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State in March which helped spark a eight game winning streak spanning the final two games of the BSU series, a doubleheader sweep of Minnesota Crookston and four game sweep at U-Mary to start league play with a 10-4 record.

But since, the Cougars are 2-14 with a doubleheader split at SMSU and winning one game of four at Winona State. The Cougars have dropped 10 in a row including two at WSU, two to Wayne State, four to Minnesota State and two at Augustana on Wednesday.

Of the five players who have enough plate appearances to qualify for the league batting title, the Cougars only have one .300 hitter, Matthew Minnick with a .352/.401/.610 slash (56-159). Minnick leads the Cougars in runs (40), hits (56), doubles (16), homers (7), RBI (39) and his slash line leads the team across the board as well. He's also stolen six bases, second on the team and is tied for the team lead with two triples while hitting third in the lineup and playing right field or designated hitter.

Leadoff hitter Noah Durkin, the left fielder is hitting .287 with a .365 on base percentage and six stolen bases with 34 runs, 13 doubles, a triple and a homer. Brent Jarvis has been hitting second and playing third base and hits .253/.347/.367 with a team-high 11 steals along with 11 doubles, a triple and two homers with 23 RBI and 35 runs although he's struck out a team high 43 times.

Rob Johnson has been htiting cleanup and playing center field down the stretch and is hitting .317/.386/.413 (20-63) although he's played in 19 and started 18 of Sioux Falls' 46 games. He has a pair of doubles and triples with eight RBI.

SIOUX FALLS PITCHING NOTES
The Cougars are hard to predict for the weekend starting pitching rotation, having used a different rotation in their past three weekend series (MSU 4/25-26; WSU 4/17-18; Mary 4/3-4) which also includes a weekend bye. The projected pitching rotation for this weekend was built using the order against Winona State two weekends ago and is subject to change.

USF PROJECTED SP	R/L	Yr.	GP-S	W-L	CG-SHO	SV	ERA	WHIP	IP	K/9	BB/9	K/BB	OAV
G1: Patrick Anderson	R	Jr.	8-4	2-1	0-0	0	5.33	1.59	27.0	5.3	3.3	1.6	.300
G2: Alex Wall	R	Fr.	15-8	4-7	2-0	1	5.72	1.83	50.1	5.4	2.5	2.1	.350
G3: Henry Ojeda	R	Sr.	15-10	2-6	1-0	0	8.12	2.34	54.1	7.5	4.8	1.6	.398
G4: Kenton Johnson	L	Jr.	11-5	1-2	0-0	1	7.48	2.26	21.2	5.4	8.3	0.7	.315