BASEBALL
What’s next: The NIACC baseball team returns to action Thursday in a nonconference doubleheader at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minn. The first game is slated to start at 2 p.m.
NIACC is slated to open its home season Saturday and Sunday against DMACC. Both twinbills are set to start at 1 p.m. at Roosevelt Stadium.
Last time out: NIACC (14-15 overall, 5-7 in the ICCAC) dropped four games to Southeastern April 5-6 in West Burlington. Southeastern topped NIACC 11-3 and 7-5 on Saturday and 8-4 and 4-2 on Sunday.
Leading the way: Sophomore Brett Guba is batting .384. Guba has a team-high 9 doubles and ranks fourth on the team with 11 RBIs. Freshman Daniel Bradley is batting .322 with 7 doubles, 2 home runs and 12 RBIs. Freshman Zach Fricke leads the Trojans with 18 RBIs. Freshman Ryan Moran, who is hitting .288, ranks second on the team with 15 RBIs.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Nick Veale is 4-3 with a 4.14 earned run average with 39 strikeouts and 14 walks. Freshman Casey Hall (2-1) has struck out 11 and walked nine with a 2.96 ERA.
Climbing the charts: Veale has 80 career strikeouts, which ranks 6th on NIACC’s all-time career strikeout list. Matt O’Brien (2004-05) ranks fifth with 82 career strikeouts. Veale has 11 career wins, which is tied for second with Tom Heithoff (2006-07). Lucas Bakker (2012-13) is the all-time leader with 16 career wins.
GOLF
What’s next: The NIACC men’s and women’s golf teams return to action Friday and Saturday at the AIB Invitational at the Lake Panorama National Golf Resort in Panora.
Last time out: The NIACC men placed second at the Iowa Central Invitational April 5-6 at the Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny with a two-day total of 614. Sophomore Levi Fink and freshman Hunter Miller led the Trojans as they tied for third in the individual medalist competition. Fink shot 75-72 – 147 and Miller shot 77-70 – 147.
For the NIACC women at the Iowa Central Invite, freshmen Kaitlin Koob shot a 102-100 – 202 to lead the way for the Lady Trojans.
Going low: Miller’s second-round 70 at the Iowa Central Invitational was his collegiate career low. Miller’s previous career low was two rounds of 80 in the fall season. It was Miller’s first 2-day tournament of his career.
Fink’s 2-day total of 147 tied his career best 36-hole score. The sophomore also recorded a 147 at the Clarke College Invitational in the 2013 fall season.
SOFTBALL
What’s next: The NIACC softball team returns to action Wednesday in its home opener in a doubleheader against Ellsworth. The first game starts at 3:30 p.m.
Last time out: NIACC (9-11, 1-9) dropped a doubleheader at Iowa Lakes on April 2. The Lakers won the first game 6-5 and took the nightcap 9-2.
Leading the way: Sophomore Emilie Stirling is hitting .378 with nine doubles, 3 home runs and 19 RBIs. Freshman Kimberly Wedeking is hitting .333 with 9 RBIs and a team-high 14 stolen bases. Freshman Brittani Sanchez is hitting .309 with 8 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.
In the circle: Wedeking is 5-5 with 53 strikeouts, 8 walks and a 3.34 ERA. Freshman Kelsey Nilges is 4-6 with 15 strikeouts, 5 walks annd a 3.33 ERA.
TRACK AND FIELD
What’s next: The NIACC men’s and women’s track and field teams return to action Friday and Saturday at the Jim Duncan Invitational in Des Moines.
Last time out: The NIACC women and men broke five school records at the Cornell Invitational on April 5. Setting school marks for the NIACC women were Sharon Toaka in the javelin (127 feet, 0 inches), LaBrisha Michael in the shot put (47-2 ¼) and the 4×100 meter relay team of Pricilla John, Adrine Monagi, Dieuwertje Boelen and Shante Hawkins (50.14 seconds). Setting school marks for the NIACC men were Will Hanson in the 110 hurdles (14.66 seconds) and the 4×100 team of Hanson, Deon Polk, Jacques Edwards and Paul Pokana.
Women’s national qualifiers: Shot put – Michael, 47-2 ¼. Javelin – Toaka, 127-0. High jump – Rellie Kaputin, 5=5 ¾. Long jump – Kaputin, 18-9 ¾. Triple jump – Kaputin, 38-8 ¼. 1,500 – Hannah Palmeter, 4:49.52. 5,000 – Palmeter, 18:32.26. 4×800 relay – NIACC, 9:51.10.
Men’s national qualifier: Javelin – Hanson, 185-11.
Note – The NJCAA outdoor track and field meet is set for May 15-17 in Mesa, Ariz.
