THIS WEEK
After playing its first 38 games on the road, the North Dakota State (12-26, 7-5 Summit) baseball team is set to make its home debut hosting Western Illinois (5-30, 2-7 Summit) in a three-game series beginning on Friday at Newman Outdoor Field. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
 
COVERAGE
GoBison.com: Live statistics and video links are available on GoBison.com. The series will also be available on Bison 1660 with Andy Rieckhoff on the call.
 
LAST TIME OUT
NDSU scored five runs in the fourth inning to roll past Minnesota, 10-3, on Tuesday night. The Bison totaled nine hits as a team. Peter Brookshaw led way posting a game-high three RBI with two hits and two runs. Max Loven made his 54th career start on the mound to set the NDSU program record for games started by a pitcher. He registered two strikeouts with one walk over 2.0 innings of work. Zak Endres and Nolan Johnson (2-2) also added two strikeouts over 2.0 innings each. NDSU had six different pitchers appear on the mound and combine for seven total strikeouts.
 
BISON IN LEAGUE PLAY
NDSU has fought its way through a tough non-conference schedule this season and has put together a 7-5 record in conference play. The Bison have won three of the first four series this season in Summit League play and currently sit in third place. James Dunlap has notched a team-best .372 batting average in conference play with 16 hits and a team-best 14 RBI.
 
BATTLING UNTIL THE END
Through 38 games, NDSU has played in 15 games decided by two runs or less and are 4-11 over that span.
 
CONSISTENTLY PRODUCING
Cadyn Schwabe, Peter Brookshaw and Druw Sackett are the only Bison to start all 38 games this season. Schwabe leads NDSU in on-base percentage (.409) and stolen bases (19), while Brookshaw paces the Bison in batting average (.308), slugging percentage (.591), hits (49), runs (34), doubles (13) and home runs (10). Sackett also leads NDSU in RBI (31) and doubles (13).
 
GOIN' FOR TWO
The Bison pace the Summit League with 87 doubles this season. That total also ranks 10th all-time on the NDSU single-season list. NDSU has notched at least one double in 32 of 38 games, including a season-high seven at Texas Tech on April 7. Peter Brookshaw and Druw Sackett lead the Summit League with 13 doubles each.
 
ROBBIN' BASES
The Bison have stolen 59 bases this season, which ranks second in the Summit League. NDSU has logged at least one stolen base in 30 of 38 games. Cadyn Schwabe is slotted second in the Summit League in stolen bases with 19, which ranks tied for fourth on the Bison single-season list. Last season, NDSU set the program record for stolen bases in a single-season with 87.
 
THE LONG BALL IS WORKING
The Bison are positioned third in the Summit League with 41 home runs and nine different players have contributed at least one. Peter Brookshaw has hit a career-high 10 home runs this season. Last season, the Bison were slotted second in the Summit League with 50 home runs, which ranked fifth on the NDSU single-season list.
 
MR. DURABILITY
Peter Brookshaw has started all 205 games that he's appeared in over five seasons at NDSU. He played and started in his 200th game at St. Thomas on April 14. Brookshaw currently ranks fifth in games played and games started in Bison history. Additionally, Brookshaw has totaled a team-high 49 hits this season to reach the 200 career hits milestone. His 222 hits position him in fifth place on the NDSU all-time list.
 
HE DOES IT ALL
After spending a majority of his time at second base and four appearances at shortstop in his first season at NDSU last year, Druw Sackett has already lined up in five different positions this season. He's appeared in right field (20 games), shortstop (15 games), left field (one game), second base (one game) and first base (one game).
 
THE FEENEY FILE
Cade Feeney has settled in on the mound and boasts a 4-4 overall record this season. He has increased his career win total to 19, which ranks fourth all-time in Bison history. In Summit League play, Feeney has notched a 3.00 ERA with 21 strikeouts over 27.0 innings.
 
ON THE MOUND
Cade Feeney and Tristen Roehrich have each started a team-high 10 games on the mound for the Bison this season. Parker Puetz has also made seven starts in his freshman season. Roehrich and Feeney have both tossed a team-high 59 strikeouts, which ranks tied for second in the Summit League.
 
OUT OF THE PEN
Skyler Riedinger has made 13 appearances out of the bullpen and has provided 24.2 innings of relief with 20 strikeouts and a career-high and team-best three saves. Carson Jacobs has also made 13 appearances with 29 strikeouts and one save.
 
THE DOUBLE MACHINE
After not hitting a double in each of the first three games this season, Peter Brookshaw tied a career-high and program record three doubles in the series finale against Sacramento State. It marked the second time in his career he notched three doubles in a game with the first coming in his Bison debut at Sacramento State on Feb. 16, 2019. With a career-high 13 doubles this season, Brookshaw has increased his career total to 45, which ranks fourth all-time in NDSU history.
 
TOP 25 UPSET IN LUBBOCK
After working through travel delays and schedule adjustments, NDSU upended No. 23 Texas Tech, 8-1, in the series opener. Cade Feeney tossed five strikeouts over 6.0 innings, while Skyler Riedinger closed out the final 3.0 innings delivering three scoreless frames with three strikeouts for the save. As a team, the Bison totaled 13 hits, including a season-high seven doubles. It marked the most doubles in a single-game since 2017. Druw Sackett led the way for NDSU going 4-of-6 at the plate with a game-best three RBI and one run. He also tied the NDSU program record for doubles in a single-game with three.
 
A WILD ONE IN SAN MARCOS
In game two against Texas State, the two teams combined for 35 hits, including 14 home runs before the Bobcats edged the Bison, 19-18. NDSU connected on a season-high 20 hits with six different players contributing at least two. The Bison also launched a season-high seven home runs with Terrell Huggins and Peter Brookshaw each registering two. That total tied the program record for home runs in a single-game with the Bison also hitting seven home runs against Stony Brook on March 19, 1998.
 
RAISING THE BAR
The Bison finished last season with a 31-19 (17-5 Summit) overall record and reached the 30-win mark for only the seventh time in program history. It also marked the first time NDSU won 30 or more games in back-to-back seasons in program history after the Bison won a program record 42 games 2021. NDSU also reached the 15-win mark for the second straight season and sixth time overall in conference play since joining the Summit League in 2008.
 
THE CHALLENGING SCHEDULE AHEAD
The Bison are set to play a challenging schedule this season that features 52 regular season contests  across eight states against opponents from nine different conferences. NDSU will also face five opponents that participated in the NCAA Tournament last season, including Arizona, Texas State, Texas, Texas Tech and Oral Roberts. Additionally, the Bison will play 42 of 51 games away from home, including the first 38 straight before making their home debut on April 28 against Western Illionis.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked second in the Summit League Preseason Poll. Oral Roberts earned the top spot with 42 points and six first-place votes. NDSU, who won its first regular season Summit League Championship in program history last year, was in second with 36 points and one first-place vote, while Omaha closed out the top three in third place with 30 points.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Peter Brookshaw and Cade Feeney were named to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Brookshaw started 46 games last season and led the Bison in RBI (46) and runs (36). He also ranked second on the team in hits (52), stolen bases (13) and home runs (8).
 
Feeney made 14 starts and tossed a team-high 62 strikeouts over 79.1 innings. He also posted a 7-3 overall record on the mound and his seven wins last season ranked tied for seventh place on the NDSU single-season list.
 
YEAR TWO UNDER OAKES
In his first season as head coach last season, Tyler Oakes guided NDSU to its first Summit League regular season title in program history after assembling a 30-17 (17-5 Summit) overall record. It marked only the seventh time in program history the Bison have reached the 30-win mark. NDSU began the season playing each of its first 37 games on the road and were the last Division I team to play a home game. Oakes became the first coach in NDSU baseball history to earn Summit League Coach of the Year honors.
 
THE SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP COMES TO FARGO
NDSU will host the Summit League Baseball Championship at Newman Outdoor Field on May 24-27 for the first time in program history. It will mark the first time NDSU has hosted a postseason baseball event since the 2000 North Central Conference (NCC) tournament. The Bison assembled a 31-19 overall record last season and won their first regular season Summit League championship in program history.
 
LIGHTS OUT
NDSU returns five pitchers this season that totaled at least 20 strikeouts last season. Cade Feeney totaled a team-high 62 strikeouts over 14 appearances on the mound. The Bison also earned 17 saves last season, which led the Summit League and ranked tied for second all-time in NDSU history. Tristen Roehrich finished the season ranked tied for third in the Summit League with a team-best six saves.
 
LOVEN CLIMBS THE RANKS
Max Loven begins the season with a chance to leave his mark in Bison history and ranks inside the top 10 in several categories: starts (1st, 54), innings pitched (4th, 282.2), strikeouts (4th, 222) and wins (T-5th, 17).
 
WHO'S BACK?
NDSU returns 14 letterwinners this season, including five pitchers that tossed at least 20 strikeouts last season. The roster also features six seniors: Terrell Huggins, Peter Brookshaw, Druw Sackett, Max Loven, Shea Zetterman and Tristen Roehrich.
 
WELCOME TO THE SQUAD
The Bison welcome 14 newcomers this season: Kyle Law, Davis Hamilton, Kale Jensen, Parker Puetz, Kale Hopke, Zak Endres, Konnor Kirchoffner, Dallan Quigley, James Dunlap, Jack Steil, Hunter Rosenbaum, Jack Luster, Carson Jacobs and Stephen Lund.
 
THE SERIES VS. WESTERN ILLINOIS
This will be the 87th all-time meeting between NDSU and Western Illinois dating back to 2005 with the Bison leading the series, 46-40. In their most recent meeting last season, the Leathernecks edged the Bison, 6-3, in the regular season finale at Newman Outdoor Field.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
NDSU will travel to Nebraska on Wednesday night. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.