NDSU Baseball Heads into New Season With High Expectations

Bison had program record 42 wins and won first ever NCAA Regional game

FARGO, N.D — The Tyler Oakes era is officially underway for North Dakota State baseball as the former associate now head coach begins year one at the helm.

Oakes inherits a successful squad who comes off a program record 41-win season taking home the Summit League Championship and their first ever victory in a NCAA Regional against Nevada last June.

While last year’s leading bats, Bennett Hostetler, Jake Malec and closer Parker Harm all moved on to the pro ranks, five of the first nine along with all four starting pitchers return including the summit league’s top freshman Cade Feeney and the second and third RBI getters, Peter Brookshaw and Jack Simonsen.

“Those expectations are extremely high which we’re all embracing,” Oakes said. “We might have a little more of a target on our backs this season but guys are looking forward to it and stepping up hoping they make another run at things. They’ve put it all the work and worked extremely hard for it.”

“We want to do that again. More than just confidence, it brought us that hunger,” Simonsen said. “We’ve really been working hard this offseason. I don’t think that anyone has been complacent. Hasn’t wanted to win another one. It’s really good to see that and coach really challenged us this summer saying just because we won one don’t lose that hunger and we’ve kept that. It’s there.”

The fact that Oakes has been on the staff  for eight years, since being named the pitching coach in 2013, has made the transition easier having already formed relationships and recruited many of the players.

“Just being who I am. I think the guys appreciate each day, they’ll be getting the same person,” Oakes said. “They know what to expect on a daily basis. For me, it’s just being me and coaching the way I like to coach and the rest takes care of itself.”

“Even before this year, he’s always the man who would be competitive. Bring fire and energy to practice,” Simonsen said. “Even more this year as the head coach. It’s been good and we’ve just been continuing to do that.”

The Herd  were picked second in the league’s preseason poll and embark on a 25-game road trip starting with Abilene Christian Friday all leading up to the first home series against St. Thomas on April 8th..