Baseball season starts in US Bank Stadium with six games

The Dakota County Technical College baseball team opens up their season at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. In the climate-controlled stadium, the Blue Knights will play six games. Two games versus Rainy River CC this weekend and a four-game set versus Southeast CC the following weekend. Rainy River of International Falls, MN is a member of the MCAC Northern Division (NJCAA DIII) and finish the 2019 season 15-20. Southeast CC from Beatrice, NE plays in the Region IX conference. Region IX is a wood bat conference (NJCAA DI). Southeast CC is currently 4-3 on the 2020 season. The final two games of the series will be play with wood bats. The following has information is for fan attending the games at US Bank Stadium.

FAN ENTRANCE:

All fans will enter at the Lower Pentair gate (off South 6th Street). NO ENTRANCE VIA LEGACY GATE OR SKYWAY OR ANY OTHER GATE. Fans will then proceed to sit in sections 126 – 130. Tickets are $5 at the door (children 2 & under are free). Doors will open 30 minutes before the start of the day's first game. Outside food and drink is prohibited in U.S. Bank Stadium. Reentry will not be allowed. Free Wi-Fi is available at the stadium.

The Blue Knights schedule in US Bank Schedule is the following:

US BANK SCHEDULE

Rainy River CC at DCTC, Sat., Feb. 22, 10:30 p.m.

DCTC at Rainy River CC, Sun., Feb. 23, 12:30 a.m.

Southeast CC at DCTC, Sun., Mar. 1, 10:30 p.m.

Southeast CC at DCTC, Mon., Mar. 2, 12:30 a.m.

DCTC at Southeast CC (NE), Tue., Mar. 3, 12:00 a.m. (wood bat games)

DCTC at Southeast CC (NE), Tue., Mar. 3, 2:30 a.m. (wood bat games)

The Blue Knights finished 2019 with a school record for wins (33) and were Region XIII Runners up.

The team welcomes back many familiar faces as several sophomores return to the squad. Amongst these returners is Parker Savard (Fr., IF, Sudbury, MN) batted .338 last season with 34 runs scored, 9 doubles, 38 RBIs and 16 SB's. Henry Laue (Fr., 1B, Mahtomedi, MN), returns after hitting .301 in the 2019 season with 20 runs, 11 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, and 30 RBIs. Caleb Ditmarson (Fr., UT, Willmar, MN) hit .339 in 2019 with 9 runs and 10 RBIs. 

DCTC will be joined by several freshman and other sophomores looking for staring spots this season. Competing for time behind the plate are John Abercrombie (Fr., C, Moundsview, MN) Nick Baker (Fr., C, Cloquet, MN) Garret Hoffman (So., C, Anoka, MN) and Riley Pederson (Fr., C/1B, Park Center, MN). Competing for infield spots are Mitch Goodwin (Fr., OF, Prior Lake, MN), Cody Greve (Fr., IF, Marshall, MN),  Jonah Lewis (So., IF, Minnetonka, MN), and Ben Simonsen (Fr., IF, Sioux Falls, SD). Competing for outfield spots are Shane Brown (So., OF, Mahtomedi, MN), Brady Klehr (Fr., OF, Richmond, MN) Carter Chell (Fr., OF, Anoka, MN) Ben Goelz (Fr., OF, Maple Lake, MN) Sam Adelman (Fr., OF, Graceville, MN) and Tristan Whitbeck (Fr., OF, Oakdale, MN). Competing for infield and outfield spots are Tommy Blackstone (Fr., UT, Monticello, MN) and Ethan Cernohous (Fr., UT, Bulverde, TX),

Returning to the mound this season are starters John McCaustlin (Fr., RHP, Prior Lake, MN) and Conor Merton (Fr., LHP, Perth, Australia). McCaustlin went 4-3 with a 4.66 ERA in 46.1 innings with 42 strikeouts and 26 walks. Merton went 5-1 in the 20189 season with a 5.14 ERA in 35.0 innings pitched with 26 strikeouts and 13 walks. Ethan Cernohous (Fr., P, Bulverde, TX) and Jack Stoddard (Fr., RHP, Waconia, MN) are the top relivers returing for the 2020 season. Cernohous went 2-0 last season in 15.2 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts. Stoddard, had 4 saves and went 3-1 last season with an ERA of 2.25 in 28 innings pitched with 26 strikeouts and 11 walks.

The team has added several freshman and several sophomores to the pitching staff this season who will all make an impact. These newcomers include, Sam Adelman (Fr., RHP, Graceville, MN), Jacob Berg (Fr., RHP, Sleepy Eye, MN), Carter Chell (Fr., RHP, Anoka, MN), Ben Cradle (Fr., RHP, Bloomington, MN), Caleb Ditmarson (Fr., P, Willmar, MN), Ben Goelz (Fr., LHP, Maple Lake, MN), Zach Gunderson (Fr., RHP, Proctor, MN), Brady Klehr (Fr., LHP, Richmond, MN), Jonah Lewis (Fr., P, Minnetonka, MN), Chase Oslin (Fr., RHP, Mora, MN) Logan Parker-Sjoberg (Fr., RHP, Mora, MN), Devon Schewe (Fr., RHP, Lakeville, MN), Ben Simonsen (Fr., RHP, Sioux Falls, SD) and Teddy Tauer (So., LHP, Red Wing, MN)

Please follow the baseball team on tweet at @BaseballDCTC