Baseball Opens Conference Play Against No. 18 Hutchinson

The Colby Trojans baseball open conference play this week with a pivotal four-game stretch against nationally ranked Hutchinson Blue Dragons. The Trojans will travel to Hutchinson for a Thursday (March 5) doubleheader before returning home Saturday (March 7) to close the series with another twin bill.

Colby enters conference action swinging the bats well, hitting .259 as a team with a strong .414 on-base percentage while plating 81 runs in non-conference play. The offense has been sparked by one of the hottest hitters in the conference in Turner Zdunich. The sophomore is batting .405 and slugging .838 with seven extra-base hits. He leads the Trojans with four home runs, tied for seventh in the conference, along with one triple and 16 RBIs, a mark that sits tied for 11th in the league.

Anthony Deblois has been just as steady, posting a .346 average and an impressive .500 on-base percentage, giving Colby another dangerous bat in the middle of the lineup. Jacob Mraz and Jake Brooks are both hitting above .300 and have driven in nine runs apiece, providing balance throughout the order. Mraz has also been a weapon on the basepaths. He is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases and has yet to be caught stealing.

On the mound, Colby has compiled 87 strikeouts as a staff, better than a strikeout per inning, but will look to lower its 9.60 team ERA as conference play begins. Zdunich has made three appearances and holds a 7.71 ERA. Out of the bullpen, Dallen Rude has been outstanding, posting a 1.69 ERA with two saves while allowing just one earned run and one walk. Thomas Loubier has added six strikeouts across three appearances with a 5.40 ERA, and Grant Meyers owns a 6.75 ERA in 2.2 innings pitched, recording a save and an impressive 10.13 strikeouts per nine innings.

Standing in Colby's way is No. 18 Hutchinson, which enters the week at 14-3 overall. The Blue Dragons have been dominant at home, going 12-1 this season in Hutchinson, though they are 0-2 on the road. Offensively, Hutchinson has been one of the most explosive teams in the country, hitting .381 as a team with 29 home runs and 175 runs scored in just 17 games.

Anthony Mazza leads the charge with a .436 batting average and a .782 slugging percentage. Redshirt sophomore Elias Duncan is also hitting over .400 and carries a team-best .857 slugging percentage. Cru Huenfield has been the conference's top run producer with 26 RBIs, while Jordan Kuhnau paces a group of six multi-home run hitters with five long balls on the year.

On the mound, Hutchinson owns a 5.66 team ERA with 133 strikeouts in 117.2 innings, averaging 10.17 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.41 WHIP.

For the Trojans, limiting Hutchinson's run production and continuing to get timely hitting from the heart of the order will be key to making an early statement in conference play. First pitch Thursday in Hutchinson is set for 1 p.m. and will be the beginning of what could be a tone-setting series for the Trojans as they look to prove they belong among the conference's top contenders.