For Immediate Release
Tuesday, April 13, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Week
#17 Mitch Iliff (1B/OF, 6-1, 200, Jr., L/L, Hastings, Minn. / Hastings HS) – Sioux Falls
- Hit .538 (7-for-13) in four games 
- Totaled six runs and nine RBI 
- Crushed five home runs, including a three-HR game 
- Added a double and 18 total bases 
- Owned a 1.769 slugging percentage and a .538 on-base percentage
- Named NSIC Player of the Week for the second week in a row

NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#49 Mariano Gomez (LHP, 6-5, 240, Sr., L/L, San Pedro Sula, Honduras / Instituto Episcopal El Buen Pastor) – Augustana
- Threw a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over Winona State 
- Struck out 10 in 7.0 innings of work 
- Faced the minimum 21 batters, retiring all three walks on the bases
- Also induced four flyouts and four groundouts in the win

Other Top Performances - Player
Ragan Pinnow (Augustana)
- Hit .400 (8-for-20) in a five-game week 
- Posted a .700 slugging percentage and .435 on-base percentage 
- Recorded four runs scored and six RBI with a home run and three doubles 
- Had three multi-hit games 
- Tallied two separate three-RBI games 
Hunter Hyden (Bemidji State)
- Batted .625 (5-for-8) in a doubleheader split 
- Posted a .625 slugging percentage and .667 on-base percentage 
- Scored three runs and drove in two 
- Added a walk and a stolen base 
Kaden Johnson (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Hit .333 (7-for-21) in a 3-2 week 
- Scored eight runs and drove in seven 
- Recorded two home runs and a double 
- Added a stolen base and played error-free defense 
Melvin Maldonado (Jamestown)
- Batted .444 (8-for-18) in five games 
- Recorded a double, home run, and six RBI 
- Had two three-hit games 
- Went 3-for-5 with three RBI in a win over Minnesota Duluth 
Cole Hebl (Minnesota Crookston)
- Hit .538 in four games 
- Totaled six RBI and two doubles 
- Went 3-for-3 with three RBI vs. Sioux Falls 
- Added multiple multi-RBI performances 
Garrett Stauffacher (Minnesota Duluth)
- Hit .583 across four games 
- Recorded seven hits and four RBI 
- Had multiple multi-hit performances 
- Produced key RBI games against Jamestown 
Cole Yearsley (Minnesota State)
- Totaled eight hits, seven runs, and eight RBI over five games 
- Had a 3-for-3 game with four runs and three RBI 
- Posted a four-RBI performance vs. Wayne State 
- Consistently produced in key moments 
Oscar Pegg (Minot State)
- Hit .357 (5-for-14) in five games 
- Recorded two home runs and a double 
- Drove in two runs 
- Added strong defensive play behind the plate 
Dillon Castellanos (Northern State)
- Went 5-for-9 over the weekend 
- Recorded two doubles, two RBI, and one run 
- Tallied 12 putouts defensively 
- Stole two bases, including a key late-game steal 
Jared Cortez (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Batted .524 (11-for-21) in five games 
- Recorded five doubles, five runs, and two RBI 
- Had three three-hit games 
- Played error-free defense with strong fielding totals 
Wilmis Castro (St. Cloud State)
- Hit .500 in five games 
- Recorded two home runs, five RBI, and five runs 
- Drew three walks 
- Ranked among NSIC leaders in multiple categories 
Dylan Harer (Winona State)
- Hit .429 (6-for-14) in four games 
- Recorded two home runs and six RBI 
- Scored five runs and drew three walks 
- Had a standout game with three RBI and three runs 

Other Top Performances - Pitcher
Jacob Smith (Bemidji State)
- Earned win with 5.0 innings of relief 
- Allowed one run on five hits 
- Struck out five with one walk 
Tyus Smith (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Threw a 9-inning shutout 
- Allowed eight hits with no runs 
- Posted a 6:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio 
Nate Heymann (Minnesota Crookston)
- Threw six innings allowing one earned run 
- Gave up four hits with four strikeouts 
- Earned his fourth win of the season 
Henry Wilkinson (Minnesota Duluth)
- Tossed a complete game shutout 
- Allowed five hits over seven innings 
- Recorded four strikeouts 
Mack Crowley (Minnesota State)
- Threw a complete game shutout 
- Allowed just four hits over seven innings 
- Limited baserunners with strong command 
Colton Bagshaw (Minot State)
- Struck out a career-high 12 batters 
- Allowed two runs over six innings 
- Scattered four hits in the win 
Maddox Plack (Northern State)
- Pitched 5.2 no-hit innings to start outing 
- Finished allowing two hits and two runs 
- Recorded multiple groundouts and force outs 
Logan Anderson (Sioux Falls)
- Threw six innings with zero earned runs 
- Allowed four hits with four strikeouts 
- Limited opponents to a .182 batting average 
Jameson Quinn (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Tossed a complete game win over Minnesota State 
- Allowed one run on five hits 
- Struck out four with no walks 
Conner Larson (St. Cloud State)
- Earned win with six innings of relief 
- Allowed two hits and no runs 
- Struck out six after entering with bases loaded 
Nathan Vela (Winona State)
- Threw six innings allowing two earned runs 
- Gave up three hits 
- Recorded three strikeouts
 
NSIC Baseball Players of the Week
2/10/26
Player: #1 Troy Berg - Augustana
Pitcher: #36 Ryan Chamberlain – University of Mary
2/17/26
Player: #2 Jake Berkland  – Minnesota State
Pitcher: #77 Brady Baur - Sioux Falls
2/25/26
Player: #23 Jackson Fliflet  - Minnesota Crookston
Pitcher:  #24 Cody Wichmann – SMSU
3/3/26
Player: #27 Liam Moreno – St. Cloud State
Pitcher:  #10 Colton Bagshaw - Minot State
3/9/26
Player: #3 Bjorn Lind - Augustana
Pitcher: #23 Nolan McCaffery - Jamestown
3/16/26
Player: #20 Nate Cunningham – Wayne State
Pitcher: #33 Justin Benjamin – Concordia-St. Paul
3/23/26
Player: #14 Carter Heinsch  – Augustana
Pitcher: #24 Lucas Burgum – University of Mary
3/30/26
Player: #33 Paul Schuyler – Wayne State
Pitcher: #26 Drew Ball – Augustana
4/7/26
Player: #17 Mitch Iliff – Sioux Falls
Pitcher: #36 Ryan Chamberlain – University of Mary (2)
4/13/26
Player: #17 Mitch Iliff – Sioux Falls (2)
Pitcher: #49 Mariano Gomez – Augustana

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past three decades, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 126 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.