A Historic Day

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Simply put that’s what today is for the Bison baseball team. They have already made history with yesterday’s thrilling upset 4-3 win over Oral Roberts, snapping the Golden Eagles 37 game conference tournament winning streak. Even casual baseball fans at the RedHawks game were asking me about the Bison game and were thrilled to hear about the NDSU win. This has been a process for Tod Brown and his staff, that started five years ago when he was hired and could culminate today with another historic win. When looking at the past five years since Brown took over maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that NDSU is in this position:

2008 – 15-30 (7-16 Summit)

2009 – 16-28 (10-14 Summit)

2010 – 22-30  (11-16 Summit)

2011 – 22-32 (15-12 Summit, made tournament for 1st time)

2012 – 40-18 (School record for wins)

What I see when I look at that are a couple of factors: more money for scholarships, equals better players that you are able to get. Maybe we should have known something was up when the Bison beat 5th ranked Arizona in Tucson in the 2nd game of the season back in Feburary. NDSU put 7 guys on the All-Summit League teams, how John Straka was not named pitcher of the year is unbelieveable and Tim Colwell is a player ORU would love to have. Fargo South’s Kyle Kingsley has been nearly automatic as the team’s closer. Zach Wentz has been the captain of this team and seen the low times and now enjoying the winning. And the future looks solid as well, Colwell is just a sophomore, Wes Satzinger another all-league player a sophomore and the team has a MLB draft pick in South’s David Ernst, just a freshman, who will be counted on big time next year. Brown has stocked his roster with young pitching, he’s bringing in 6 pitchers in next year’s class, and two of North Dakota’s better players in Mandan’s Aaron Janz and Bismarck’s Alex Bray.

Today is a day that go could a long way into re-defining the Bison baseball program. In some ways, the program already has been. But go ask the football, soccer, volleyball, softball and men’s basketball teams about making the NCAA Tournament. It puts you into a different stratosphere of attention and respect. A win today over Oral Roberts would create a buzz that this team has never seen before. Win or lose, NDSU has shown us that baseball is another sport that deserves our attention. First pitch today from Tulsa is at 1, NDSU needs to win just once, Oral Roberts needs two to advance. The Eagles have won 14 straight Summit League crowns, one way or the other this is the last Summit games they play, a historic day indeed.

22 thoughts on “A Historic Day”

  1. With the successes our programs have had over the last couple years, there is no doubt in my mind that our athletic dept. is at the level of almost any Big10 program. From top to bottom we are solid and would compete and probably beat any Big10 program. Nice work coaches and congrats players

    • I wouldn’t go that far. Maybe the bottom half of Big Ten. Football, baseball, and track yes. Golf is right there. Volleyball has never beaten the Gophers. Same with basketball. Womens basketball is a mess. When the shac is completely finished we will make some strides. Would also like to see a new softball field and indoor football training facility. We still have to win today. Much to be proud of but much work to w

  2. Go Bison!!!

    If the Bison baseball team makes the NCAA later today, that puts and emphatic exclamation point on the transition to division I. If NDSU hasn’t had the most success of any university transitioning from division II to division I they have to be in the top 5.

    The scary thing is other universities are going to start to notice and Gene Taylor, Tod Brown, Craig Bohl, etc. are going to be on the radar of bigger universities.

    The NDSU athletic department should be very proud of all they have accomplished. The scary thing is we haven’t topped out yet. All of these programs are still improving and getting better.

    I’m extremely proud to be a graduate of NDSU and a Team Maker. Hail The Bison!

  3. Any chance this game is available to be watched on Midcontinent, direct tv, etc?

  4. That was beatiful man…. it makes me realize that there are more important things than baseball…. I love you man!

  5. What a fantastic run it has been for Bison athletics since the move to Division-I. It makes you wonder where they would be if they had made the move 20 years ago???Joe Chapman had a plan and no matter how his time at NDSU ended he is one huge reason the athletic programs are where they are. Thanks Joe! I certainly hope NDSU can hold on to Gene Taylor he is the driving force.
    Good luck to the baseball team today, they have had a great run and I have a feeling they win the title in the first game.today! Go Bison!

  6. Speaking of historic day, how about Amy Anderson receiving the Dinah Shore Trophy award last night; one of the five big DI player awards.

  7. Bison need a miracle in game one. Down 4-1 following giving up a 3 run HR in the top of the 9th. If they lose who pitches game two?

  8. Bison lose game one. ORU now in the drivers seat. Bison need to score some runs to make it to the NCAA’s.

  9. Disappointed for the players and coaches after yesterdays games. Talked to a few people that were in Tulsa for the games. Sounds like a few questionable balls and strikes didn’t go our way.

  10. Why didn’t straka pitch in last game? Horrible coaching move, up 2-0 in 4,5th, straka shoulda came in to finish!

    • Good call, “Dent” Bison. You’re an expert at anything Bison, huh? Gene Taylor needs to create a spot for you within the athletic department. Then we could finally make the move to big time athletics! We could be one of the strongest athletic programs from Chicago to Seattle. The pieces are falling into place…

      • Who is “Dent” Bison? Why so bitter jump? Has all of NDSU’s success in division I got you down?

        • Uhhh… I see you are paying attention. “dent” bison can be researched by going to google.com, and typing the letters l a k e s b i s o n. but I’m sure you already knew that.

  11. for the love of god man, please don’t complain about balls/strikes… it was a nice year for the baseball team….just be proud of a 40 win season.

  12. NDSU’s list of things to: 1) Finish indoor track facility. 2) Finish the SHAC. 3) Renovate the Softball complex, maybe some sprint turf??? The program deserves top of the line facilities. 4) Plan and build a 50,000 seat indoor football stadium. You have to fuel the engine that drives the bus and in Fargo it is Bison Football! 5) Make sure all athletic programs have facilities and scholarships to be successful in the Summit League and beyond. Then keep them all at a competitive level! Go Bison!