Allison Mueller/Winonan

Winona State University’s baseball team will begin its first four games of the season in Houston, Texas on Feb. 1.

Kyle Poock, who has been head coach for 12 years, has been with the Winona State baseball team for 19 out of his overall 24 years of college coaching experience.

Poock and the players have high expectations for this season due to all of their success in the past.

The Warriors finished second in the nation in 2011, made it to the regional tournament three out of the past four seasons, and have had only one losing season in the past 60 years.

These achievements have only pushed the Warriors to work harder to prepare for this season.

Warrior catcher Tyler Nehring said, “We have been practicing hard the last two weeks to prepare us for game one. It will be a challenge against the teams we’re facing down in Houston, but I’m confident that we will have success.”

This success is achieved not only through the two weeks of practice before the games but with hard work the entire off-season.
Poock said that their fall program included practices and regular team workouts that began in early September.

Nehring said, “Whether it’s during practice or in the weight room, we have put in the hard work and are ready for it to pay off.”

Warrior outfielder Ryan Nyhagen said the Warriors hope this hard work will earn them the title of conference champions and place them in the D2 College World Series.

This year Winona State has a young baseball team, but Poock said that he likes to refer to the team as “young and talented.”

There are six freshmen and nine sophomores listed on this year’s roster of 37 players.

“Last year was my first year with the team,” Nehring said. “I’m hoping to be able to experience the kinds of success that teams have had in the past.”

The four game series that the Warriors will be starting with in Houston will be played in Minute Maid Park.

Nyhagen said getting to play in a major league ballpark is exciting but also “a little nerve-wracking.”

After Texas, the Warriors will hit the road to play in Kansas and Florida before their first home game on Mar. 22 against St. Cloud State.

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