The SCSU baseball team seen another successful season end at the NCAA Central Region Tournament. Minnesota State was able knock the Huskies out of the winners bracket on Saturday forcing the Huskies to win Saturday night to keep the season alive. The Huskies faced Southern Arkansas University Saturday night and won 5-4 with a dramatic walk-off RBI by senior, outfielder, Phil Imholte. That win advanced SCSU to the championship round on Sunday, where the Huskies again faced Minnesota State. The Huskies couldn’t handle the Mavericks for a second time and fell 17-1 to end the season. Minnesota State advances to the World Series championship rounds in Cary, North Carolina.

St. Cloud State first baseman Garrett Fischer and outfielder Eric Loxtercamp were named to the 2013 NCAA Division Two Central Region All-Tournament team. The Huskies finished the season with a 37-11 overall record and were the regular season NSIC Champions with 19 wins and three conference losses.

The Huskies took down the Mules of Central Missouri this afternoon with an 11-2 victory at Franklin Rodgers Field in Mankato. SCSU will now advance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament and play tomorrow evening against Southern Arkansas. 

The Huskies have Sean Borman to thank, he created momentum in the third inning with a three-run double that gave SCSU the early 3-0 lead. St. Cloud State extended  the lead in the eighth inning scoring five more runs to make it 8-2. The Huskies put a bow on the day in the ninth inning off a three-run homer by Borman who ended the day with two runs, two hits and six RBIs. Also of note, the victory was pitcher, Scott Lieser's 10th of the season and his 32nd in a Husky sweater, a new career record. (Previous record was set at 31 by Logan Birr last season).

Southern Arkansas scored a 6-1 win over number four seed Missouri Western in the other first round game on May 16 to advance. SCSU, a fifth seed will play number three seed Southern Arkansas at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato at 7 p.m. on Friday night. Listen to the action on 88.1 FM or online. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. Friday evening. 

For the fourth consecutive season the Husky baseball team will be dancing in the NCAA Division II tournament! The Huskies are placed in the Central Regional tournament, hosted by Minnesota State; games in the double-elimination tournament will take place in Mankato beginning on Thursday, May 16. SCSU will play Central Missouri Thursday 3:30 p.m.

The Huskies are the fifth seed in the tournament while Central Missouri is the second. The KVSC Sports Department is proud to provide coverage of the Huskies appearance. The game on Thursday will be broadcast exclusively on the KVSC airwaves with Sports Directors Scott Gross and Gina Carlson. The pre-game show will begin at 3:15 p.m. and the first pitch will be thrown at 3:30. Fans can listen on the radio at 88.1 FM or stream the game online. Fans can also follow along via Twitter.

View the complete Central Region bracket here. The winner of the Central Regional will head to the NCAA Finals in Cary, N.C.

The Husky Track and Field team took part in the Outdoor portion of the NSIC Championship over the weekend in Sioux Falls. The Huskies advanced eight athletes to the final competitions on Saturday and earned six all-conference honors. All-conference honors are given to the top three individuals winners and top two relay teams in each event. The women’s team finished in eight place while the men posted a fifth place finish. Up next is the NCAA outdoor tournament May 23-29 in Colorado.

The Huskies nine hits in Saturday’s NSIC Tournament game with Bemidji State wasn’t enough for a victory. The Beavers posted 14 hits and earned 12 runs to slide into a 12-2 victory over SCSU.

It was the Huskies second lost of the tournament, eliminating them from further play. Bemidji State went on the championship game with Minnesota State. The Mavericks took down the Beavers 3-1 to take the NSIC Championship for the second consecutive season.

The Huskies now await the NCAA regional announcements on Sunday evening.

• Brimsek Award (MVP): Drew LeBlanc
• LoPresti Award (Most Determined): Nick Jensen
• LeRoy Radovich (Senior): Drew LeBlanc
• William Radovich (Most Improved): Nic Dowd
• Dave Torrey (Goalie): Ryan Farahger
• Brendan J and Vernie McDonald (Student-Athlete): Brooks Bertsch
• Roland Vandell (Rookie): Jonny Brodzinski
• Marty Sundvall/SC Times Star of the Season: Drew LeBlanc

St. Cloud State University is home to another regular season conference champion this year. The Husky baseball team captured the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season championship this weekend thanks to three wins against Bemidji State.

The Huskies took on the Beavers in two doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday. SCSU split the bill on Friday falling in the first game 1-4 before rebounding to a 8-1 victory in the second game. The Huskies took the regular season championship after winning both games of the doubleheader Sunday. The Huskies had to push the games back from Saturday due to weather but that had no affect on the bats. Both games the Huskies took an early lead that was never relinquished. SCSU won Sunday's games by scores of 5-4 and 6-3. The Huskies ended the regular conference season at 19-3 with a 31-7 overall record. It's the first NSIC Championship for the Huskies since 1991.

Next the Huskies will host and participate in the NSIC Tournament that starts on Wednesday and runs through the weekend at Joe Faber Field. SCSU (the number one seed) takes on Bemidji State again; the game is slated for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud. View the complete bracket and game times here. Listen to the action on 88.1 FM KVSC and online. Our coverage will begin at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday. Stay tuned with what’s happening via Twitter.

“Great moments are born from great opportunities” said the man who had a vision of what hockey could be like someday in Minnesota and at St. Cloud State University. Herb Brooks was a man with an untouchable passion for the game of hockey. He spent his life as an advocate for the sport at every level coaching collegiately, at the professional level and on the Olympic stage. Brooks spent his entire life around the game and inspired many others to do the same. His legacy continues to be carried on across the state and now through the hockey facility on the St. Cloud State University campus. The building, formerly the National Hockey and Events Center is now The Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. It’s fitting considering the many connections Brooks has to the hockey program and that the arena is on the corner of Fourth Avenue South and Herb Brooks Way.

St. Cloud State has connected the dots between the current state of hockey in Minnesota, where it has been and the people that helped to put it on the map. Herb Brooks took it almost entirely upon himself to make sure hockey at St. Cloud State University would be know not only across Minnesota but nationwide. He led the efforts to create a Division One program in St. Cloud following his year as head coach of the Huskies (1987-1987). He also worked on ensuring the construction of the hockey center, which now bears his name.

On Wednesday afternoon, prior to a celebration of the hockey teams accomplishments this season, SCSU President Earl H. Potter III along with Dan Brooks (the son of Herb Brooks) and current head coach Bob Motzko made the announcement regarding the 23-year-old arena. “We’ve been thinking about this step for many months” said Potter prior to making the statement “We are committing to name this facility the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.” Dan Brooks spoke highly of his father during the naming ceremony saying that his father was “his happiest when he was in St. Cloud.” Herb Brooks was a man that did things just for the love of the game, Bob Motzko shared found memories of coaching alongside Brooks during his tenure at SCSU and ending by stating “This is a memorial to a man that left a great mark on this state and university.”

Current SCSU Hockey head coach Bob Motzko shares stories and memories of Herb Brooks.

Phase one of the arena renovations is scheduled to be finished prior to the start of the upcoming hockey season. The 14.7 million dollar upgrade features a new entrance with a four-story atrium, larger suites and club-level seating. Phase two plants to create more suites, lounges, upgraded locker rooms and training facility as well as developments to create an event-ready facility as a must-see destination in Central Minnesota.

Contributed by: Gina Carlson