Central Lakes College Raiders Primed for Improved 2026 Baseball Season

After an 8-game spring trip to Tucson, Arizona, the Raiders look to bounce back from a 3-21 record in 2025.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 1:40pm

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The Central Lakes College Raiders baseball team is optimistic about the 2026 season after an 8-game spring trip to Tucson, Arizona. Last season, the Raiders finished 3-21 overall and 2-18 in the Minnesota Collegiate Athletic Conference's Central Division. Head coach Blaine Hardy, now in his fourth season, sees a different mindset with this year's team and is excited about the potential of several returning and new players.

Why it matters

The Raiders are looking to rebound from a tough 2025 season and compete in the highly competitive Minnesota Collegiate Athletic Conference's Central Division, which features ranked teams like Alexandria and St. Cloud Tech. The spring trip to Arizona provided valuable experience and allowed the coaching staff to evaluate the team's strengths and areas for improvement.

The details

Sophomore Ethan Guck led the Raiders with a .440 batting average in the 8 games in Tucson, hitting one home run and driving in 5 RBIs. Freshman Alex Thoma also had a strong start, hitting .417 with 5 extra-base hits and 6 RBIs. Sophomore Anthony Micheli hit .350 with a home run and 5 RBIs. On the mound, freshman Nathan Priebe and Fedele Akakpo, from Benin in West Africa, both had promising outings, with Priebe striking out 10 in 8 innings and Akakpo striking out 7 in 7.1 innings.

  • The Raiders played an 8-game spring trip to Tucson, Arizona in March 2026.
  • The 2026 season will begin on March 21 with a doubleheader at Vermilion.

The players

Blaine Hardy

The Central Lakes College head coach, now in his fourth season.

Ethan Guck

A sophomore who led the Raiders with a .440 batting average in the Tucson trip, hitting one home run and driving in 5 RBIs.

Alex Thoma

A freshman who hit .417 in Tucson with 5 extra-base hits and 6 RBIs, playing in the infield.

Anthony Micheli

A sophomore transfer from Anoka-Ramsey who hit .350 with a home run and 5 RBIs to start the season.

Nathan Priebe

A freshman left-handed pitcher who struck out 10 in 8 innings in Tucson.

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What they’re saying

“I feel confident. We were able to work positionally where we want guys to be and see live reps. There were a few games in Arizona where a couple of defensive miscues hurt us, but at the same time, it's good to have those happen down there. Defense is a good piece for me as a former pitcher. The record on the trip doesn't show what we accomplished. It was eye-opening.”

— Blaine Hardy, Head Coach

“Guck was very consistent and he got a little bit tired since he had to pitch as well. He has the capabilities of being one of my top pitchers when his command is on.”

— Blaine Hardy, Head Coach

“Thoma is consistent. He was consistently putting good at-bats together. He had hard swings and took a little bit off when he got behind in the count and was rewarded for it.”

— Blaine Hardy, Head Coach

“Anthony came out of the gate hot. He dug himself a little bit of a hole when he came back to reality and we have been able to walk and talk him through the mental side of things. He was able to see success and failure and that will help him have an exceptional season.”

— Blaine Hardy, Head Coach

“Once we make some small tweaks with Fedele on the pitching side of things, he is going to do well. Cosgrove is a gamer. He doesn't have the best stuff, but he attacks the strike zone and competes. You need relievers like that and he is solid defensively.”

— Blaine Hardy, Head Coach

What’s next

The Raiders will open their season with a doubleheader at Vermilion on March 21.

The takeaway

After a difficult 2025 season, the Central Lakes College Raiders baseball team is optimistic about their chances for an improved 2026 campaign. The spring trip to Arizona allowed the coaching staff to evaluate the team's strengths and identify areas for development, setting the stage for a competitive season in the Minnesota Collegiate Athletic Conference's Central Division.