DENVER – Barring unforeseen circumstances, then sometime soon – very soon –
Reichle Arcilise will become the MSU Denver's all-time strikeout king.
Arcilise has 194 for his career, two fewer than Anthony Cortez (1987-90) and just eight behind Ted Jamison (2007-10).
"You're always pushing to do more, to be better and better," MSU Denver coach
Ryan Strain said. "But when you take a step back and look at something like this, I'm really proud of guys when they do things like that. They've earned it."
Arcilise, coming off a nine-strikeout performance in a win over Sioux Falls (S.D.), is set to start the second game of the weekend series against Montana State-Billings, which is the opener of a Saturday doubleheader. The teams also play single games Friday and Sunday at the Assembly Athletic Complex. First pitch each day is at noon.
Arcilise stormed onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2021. Working mostly in relief, he was 3-2 with a 3.14 ERA while striking out 36 in 28 2/3 innings. He was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's Co-Freshman Pitcher of the Year.
A sensational sophomore season was cut short after nine starts in 2022, though he was 5-3 with a 3.63 ERA and fanned 69 in 52 innings.
Last year he worked his back into the rotation and finished 6-2 with a 5.83 ERA while striking out 74 in 58 2/3 innings. He earned All-RMAC first team after being named to the second team the previous season.
"He's been a good one for us, been consistent," Strain said. "And he's been dominant. His breaking ball is a tough pitch to hit, and he doesn't walk a lot of guys. He makes guys put it in play, makes them swing. There's a high percentage of soft contact against him, and we've usually played good defense behind him."
Arcilise is 15-8 with a 4.41 ERA for his career and is tied for seventh on the program's all-time wins list. He's the Roadrunners' career leader in strikeouts per nine innings (11.7), ranks fifth with a .242 opponent batting average, and he's 10
th in career ERA.
This season he's 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.
He's part of a starting rotation that also includes All-RMAC first teamer
Jack Slominski,
Brad Helton and
Dylan Webber.
"I feel good about our four starters," Strain said. "They're going to give us chances to win."
Montana State-Billings is a traditionally strong program that is off to a 2-8 start. The Yellow Jackets lost two of three at San Francisco State and were swept in a three-game series at Chico State (Calif.) before losing three of four at Colorado Mesa. They'll be on the road for a fourth consecutive weekend.
"They've played really good teams, and coming out of the cold weather, I'm sure they hadn't played outside much yet, either," Strain said. "They beat Mesa once and played them close once.
"They're usually a very solid team, and we'll need to be better than we were last weekend."
MSU Denver split a four-game home series with Sioux Falls (S.D.) last weekend and is at 5-6 for the season. The Roadrunners are being outhit (.299 to .281) and outhomered (20-8) by opponents – strange days indeed.
"We've got to figure out this lineup situation and get some guys some consistent at-bats," Strain said.
One potential answer for Strain's lineup card is speedy outfielder
Andrew Biddle, who hit .500 (6-for-12) with a pair of triples while playing in three games last weekend. Biddle hit .360 and led the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference with 90 hits and 45 stolen bases last year at Glendale Community College.
"He obviously had a really good junior college career," Strain said. "He competes and he's dynamic. And he's a really good outfielder. If he can keep the ball on a line or on the ground … he's going to steal a lot of bases."
