DULUTH &045; The University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team announced Monday that Derek Goodnature (Albert Lea, Minn.) and Cole Hytjan (Eden Prairie, Minn.) had signed National Letters of Intent to attend UMD beginning in September.

Goodnature, a 6-foot, 4-inch pitcher, is a sophomore at Iowa Central Community College where he was named to the All-Regional Academic Team. In his freshman season, the ICCC Tritons piled up a 51-14 mark en route to a spot in the NJCAA College World Series. Prior to his collegiate career, Goodnature was a team captain and team MVP at Albert Lea High School where he racked up First Team All-Big Nine Conference honors as a pitcher and first baseman.

Hytjan is a senior at top-ranked Eden Prairie High School.

&uot;At the halfway point of our first North Central Conference season, it is evident that, to be at the top in this conference, it takes a strong pitching staff and depth at every position,&uot; said UMD assistant coach Bob Rients. &uot;The addition of Derek and Cole will help us address our pitching depth. Both are developing into pitchers that will help us continue to compete in the NCC. They are quality individuals who share the same commitment to academics and athletics that make our student-athletes successful at UMD.&uot;