It's a special place, Dyersville, Iowa. It's a place where the wind doesn't blow as cold, once you've been there. You feel for it, feel it in your bones and your heart. It's a place where baseball reigns supreme in every season, even when every TV is seemingly tuned to football.
Luther and Briar Cliff will face off in the Field of Dreams movie site game on Friday, September 16 in Dyersville, Iowa as the first two college baseball teams to play on the iconic field.
More teams started conference play on Friday, getting single games in before doubleheaders on Saturday. Franciscan started strong in the PAC as did Luther, knocking Loras out of the ranks of the unbeaten.
The Luther College Norse (31-14) won the 2021 American Rivers Conference Tournament Championship with an 4-2 victory over Coe College (36-7). With the title, Luther earns the American Rivers Conference automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Luther was one of just a few teams that saw double wins on Friday. Across the Mississippi river to the east, No. 18 UW-Whitewater also earned two conference wins dominating Finlandia.
In game two against Wartburg on Tuesday, Luther freshman John Colucci III, faced 29 batters, two over the minimum, en route to the third no-hitter in three years by a Norse pitcher. Colucci walked two and struck out four in his second collegiate start on the mound.
Jacob Waddle has been named the new head coach at Illinois College, taking the place of the retired Jay Eckhouse as the man to lead the Blueboys into 2019 and beyond.
New York University doubled up SUNY New Paltz in their 4-2 season opening win. The first games of the day actually occurred to the west as Luther took two from Carlton late Wednesday and early Thursday in Minneapolis.
Late Wednesday and into early Thursday morning, Luther earned two wins over previous unbeaten Carleton at U.S. Bank Stadium. Otterbein and Capital continued to find success in Florida as the Cardinals stay unbeaten and the Crusaders move to 6-1.
Call this the "W" regional. Wartburg, Washington U, and Webster are the odds on favorites to take the Central crown. Last year it was another W that advanced out of the Central Regional, Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Once again the number one team in the Midwest Regional is from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. UW-La Crosse will look to defend its title and go back to the World Series with an opening round matchup against the Midwest Conference tournament champions Beloit.
Luther punched its ticket to the NCAA III National Tournament this afternoon in Cedar Rapids, defeating Wartburg 10-4 in the Iowa Conference Tournament championship game played at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Luther has announced that Bryan Nikkel, has been named head baseball coach. Nikkel replaces Alex Smith who resigned after two years at the helm of the program.
Mississippi College's Fortenberry earned the Choctaw's first complete game shutout of the season on a day where Keystone Luther, Mt. St. Vincent, Wesley, and Wheaton (Mass.) all spun shutouts of their own.
Luther College Director of Athletics Joe Thompson has announced that Alex Smith, has been named head baseball coach. Smith replaces Brian Gillogly who resigned after 10 years at the helm of the program