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| No. 5 East Texas Baptist made 2023 a season to remember and with their top hitter and pitcher back in 2024 with a supporting cast, the Tigers are poised to make 2024 just as memorable. d3photography photo by Doug Sass |
By Ralph Turner
for D3baseball.com
In 2023, semifinalist East Texas Baptist made the deepest run into the national tourney from the Region since Chapman won it all in 2019. As often happens, a team’s first run into the tourney falls short. The players suffer disappointment, but they resolve to come back stronger. No. 5 ETBU is poised to do justthat.
Also receiving votes in the Preseason Top 25 were previous national champions Cal Lutheran, No. 18 Chapman and No. 23 La Verne. These three will be among the contenders in a balanced Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference race. In the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Trinity (Texas) head coach Tim Scannell knows how to win with 768 victories to his credit. His No. 22 Tigers are ready for another run for a national title. If Trinity gets to the postseason, Scannell could be playing for milestone win #800 in the postseason. The balanced Northwest Conference has several teams looking for playoff bids. In the post-Covid era, Pacific has had the upperhand with their conference rivals all getting better.
New Faces
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| Eric Scherer was tabbed the new head coach for the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen but was running the show last year as Marty Slimak was recovering from a medical issue in 2023. D3photography photo by Steve Frommell |
Erik Scherer, Cal Lutheran - Cal Lutheran conducted a national search to lead its prestigious national championship program and found the ideal candidate in its own dugout. Long-time assistant coach Erik Scherer has been promoted to head coach of the Kingsmen program. Scherer played a critical role in the program's 2017 National Championship and its consistent success. "I am grateful and honored that Cal Lutheran has selected me to be the head baseball coach," Scherer said. "I was fortunate to be part of Coach Slimak's staff and know that the lessons of his leadership will serve me well going forward. I'm proud of the success the program has had over the years, and I look forward to the challenge of sustaining those highest standards of achievement, as we work tirelessly to help our players reach their full potential as citizens, students, and athletes."
Torry Peterson, St. Thomas (Texas) - St. Thomas (Texas) has promoted Peterson to the position of head coach of Celt baseball. After serving as an assistant for the previous two seasons, Peterson has earned his first head coaching position after more than 10 years in the field. "What an incredible honor it is to be chosen to lead this group of young men moving forward," Peterson said. "My life has revolved around sports in the city of Houston. To become a head coach at the collegiate level in the city that has meant the world to me is more than a dream. My hope is to make UST Baseball a well-known name not only in Houston and the state of Texas but also nationally within the baseball community." The Houston native graduated from East Texas Baptist and stayed on as a graduate assistant and moving up to the hitting coach before moving to St. Thomas.
Kyle Palmer, Texas Lutheran - Palmer, a 2009 Texas Lutheran graduate, was named the 10th head baseball coach in TLU history. The Bremond, Texas native has four years of head coaching experience from his last four seasons at Belhaven. Under Palmer, Belhaven went 77-60 (.562) in four seasons, including a 2022 season that saw the Blazers win 28 games, the most since becoming an NCAA institution and the most in a single season since 2015. "My family and I have always said it would take a special job for us to leave the Belhaven University community that has been such a blessing to us," said Palmer. "Texas Lutheran University is that special job. I am very grateful for Vice President Scott Little and President Parrott for the southern hospitality that we have experienced from day one at Belhaven."
Mike Coduto, Willamette - Willamette tabbed Coduto as their new head caoch. Most recently Coduto served as the associate head coach at Earlham, where he was on the coaching staff since the 2017 season. "Being afforded the chance to be the head coach at a place like Willamette after my previous coaching stops is an opportunity for which I am extremely grateful," Coduto commented. "Something I have learned while at Birmingham-Southern and Earlham is there are only so many head coaching positions at this level, and there are even fewer schools who offer a great degree and a great baseball experience. So, to be at a place that can offer that is incredible. Being able to be a coach at BSC with Jan Weisberg and at Earlham with Steve Sakosits has also provided me with a wealth of baseball and life knowledge from two of my biggest mentors. They have allowed me to learn through their experiences."
Key Games
East Texas Baptist at the BSC Spring Classic: ETBU travels to Birmingham-Southern for the host's Spring Classic on February 16-17 and will get an early test with No 6 Lynchburg, No 12 Birmingham-Southern and Millikin. A sweep through the weekend will tell everyone that the Tigers are ready to roar.
UW-Whitewater at Trinity (Texas): The Warhawks make the trip to Trinity for a four game set starting February 29th. The Tigers will be coming off either a statement win over ETBU or licking their wounds in defeat. For years, the West teams only played each other as they are in isolated pockets. In recent years, teams from the north and east are making the trip to warm California and Texas and the west teams are traveling east to pad their schedule strength, a key factor in getting an at-large bid to the NCAA Playoffs.
La Verne at East Texas Baptist: On March 8-9, the Leopards of La Verne make the trip for a top 25 battle with ETBU. Both teams are favorites to top their conferences and we could be seeing a preview of a Super Regional on the last weekend in May.
Cortland at Cal Lutheran: The former champions meet in Thousand Oaks for three games starting March 8th. This is Cortland's longest spring trip west and have seven games, all against former champions (Cal Lutheran, Chapman, La Verne) as the top of the SCIAC takes the weekend off from the conference schedule.
La Verne at Chapman: A single game at Chapman on April 20th and a doubleheader at La Verne the next day will look like a preview of the conference tournament final when these two top SCIAC teams tangle.
Pacific at Lewis and Clark: The NWC provided two teams to the 2023 NCAA Playoffs but this will not be a guarantee in 2024. This May 4-5th series is expected to set the seedings with the winner getting an edge in the upcoming conference tournament.
Conference Previews
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| Texas Dallas will try to duplicate what Texas Tyler did in their last ASC season, win a national championship. Texas Dallas athletics photo |
American Southwest Conference: This is the last season for the ASC as most would recognize it. Sul Ross State is on its way to Division II and Texas Dallas is right behind them. Concordia-Texas, McMurry and University of the Ozarks move to the SCAC starting in the 2024-25 season.
East Texas Baptist (42-15) garnered ASC Player and Pitcher of the Year awards in 2023, both of whom are Preseason First Team D3baseball.com All-Americans in 2024. Junior outfielder Ben Lea hit .409 with 24 HR, 13 2B and 63 RBIs. Righthanded pitcher Sayers Collins went 12-2 with a 2.64 ERA in 99 IP, 132 K’s and 32 BBs. Coach Jared Hood took the team on a foreign tour to the Dominican Republic, which should set the team chemistry.
First baseman and part-time designated hitter Chris Morrow (.358, 57H, 12 2Bs, 48 RBI) for Concordia-Texas (25-17) earned the 2023 ASC Newcomer of the Year award and teammate shortstop Julian Swift (61H, 12 2Bs, 33 RBI) was Freshman of the Year. Both have returned for the Tornados. The Tornados were voted slightly ahead of Hardin-Simmons (22-23), led by senior pitcher Grant Mitzelfelt (6-3, 3.23 ERA, 64 IP, 33K, 19BB) and his battery-mate senior catcher Jett Forrest (.274, 3 HR, 29 RBI). Forrest is respected as a great defensive catcher. He broke his eye socket early in the 2023 season and expected to bounce back in 2024.
LeTourneau (20-23) made the post-season tourney in 2023 and will get power out of senior outfielder Dane Jones (.366, 15 HR, 16 2B, 47 RBI, 23 SB) who was a 2023 D3baseball.com All-Region selection. On the mound, Zac Schneider (2-0, 3.80 ERA, 12 APP, 22 K, 8 BB, 1 Save) is being counted on for reliever duties. Mary Hardin-Baylor (14-21) came in sixth in the preseason polling. Sul Ross State (17-22) games will not count in the 2024 standings and are ineligible for ASC and NCAA DIII postseason tourneys because they are reclassifing to Division-II.
FAVORITE: East Texas Baptist
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| Pacific finished on top of the NWC regular season standings in each of the last three years and is looking for another NWC championship and a ticket to the NCAA Playoffs in May. Pacific athletics photo by Riya Patel |
Northwest Conference: The Northwest Conference has moved its four-team double elimination postseason tourney to the last weekend of the regular season, like the majority of the conferences in DIII. Lewis & Clark (31-13) won its first NWC baseball championship last year, finishing second in the regular season and then winning the NWC Tourney. In the Regional round, they were 1-2 against NCAA power Birmingham-Southern. Coach Matt Kosderka, the 2023 NWC Coach of the Year, returns seven position players, two starting pitchers and a closer among 19 returnees. Look for stellar seasons from junior Gold-G+love outfielder Brennen Davis (.345, 51 R, 14 2B, 11 HR, 45 RBI) and senior reliever Anthony Clerici (2-1, 4.50, ERA, 20 APP, 22.0 IP, 18 K, 11 BB, 8 Saves).
Pacific (25-15) finished atop the NWC standings and was the lone undefeated team in the conference tournament only to see Lewis and Clark take two on the final day and take the tourney title and playoff bid that went with it. The Boxers got an at-large bid but on the ETBU campus fell short, going 0-BBQ. In 2024, the Boxers once again will have targets on their back as favorites to top the conference. They return seven All-NWC players led by Ty Yukumoto (.371, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 23 SB) and CJ Colyer (.388, 12 HR, 49 RBI) on offense and Will Clark (7-3, 2.89 ERA, 59K) on the mound.
Whitman (24-19) looks to improve on its fourth place 2023 finish, relying on six returning position players and three starting pitchers. This team is the largest and arguably the deepest at Whitman in the last decade according to Coach Brian Kitamara. The key player back is Julien Hernandez (8-3, 2.73 ERA, 102K), the reigning 2023 NWC Pitcher of the Year. This is Hernandez' last season as he is committed to the University of Oregon as a graduate transfer for the 2025 season. Willamette (25-13) made the postseason tourney in 2023. Half of the eight All-NWC players for the Bearcats were seniors and might not be back. They are dealing with a change at the top of the coaching staff as former head coach Aaron Swick moved to Wooster this season. Their best player should be Brady Joyner (1-1, 4.55 ERA, 34K, 10 Saves).
Puget Sound (19-16) finished fifth in 2023 but returns six position players and three starting pitchers. The Loggers are led by fifth-year senior catcher Jack McCullar (.250, 4 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI) and third baseman Makana Murashige (.324, 11 2B, 4 HR, 29 RBI) with Davis Franklin (8-3, 3.95 ERA, 68.1 IP, 72K) on the mound. Pacific Lutheran (17-19) finished sixth going 11-13 in conference. Seven position players, two pitchers and 32 returnees will be on the roster for head coach Nolen Soete. The Lutes will be led by junior infielder Braeden Lundberg (.352, 2 HR, 12 2B, 25 RBI) and infielder/catcher Ashton Barton (.336, 5 HR, 18 2B, 33 RBI). George Fox (15-21) has two senior leaders in utility player Jeremy Sangalang (.360, 2 HR, 4 3B, 6 2B, 24 RBI, 17 SB) and infielder Jared Miller (.310, 1 HR, 7 2B, 24 RBI).
FAVORITE: Pacific
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| Jackson Teer will be pitching to earn another SCAC Pitcher of the Year award and possible a Pitcher of the Year nod in late May when the national hardware is handed out. Trinity (Texas) athletics photo |
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference: Trinity (Texas) (31-16) is the favorite to win the SCAC again. The Tigers reached the Regional Playoffs in 2023, only to be eliminated by ETBU. The Tigers are heavily laden with talent. Seniors Jack Peterson (.289, 39 H), Ty Preston (.365, 38 H) and Cristian Holloway (.306, 37 H) will pace the offense. Jackson Teer (9-1, 2.71 ERA, 86.1 IP, 79K, 16BB) was the SCAC Pitcher of the Year and heads the starting rotation.
Centenary (La.) (23-15) is loaded with players with solid stats: outfielder Carson Livesay (.388, 2 HR, 9 2B, 20 RBI, 13 SB), third baseman Collin Pitts (.329, 3 HR, 4 2B, 21 RBI) and infielder/outfielder Jobee Boone (.327, 1 HR, 5 2B, 27 RBI, 10 SB). On the mound, the Gents feature lefty Tyler Herrera (5-5, 3.86 ERA, 67.2 IP, 72 K, 23 BB) and rightly Aidan Reichek (3-2, 3.44 ERA, 49.2 IP, 44 K, 13 BB).
The preseason poll had Southwestern and Texas Lutheran tied for third. Texas Lutheran (29-15) won the regular season series with Trinity (Texas) but the Tigers gave the Bulldogs two losses in the conference tourney. Bryce Hayes takes over as head coach of the Bulldogs who will have four returning starters. First baseman Tyler Post (.362, 16 HR, 75 RBI, 11 2B, 3 3B) is a strong candidate for SCAC POTY. Tyler Post is third TLU program history with 38 career home runs and ranks fourth with 177 career RBIs. He needs 37 RBI and 13 HR for the respective records. The Bulldogs also have second baseman Aric Vasquez (.333, 18 RBI, 7 2B, .955 fld%) and outfielder Asher Bonnell (.357, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 12 SB) to provide offense. Pitching will be a critical need and the coaching staff hopes to find some gems in the incoming class.
Head coach J.C. Bunch’s Southwestern (25-14) Pirates return seven position players and ten pitchers. Catcher James Vaquero (.343, 48H, 5 2B, 23 RBI) and outfielder Josh Endo (.323, 50 H, 5 2B, 21 RBI) are offensive leaders and right handed pitcher Carson Brown (3-1, 5.44 ERA, 49.2 IP, 37K, 25BB) leads a large cadre of talented pitchers. Torry Peterson is the new coach at St. Thomas (Texas) (20-18), rising from the assistant ranks. This program is in its second year of full membership and has improved every year. There are 7 returning starters and the team is led by outfielder Dylan Lamb (.320, 2 HR, 8 2B, 19 RBI, 16 SB), infielder Dillon McKee (.283, 2B, 11 RBI), catcher Mason Seay (.342, 2 HR, 11 2B, 11 RBI) and lefthanded pitcher Kadin Munson (3-2, 2.83 ERA, 54 IP, 61K, 25BB). The Celts are predicted to finish fifth.
Schreiner (18-22) is predicted to finish sixth. Catcher Gerardo Cardoza (.434, 25 RBI) was an All West Region player as he set the school's hits record. A solid defensive catcher, Cardoza was hard to strike out with 12 swings and misses in 152 at-bats. University of Dallas (15-24) and Austin (6-31) were listed last in the 2024 preseason poll and finished last in 2023.
FAVORITE: Trinity (Texas)
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| La Verne was one win away from their first appearance in the D-III World Series since winning it all in 1995. La Verne athletics photo |
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Three SCIAC teams received votes in the 2024 D3baseball.com/NCBWA preseason poll. La Verne (32-18) made the postseason as a Pool C bid and was 1-2 against ETBU in the Super Regional. Coach Winterburn’s Leopards are ready for 2024 with seven returning position players and three starting pitchers among 31 returnees. Nate Perry (.364, 4 HR, 24 RBI), starter Jerry Terry (11-5, 2.50 ERA, 101 IP, 124K, 27 BB) and reliever Benny Vogel (3-3, 4.10 ERA, 59.1 IP, 20 BB, 53 K, 11 saves) are key individuals to watch.
Chapman (28-16) finished second in the regular season and lost in the SCIAC tourney. Unfortunately, the Panthers were a win or two short of both the conference bid and an at-large offering. The Panthers lost much to graduation but return six starters and one returning starting pitcher. They are “reloading” with strong transfers and freshmen. Players to watch include, righthander Max Banks (6-3, 3.43 ERA, 76.0 IP, 84 SO, 26 BB) and utility player AJ Anzai (.360, 5 2B, 5 HR, 39 RBI; 3-2, 4,70 ERA, 30.2 IP).
Cal Lutheran (29-17) won the Pool A bid, but went 1-2 in the ETBU Regional. The Kingsmen report a strong core of returning players to which a good recruiting class of freshmen and transfers will fill out the roster. While they officially have a new head coach, Eric Scherer coached the team last year after a long tenure as an assistant. Players to watch include Josh Quinn (.313, 4 HR, 9 2B, 30 RBI) and Luke Wechsler (7-3, 3.24 ERA, 86 IP, 76K, 17 BB) who finished the season with wins over regional powers Chapman (SCIAC tourney) and Pacific (NCAA Regionals).
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (28-11) finished a surprising second in the regular season but went 0-2 in the conference tourney to end their season and playoff dreams. The Stags will be led by Preseason All American first baseman Julian Sanders (.398, 64 H, 14 HR, 59 RBI).
Pomona-Pitzer (21-19) and Redlands (18-20) needed more than a couple more wins to reach the conference the tourney. The Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens return six of nine position players and the entire starting rotation. Players to watch include Isaac Kim (.325, 8 HR, 7 2B, 33 RBI), Jake Hilton (3-5, 3.37 ERA, 72.4 IP, 95K, 38BB), Harry Deliyannis (3-5, 4.50 ERA, 76 IP, 77K, 28BB) and Eamonn Woods (5-0, 2.35 ERA, 38.1 IP, 43K, 18BB, 2 Saves).
Whittier (14-25), Caltech (7-30) and Occidental (3-21) finished in the basement. Whittier has a player to build around in SCIAC Newcomer of the Year, Lew Rice (.396, 8 HR, 14 2B, 36 H, 10 SB). Rice moved around the outfield in 2023 but will find a home in center this season. For the pitchers, the players to watch are Teige Barrett (.329, 9 HR, 16 2B, 44 RBI; 1-3; 21.1 IP, 1 Save) and Maximus Berber (4-6, 4.95 ERA, 67.1 IP, 46K, 25BB). Head coach Mike Rizzo is 10 victories shy of 400 and is hoping to get the milestone early instead of late this season.
FAVORITE: La Verne