Baseball 2024 Preview: Several important sticks back in the lineup for D3 swan song
March 2, 2024

Baseball 2024 Preview: Several important sticks back in the lineup for D3 swan song

Defiance College baseball looks to put a difficult 2023 season behind them with plenty of new faces in the fold for 2024. Interim head coach Ben Babcock stepped in to guide the team last year after long-time skipper Derek Woodley took a coaching role with the New York Yankees. Shane Gardner will be DC's third head coach over the last three years but brings a veteran presence to a program that has had just four head coaches since 1983. Gardner's move to Defiance is his third head coaching role after leading Trinity International and Hiwassee over the last 12 campaigns.

Last year's 4-34 finish featured the most losses in program history with just one victory coming outside the Florida trip. Defiance will have to replace their top two starting pitchers from a year ago in Cohen Nies (graduation) and Sam Thombs (transfer to Ohio Northern). Nies ended his career as the program's career strikeout leader (310) and was one of two All-HCAC honorable mentions alongside fellow graduate Josh Vischer. The Jackets also saw the right side of the infield graduate (Hunter Bostater and Austin Horning) along with one starter in the outfield (Alex Morr) and behind the plate (Dylan King).

Defiance College's last season at the D-III level begins in Ft. Myers, Fla. for four games at the Gene Cusic Classic. Despite a handful of important contributors no longer with the team, over half of the starting lineup and key members of last season's bullpen return. The Jackets will also be experienced up the middle of the diamond with another full year of experience for Mitchell Roever in center field, Gunner Gregg on the middle infield, and Jacob Hild behind the dish. Defiance is looking forward to having Logan Kunkel and Joseph O'Neil back on the hill after missing time last season due to injury. Mixed together with a group that gained valuable experience last season are 21 newcomers to provide strong competition inside the program and between the lines.

Returning Starters/Relievers with 10+ appearances

  • Mitchell Roever - Regular centerfielder and lead-off hitter, 31 hits were tied for fourth-most and carried .254 batting average, team leader with eight stolen bases
  • Trent Murdock - Led team in RBIs (21), tied for the most extra-base hits on the team (11), had second-most hits (34) and held down the hot corner, also led the team in runs scored (17)
  • Gunner Gregg - Team leader in hits (35), home runs (4), and extra-base hits (11) while manning shortstop
  • Tyler Dehan - Two-way talent played 33 games in the outfield and made four outings on the mound, seven stolen bases were second on the team
  • Jacob Hild - Played 27 games behind the plate and as the DH
  • Johnny Hammerstein - Led team with 18 appearances, including three starts, carried 4.33 ERA in 15 relief appearances with 25 strikeouts in 27 innings, third on the team in innings pitched
  • Tyler Sickmiller - Second on team with 15 appearances
  • Jeffrey Varga - Made 13 outings and struck out 11 hitters in 17.2 frames

Key Departures

  • Cohen Nies - Honorable Mention All-HCAC, ranked eighth in conference with 60 strikeouts, program's all-time leader in career innings pitched (309.2) and strikeouts (310)
  • Josh Vischer - Honorable Mention All-HCAC, led team with .312 batting average
  • Sam Thombs - Transfer, team leader in strikeouts (63) and starts (12)
  • Hunter Bostater - Regular first baseman, 18 RBIs were second-most on the team and tied for the team lead in doubles (8), also boasted .987 fielding percentage
  • Austin Horning - Regular second baseman, collected 22 hits in 28 games and carried .951 fielding percentage
  • Alex Morr - Regular left fielder, 31 hits were tied for fourth-most on the team and six stolen bases ranked third
  • Dylan King - Split time as catcher and designated hitter and homered in his final plate appearance against Franklin

Newcomers

Defiance's coaching staff added 21 new players to the program for 2024. View the entire roster here.

HCAC Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Franklin College (7) 79
2. Transylvania University (2) 70
3. Anderson University (1) 63
4. Rose-Hulman Insitute of Technology 62
5. Earlham College 43
6. Bluffton University 39
7. Hanover College 34
8. Manchester University 33
9. Mount St. Joseph University 17
10. Defiance College 10

Schedule

3/4 Alvernia (at Ft. Myers, Fla.) 9 AM
3/4 Hiram (at Ft. Myers, Fla.) 12 PM
3/6 Baruch (DH, at Ft. Myers, Fla.) 9 AM
3/8 at Toccoa Falls (DH) 12 PM
3/9 at Toccoa Falls 1 PM
3/13 Wright State-Lake 3 PM
3/16 Kalamazoo (DH) 12 PM
3/23 Franklin (DH)* 12 PM
3/24 at Hanover (DH)* 12 PM
3/27 at Wright State-Lake 4 PM
3/29 at Bluffton (DH)* 1 PM
3/30 at Bluffton* 1 PM
4/3 Heidelberg 4 PM
4/6 at Mount St. Joseph (DH)* 12 PM
4/10 at Indiana Tech 4 PM
4/13 at Anderson (DH)* 12 PM
4/14 at Anderson* 12 PM
4/17 at Kent State Tuscarawas 12 PM
4/20 Transylvania (DH)* 12 PM
4/21 Transylvania* 1 PM
4/24 at Ohio Northern 4 PM
4/27 Rose-Hulman (DH)* 12 PM
4/28 Rose-Hulman* 1 PM
4/30 Ohio Northern 4 PM
5/4 at Manchester (DH)* 12 PM
5/5 Earlham (DH)* 1 PM
5/9-12 HCAC Tournament