Baseball 3/12/2025 9:16:00 PM by the Dordt University Athletic Communications Office

Baseball | Dakota Wesleyan Preview

Game Time:

The Dordt University baseball team begins its 28-game conference slate with a four-game set this weekend against Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
Originally scheduled to also be the Defenders home opener, all four games have been moved to Mitchell, S.D. in order to let the field at Dordt's home facility get fully ready to go.
Dordt will still be the home team on the scoreboard and stats
Thursday game times are set for 2pm / 4:30pm; both games are scheduled for seven-innings
Friday game times are noon and 2:30pm; game one is scheduled for seven innings with game two scheduled for nine
all game will be played on Drake Field in Mitchell, S.D.

How to Follow:

All-Time:

Dordt is 25-40 all-time against Dakota Wesleyan, dating back to the rivalry's inception during the 1997 season
the Defenders own a 5-14 record on the road againt DWU
Dordt has had the upperhand in the rivalry of late, winning seven of its last 10 match-ups against the Tigers
last year, the teams split a doubleheader played in Sioux Center, with Dordt winning game one 9-8 and losing game two 4-3

GPAC Schedule:

all 11 teams are scheduled to play a total of 28 conference games
teams will play either a double-header or a four-game set against each other
Dordt has four-game sets against DWU, Mount Marty, Midland and Concordia
they will play two game (doubleheader) against Waldorf, Briar Cliff, Hastings, Doane, Northwestern and Morningside

GPAC Preseason Coaches Poll:

Dordt was picked to finish 11th in the GPAC preseason poll released by the league office on Jan.22
Dakota Wesleyan was picked eighth
Concordia, the GPAC regular season co-champions with Doane and winner of the 2024 GPAC tournament, was picked first

In the Rankings:

Concordia is the only GPAC team ranked among the top 25 in the latest (and first) edition of the NAIA Coaches' poll
the Bulldogs are 21st, down one spot from the preseason poll released last fall
Doane, a second GPAC team, received votes

Spring Break in Florida:

Dordt concluded its 10-game, Spring Break trip in the beautiful state of Florida with a sweep of Aquinas (Mich.) on Monday (14-1, 8-4)
the Defenders finished with a 6-4 record and won six of their final eight games

About the Defenders:

2025 Record: 11-11
- two-game win streak with a sweep vs Aquinas last time out
Head Coach: Ian Eshelman (1st year)
- spent last five years as an assistant
last year: 3-25 (11th), 9-40 overall
return four all-conference players from last year (2 pitchers, 2 position players)
- Morgan Wilkins
- Logan Harris - also Gold Glove
- Mason Price
- Jared Hughes
by the numbers this season:
- team batting average - .233
- runs - 6.6 / game
- hits - 6.5 / game
- opponents batting average: .331
- opponents runs / game: 8.4
- opponents hits / game: 9.6
Leaders:
- Carson Belcher - .302 BA, 18 runs, 12 RBIs (3-game hit streak)
- Jimmy Twombly - .266 BA, 23 runs
- Braeden Biggar - .259 BA, 14 runs, 3 HR, 12 RBIs
- Drew Oreskes - ,.250 BA, 17 runs, 13 RBIs
- Logan Templeton - .222 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBIs
- Daniel Buteyn: 3-0, 2.04 ERA, 17.1 IP, 27 K's
- Bennett Spronk: 1-1, 4.20 ERA, 15 IP, 19 K's
- Mason Price: 1-0, 5.11 ERA, 12.1 IP

Scouting Report on Dakota Wesleyan:

2025 record: 1-15
- lost four straight
- only win - vs Northerrn State on March 7 (14-13) in Arizona
- most recent: lost to SMSU (11-1) and Park-Gilbert (9-8)
Head Coach: Charlie Dubanoski (4th year)
- previous coaching stop at USF (3 years as ass't)
last year: 7-21 (9th in GPAC), 15-35 overall
return four all-conference players (2 position, 2 pitchers)
- Lane Darrow
- Caleb Meyers
- Alexander Mizsak
- Mitchell Sand
by the numbers this season:
- team batting average - .201
- runs - 3.5 / game
- hits - 5.8 / game
- opponents batting average: .276
- opponents runs / game: 7.9
- opponents hits / game: 6.2
Leaders:
- Dexter Payne - .318 BA, HR, 7 RBIs
- Lane Darrow - .286 BA, 12 runs, 5 RBIs
- Caleb Meyers - .261 BA, 12 runs, 6 RBIs
- Alexander Mizsak: 0-2, 3.22 ERA, 22.1 IP, 24 K's
- Dakota Munger:0-2, 4.71 ERA, 21 IP, 16 K's
- Mitchell Sand - 0-3, 10.61 ERA, 18.2 IP

Players Mentioned