For Dordt University baseball, the 2026 season ended one game short of the postseason and that reality stung.

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But as head coach Ian Eshelman reflected on year two leading the Defenders, the disappointment came paired with something equally important: evidence that the program is moving forward.

"We played meaningful baseball all the way through," Eshelman said. "We always had a chance to put ourselves in good position."

Dordt finished 10-18 in Great Plains Athletic Conference play and landed in a four-way tie for sixth place. When the conference tiebreakers were finalized, the Defenders were left outside the GPAC Tournament field. One more conference win would have changed the equation.

Even so, the season represented progress for a program continuing to establish its identity.

"I think our main goals have been pretty common the last couple years," Eshelman said. "We want to create an environment that is a winning culture where it feels like a winning team."

For Eshelman, that culture extends beyond wins and losses.

One of the most meaningful affirmations of the program's direction came from senior Logan Harris, who traveled from Australia to continue both his baseball and faith journey at Dordt.

Eshelman said the program intentionally works to weave faith into daily life through team devotions, player-led discussions and relationships built beyond the field.

"We do daily devotions every day so hopefully it's part of normal operations," Eshelman said. "It's not an extra thing. It's just what we do. It's who we are."

Those devotions are often led by players, creating opportunities for teammates to speak openly about faith and build deeper relationships within the program.

"I think the more important side of it is the relationships that our guys have with each other off the field," Eshelman said. "Hopefully what we do on the field can help foster that."

That foundation helped shape a team that believed it could compete with anyone on its schedule.

After opening the season with February trips to Kansas and the Kansas City area, Dordt headed south for spring break. There, the Defenders delivered one of the most notable moments of the season by sweeping perennial NAIA power Southeastern University in a doubleheader.

For Eshelman, the wins mattered. The response around them mattered even more.

"The most rewarding part of it was almost that it didn't feel like anything out of the ordinary," Eshelman said. "The team went in treating it like just another game, knowing that we had a chance to win if we played well."

That belief became a defining trait throughout the spring.

The GPAC schedule is demanding: four-game weekend series stacked over seven consecutive weekends. Players manage travel, recovery and the physical grind of back-to-back doubleheaders while still trying to improve as the season unfolds.

Eshelman said balancing recovery and development becomes a daily process.

"The older guys need a little more rest, a little more recovery, a little more time in the training room," he said. "The younger guys, it's can we keep getting better while staying fresh."

What emerged from that grind was a team that competed consistently, even when results did not always follow.

"I thought more often than not our guys gave ourselves a chance," Eshelman said. "Our offense specifically got to a place where they were very competitive and ready to battle regardless of the opposing pitcher or the circumstances of the game."

That competitiveness became one of the clearest markers of the season. Dordt rarely unraveled during difficult stretches of games, innings or at-bats. Eshelman credits a mentality the coaching staff emphasizes constantly.

"The ability to separate at-bats — ideally separate pitch-to-pitch," Eshelman said. "Do we let one negative outcome turn into more, or do we go right back to competing?"

The philosophy extended to every area of the game.

"It's not about being perfect," Eshelman said. "It's about minimizing damage. The longer we can stay in games, the more often we have a chance to pull through."

That approach was embodied by Dordt's veteran leaders.

Drew Oreskes and Harris closed their careers after four seasons in the program, both overcoming injuries and setbacks along the way.

"Those two guys were awesome for our program," Eshelman said. "They became really good leaders and great teammates. I think they deserve as much credit for the resiliency our offense showed this year as anyone."

On the mound, Bennett Spronk provided steady reliability throughout his career. Eshelman said the senior consistently gave Dordt a chance every weekend while modeling work ethic for younger pitchers.

Behind the plate, Chisum Demers brought stability to one of baseball's most demanding positions.

"In my time here, that's the first year we've really had a true starter back-to-back years behind the plate," Eshelman said. "He did a great job working with the pitchers and defensively was very reliable."

The future also provided encouraging signs.

Sophomore centerfielder Jimmy Twombley earned GPAC Gold Glove recognition, giving Dordt a defensive anchor in the outfield.

"He does a great job picking up the pitchers," Eshelman said. "You feel pretty good about it with him out there."

The season's ending still carried disappointment. Dordt entered the final weekend in position for a postseason berth before results elsewhere closed the door.

But Eshelman sees the narrow margin as encouragement as much as frustration.

"It's good that we were there," he said. "We still need to improve, but we also need to acknowledge the improvement we've made to be in that conversation going into the playoffs."

In a conference as balanced as the GPAC, Eshelman believes simply reaching the tournament creates opportunity.

"Anybody can win on any given day in the GPAC," he said. "Getting in is the big thing, and then you've got an opportunity."