Offseason
The Grove City College baseball team is preparing to get into the swing of the spring season after returning from winter break. Over the fall semester, the coaching staff began to prepare their squad for the ensuing season.
A mix of outdoor practices and intrasquad games took up most of the offseason. The fall was capped off with a doubleheader scrimmage against D2 Gannon University who made the trek up from Erie, PA. The matchup featured many great outings by multiple pitchers on each side and amazing batting performances by players at the plate. The series was split by the two teams. The games provided valuable playing time, and it was a good starting point to allow the coaches to determine where their team is at.
The GCC Baseball team continues to have team lifts and sprinting/agility practices to ensure they are healthy and strong heading into the long season. Players also have access to the IM gyms where they use the batting cages and portable mounds.
The Squad
The team looks to get back into the PAC championship again this year and rewrite the ending. A lot of returning starters know what it takes to have a winning season and make a deep playoff push. Growing the team chemistry has been a big focal point this year. Outside of the diamond, the team gets together a couple times a month to hang out as friends and just have a good time.
The Senior class features the three team captains: Sam Distefano, Evan Umland, and Josh Minnich. Many other seniors will play a big role for this team in the field. Umland and Dave Leslie highlight the pitching staff this year and have a big task on their hands as they come together with the younger classes to help build a rotation of starters and relievers.
The Junior class is smaller in depth compared to others but makes a big impact in the field and at the plate. A couple returning starters have gained great experience in the years past and look to have another great season. A mix of outfielders and infielders will have an opportunity to come in this season and be impact players on the field.
The sophomore class is highlighted by the pitchers who make up a large percentage of the entire pitching staff. Many of those guys took the mound in their rookie seasons in starts, relief, and closing situations. These guys will play a big role for this team if they want to make it back to the championship. A few other sophomores made a real impact in their first season at the plate and in the field and look to do that again.
The freshman squad looked promising during the offseason. A few of them could have the opportunity to see playing time very early on and could cement their spot on the roster if they can compete and perform well during those moments. The freshman class has a lot of talent and athleticism which will complement this team very well.
Together these classes will make up the starting roster and rotation on the mound. So much talent is present on this team, and they have the potential to make headlines in D3 baseball as they have in the previous seasons.
What to Expect this Season
The Grove City College Baseball team will start practicing on the first day of the spring semester and won’t have much time until they play their first games that count towards their record. The coaches will have to make sure they keep the team focused and cover a lot of ground in less than a month.
From there, the team will travel to play a few games in Virginia during the middle of February. They will continue south down to Florida where they will play around 8 varsity games with a few JV games as well. They’ll look to get into a smooth rhythm before heading back north for conference games.
The baseball team will play a handful of non-conference games, before kicking off the doubleheader conference matchups. This part of the season tests many teams’ physical and mental capacities and is what separates the elite teams from the average. The squad will have to keep their spirits up, even during the low times, and work as a team to reach their goals.
PAC playoffs will ensue in early to mid-May. The GCC baseball team comes into this season with expectations of making playoffs and making a strong push to win the championship. Some guys further down the depth charts will need to step up and fill roles as the playoffs can mean a lot of games in a short span. Grove Baseball looks to get into the NCAA tourney and make a name for themselves at that next level if they are crowned PAC champs.
Final Thoughts
This 2025 season will be a time when these student-athletes make some of their best memories. The season will be action-packed and full of many intense games that will come down to the wire. The players continue to work hard so that when they are faced with those situations, they will rise to the challenge.
Make sure to come out to R. Jack Behringer field in the spring to support and cheer on the team!
