(Ann Arbor, MI) – Major League Baseball may be in a lockout, but Concordia baseball is getting ready to begin their 2022 season. The Diamond Cards will be looking to build off a 38-24 record last year which saw the team earn the #2 seed in the WHAC conference. 8th-year head coach Zach Johnston brings back 29 returners while adding 23 recruits to this year's team.
2021 Season Review
Concordia baseball finished 38-24 last year with a 15-5 WHAC record. The team racked up a 12-game winning streak early in the year and locked up the #2 seed in the WHAC. The Cardinals hosted a playoff pod and beat UNOH 7-2, but the team eventually fell to the Racers in the pod final. CUAA qualified for the NCCAA World Series as the #2 seed in Pool B, ending their season after pool play concluded.
2022 Schedule Outlook
Concordia begins the year with a 4-game series at Alice Lloyd on February 11-12. The Cardinals play 2-game series against Ohio Christian and Shawnee State before concluding the month with a 4-game series at Rio Grande.
A 4-game series at Olivet Nazarene starts out the month of March. The Cardinals will take their annual spring break trip to Florida on March 10-16. WHAC conference play starts with a series at Cleary on March 19. The team will play a 2-game series against NCAA Division II Saginaw Valley State and then a 9-inning game at NCAA Division I Eastern Michigan. After returning to WHAC play at Indiana Tech and UNOH, the team's home opener will be a 2-game series vs Grace Christian on March 29.
The Cardinals continue a long homestand in April when they host rival Siena Heights, Lourdes, Cornerstone, and Aquinas. The team will then head on the road to face Rochester, Grace Christian, Lawrence Tech, and UM-Dearborn. Senior Day will be held on April 30 when the team hosts rival, Madonna. The regular season concludes on May 3 with a non-conference home series against Spring Arbor.
Concordia Personnel
Senior Calvin Syrjala comes back after notching 55 hits, 50 RBI, and a team-high 11 home runs. Senior pitcher Joe Tany returns after notching 4 wins and 36 strikeouts. Senior pitcher Ryan Abenth racked up a win and 24 strikeouts last year. Senior Robert Brenay had 5 hits and 2 RBI in 2021.
Junior pitcher Tyson Kleinfelter had a team-best 2.41 ERA and 8 wins with 86 strikeouts. Junior pitcher Jacob Henry picked up 5 wins and 43 strikeouts. Junior Jimmy Wressel had 29 hits and 24 RBI last year. Junior Jarrett Batanian notched 17 hits and 18 RBI. Junior Jordan Sherman racked up 26 hits and 15 RBI. Junior Joe Jones recorded 14 hits and 8 RBI.
Junior pitcher Timothy Pomaville had 3 wins and 38 strikeouts. Junior pitcher Logan Fleming recorded a win and 23 strikeouts. Junior Caleb Chamberlain notched 24 runs as a pinch-runner. Junior pitcher Billy Blair had 5 strikeouts in limited action last year. Junior Johnny Shields had 4 runs and a hit.
Sophomore Ryan Kotecki notched 2 saves with a 2.45 ERA and 28 strikeouts. Sophomore pitchers Alex Phillips and Mackenzie Martin saw time on the mound as well. Sophomore Jake Moyer adds depth in the outfield.
Freshmen Andre Hutchins, Blake Weaver, Caden Flanery, Curtis Townsend, Kenneth Rozmys, Kyle Hebner, Jack Vrba, Michial Schuster, Ryan Patterson, and Zach Brickner all saw time with the program last year.
23 newcomers join this year's team: senior transfer Aaron Brazelton, juniors Caleb Harmond and Parker Graham, sophomore Jake Ryan, and freshmen Aaron West, Ben Steele, Brad Oltersdorf, Bryon Mane, Clayton Hoskins, Derek Hebner, Evan Jasiak, Jack Burnett, Jack Geraghty, Jacob Townley, Joey Nagle, John Markiewicz, Justin Kozlowski, Kwamae Byers, Logan Ramsey, Marcus Bugeja, Riley O'Connell, Ryan Dixon, and Toby Pinker.
Head coach Zach Johnston is joined by assistant coaches Tom Johnston, Jason Kim, Gabe Farr, and Matt Hunt. The team's student assistants are Kane Bourbina, Jacob Cuso, Brenden Gossman, Harrison Kinney, and Jake Smith. Alec Escandon and Carter Richardson serve as team managers.
2021 Team Stats
