Baseball Picked Third by GPAC Coaches

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) released the preseason coaches' poll this week for baseball and the Doane baseball team was projected to finish third. Coming off a 32-15 season and an 18-10 GPAC record, the Tigers look to return to the top of the conference behind a core of returning players.

The offense is led by returning First Team selection Sam Kwapnioski. He hit .433 last season to place third in the GPAC with 14 home runs and 52 runs batted in, both fifth-most in the GPAC. He was the only player in the conference to place in the Top 5 of those three categories.

Earning honorable mention honors from the offense were Johnny Vulcano and Jordan Bond. Vulcano hit .353 with 15 doubles and seven home runs while Bond hit .364 with 11 doubles and seven home runs.

Other returner starters include Max Harris (.287), Carter Roth (.380), and Brayden Jones (.341).

Defensively, the Tigers return two GPAC Gold Glove winners from last year in Bond and Harris.

On the mound, GPAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year and First Team selection Riley Plummer is back after tying the school record with nine wins last season. He led the GPAC in wins and earned run average (ERA) with a 2.86 mark.

Earning honorable mention were Kaden Crawford, Nicolas Yard, and Ethan Merk. Crawford threw three complete games and won six of his starts on the season, posting a 4.75 ERA. Yard started four games and threw 10 games in relief, posting four wins and four saves with a 4.35 ERA. Merk threw 28.0 innings in 14 games, all in relief, as he posted a 3.86 ERA with three wins and one save.

Pitching depth is expected to be a strength this season with the addition of some newcomers and 10 returning pitchers from last year's team.

The Doane baseball season is scheduled to open on January 31 in Salina, Kansas, against Kansas Wesleyan. Due to snow over the past week and temperatures, the opener may be pushed back a day if the teams are able to play.

The Tigers will head to Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri the following three weeks before returning home for their scheduled home opener on February 28 against Clarke (Iowa).