This Week: The Notre Dame College baseball team will begin their 2023 campaign on the road against the University of Indianapolis. The Falcons will play a three-game series at UIndy, as the two sides will entertain a double-header on Saturday Feb. 18, beginning at 11 a.m. Next, the series finale is set for Sunday Feb. 19 with first-pitch slated for noon.
Records: This weekend marks the first game of the season for both teams, as they start with 0-0 records. Last season, Notre Dame concluded with a 26-26 (20-12 MEC) record, as UIndy went 21-31 (11-13 GLVC).
Coaches Corner: Len Barker is entering his 12
th season at the helm of the NDC baseball program for the 2022 season. Barker has a career record of 226-269. Al Ready begins his fifth season with UIndy, maintaining a career-record of 86-75.
Rankings: Neither team is ranked according to the National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) preseason poll.
Series History: Notre Dame is 6-14 all-time when facing the University of Indianapolis, dating back to their first meeting in 2013, and including UIndy's three wins last season.
Noting the Falcons: Over their 52-game schedule last year, NDC hit .301 (4
th MEC), with 315 runs scored (6
th MEC), 91 doubles (5
th MEC), nine triples (6
th MEC), 32 home runs (7
th MEC), 271 runs batted in (6
th MEC), .430 slugging percentage (7
th MEC) and a .381 on-base percentage (7
th MEC).
Redshirt junior
Alec Mendoza headlines NDC offensively after garnering Second Team All-MEC a year ago. Last season, Mendoza ranked second on the team with 43 RBI (13
th MEC), third with a .332 batting average, as he tallied 63 hits (t-8
th MEC), 12 doubles (20
th MEC) and two home runs.
Other bats include, redshirt junior
Tyler Shadle who posted a .337 batting average with 17 RBI in 34 games as NDC starting catcher. Redshirt senior
Hayden Parker who hit .396, with a .429 on-base percentage and 11 RBI in 27 games as a utility player.
On the bump, the Falcons had a 7.34 ERA (7
th MEC), 1.85 WHIP, .297 opponent batting average (7
th MEC), 325 punch outs (7
th MEC), to go with 255 walks allowed (11
th MEC), in 387.1 innings pitched.
Sophomore
Alex Dicke will look to improve upon his impressive freshman season as Notre Dame's ace. In 2022, Dicke led NDC with a .229 opponent batting average and 4.60 ERA. The Moeller High School product ranked second and eighth in the MEC last season with those marks. Moreover, the Madeira High School product pitched 60.2 innings and struck out 49 batters a year ago, second on the team.
Other arms include, redshirt senior
Devin Fish who appeared in 15 games, including five starts. He picked up 30 strikeouts in 33.1 innings as a starter and reliever for NDC. In addition, redshirt sophomore
Kyle Farrell and senior
Calvin Andringa return the second and third most innings pitched on the team in 42.2 and 36.1, respectively. The starting duo combined for a 5-2 record last season.
Noting the Greyhounds: During the 2022 season, UIndy hit .284 as a team, with 335 runs scored, 71 doubles, six triples, 41 home runs, 291 runs batted in, a .413 slugging percentage and .391 on-base percentage.
The Greyhounds were led last year by Brandon DeWitt's .363 batting average over 51 games played, as DeWitt only struck out 11 times.
UIndy also returns their top RBI leaders from a year ago, in Drew Donaldson (41) and Caleb Vaugh (40). Both players also flashed impressive batting averages in .324 and .318, respectively. In addition, Vaughn was the top power hitter on the team in 2022, displacing a team-high 10 home runs.
On the mound, UIndy posted a 6.93 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, .277 opponent batting average, 422 strikeouts, to go with 263 walks allowed in 410.1 innings pitched.
The Greyhounds will be tasked with reloading their depleted pitching unit, as four of the top five ERAs are gone from last season. DeWitt is the lone player to return in the top five as he offers versatility for the Greyhounds, clocking in a 3.29 ERA in 2022. Carter Nowak will also look to improve upon his 5.27 ERA season. The duo are the top returning starters for UIndy.
