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NCAC Tournament Preview: Baseball Begins New Season in Chillicothe

| By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

The underdog Blue Streaks are hoping to shock stout NCAC juggernauts

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – A new type of challenge awaits John Carroll Baseball.

From 1990-2025, the Blue Streaks appeared in 15 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournaments, winning twice in 2014 and 2023. Now, the Blue Streaks are ready for life in the North Coast Athletic Conference, with a twist. In the OAC, you play at the #1 seed, a home-field advantage for the host. In the NCAC, you're at a neutral site.

So, the playing turf is equal at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe as a brand-new season begins, starting with the opening game vs. Denison on Friday at 12 pm. 

Game 1 Live Stats
Game 1 Live Video

In the midst of a 4-game losing streak, new life is appealing for the Blue Streaks. That thought is appealing for a team with an 8-8 conference record but plenty of heart. All it takes with this team is a spark to create magic.

Without a doubt, the Blue Streaks enter as the underdog in the tournament. The #4 seed, JCU is a combined 0-6 against #1 seed Denison, #2 seed Wittenberg, and #3 seed DePauw. All three have garnered national attention. In the latest D3baseball.com poll, Denison is #1, Wittenberg is #13, and DePauw is receiving votes. All three appear to be safe at-large bids for the NCAA Tournament, while JCU (at #70 in the NPI ratings) needs to win it all to guarantee a spot.

John Carroll's strengths are a solid top-to-bottom batting order, reliable defense, and a pitching staff that is strong when at its best. 

The top of the order can mash. Ethan Glossa leads the team in a number of categories, chief among them RBIs. George Haracz is a patient hitter, leading the team with a .358 average and the owner of the JCU single-season record for walks with 42. Brett Krugman is the power-hitter in the middle of the order, leading the team with 22 extrabase hits and 7 homers while tallying 38 RBIs, impressive for a first year. 

Konner Hauck is a speedster of a centerfielder, patrolling the outfield with excellent range while doing damage at the dish. With a .330 average, Thomas Bates can also hit with the best of them.

Jake Corll is the ace of the staff, tops on the team with 10 starts. While bitten by bad luck during conference play, Corll is battle-tested, posting an outstanding start in last year's OAC Tournament at host Mount Union. Kiayuan Baskerville and Frank Freeman could also be given starts during the tournament. 

Austin Miller is one of the top men out of the bullpen. The veteran is two appearances away from breaking the long-standing program record of 20 held by Chris Levandowski (1999). Michael Perry is a man of steel in the bullpen, showcasing outstanding talent as a first year. Drew Walker and Noah Trojanowski are strong sidewinders that give hitters a different look. Xander Gendics and Luis Arreola also have over 10 appearances this season.

In his seventh season, Manager Bobby Bell is set to guide JCU Baseball into its fourth conference tournament in six seasons, the best stretch since JCU's 9-year tournament streak from 2009-17.
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