The Hope College baseball team is aiming for bigger and better things during the 2023 season.

Last season, head coach Stu Fritz guided the Flying Dutchmen to their 23rd MIAA title and their first since 2013. 

Hope finished 2022 with a 17-4 league record and an overall mark of 28-10 after losing in the MIAA Tournament championship round. It was the Flying Dutchmen's third consecutive completed season with 20-plus wins.

Off the field, Hope also excelled in the classroom and claimed the American Baseball Coaches Association's Team Academic Excellence honor for the sixth consecutive season. The Flying Dutchmen had two College Sports Communications Academic All-Americans: center fielder Evan Maday and pitcher Sean Hoey.

The graduation of Hoey, the MIAA's Most Valuable Pitcher, Maday, the MIAA's Most Valuable Player, and shortstop Brant Kym, who batted a career-best .468, create opportunities for new players to take over larger roles.

Coach's Outlook

"We thought it was time for that to happen. We felt we were talented enough a year ago, but you still have to get some breaks, and we got some breaks. We've been chasing for a long time. I think the parity in our league has improved. I think the overall skill level of our league has improved. It was a big deal for us to win the league. I just hope the momentum carries over. I think it has. We also know it's a pretty fickle game. We're still going to have to perform. I don't know if you can replace the performances we had. I think we have talented kids who can come into those roles and perform. You never know. They might put together a year like one of our seniors had last year." — Stu Fritz

Coaching Staff

Head coach Stu Fritz enters his 30th as head coach of the Flying Dutchmen. He has guided Hope to 10 MIAA titles, the second most for a coach in league history, and four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. Fritz's career record is 632-462-2, including a 432-237 mark in MIAA games.
Fritz is assisted by pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Jonathan Newman, and assistant coaches Chad Ruby and Devin Schaefers.

Meet the coaching staff

2023 Schedule

The Flying Dutchmen open the season on Saturday, Feb. 25, with non-league games against Otterbein University (Ohio) and Wabash College (Indiana) in Westfield, Indiana.

Hope has 15 non-league games, including six during the annual spring break trip to central Florida between Friday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 22.

Hope's home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 against Manchester College (Indiana).

The Flying Dutchmen's first MIAA game is Friday, March 31, at Alma College.

Schedule

MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll

The Flying Dutchmen topped the league's preseason coaches poll with 46 points and five of eight possible first-place votes. Coaches could not vote for their own teams.

Hope finished one point ahead of second-place Adrian College, which received three first-place votes. The remainder of the poll featured Kalamazoo College (37 points), Calvin University (30), Alma College (24), Albion College (20), Trine University (15), and Olivet College (7).

2023 Roster

The Flying Dutchmen bring back 23 letterwinners, including their only returning All-MIAA selection: sophomore third baseman Al Money (Midland, Michigan / Midland HS, a second-team honoree. The Flying Dutchmen graduated All-MIAA First Team pitcher Sean Hoey, shortstop Brant Kym and outfielder Evan Maday. Hoey and Maday were chosen as league MVPs as well.

Fifth-year senior Spencer Cable (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) takes over at first base this season but could also be the team's designated hitter. Cable is Hope's top returning hitter with a .359 batting average in 2022 that included four home runs and 43 RBIs. Cable was an All-MIAA First Team selection in 2021.

Fifth-year senior and outfielder Kainan Bayn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) delivered 37 RBIs and a .276 batting average last season.

Senior catcher Caleb Regan (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Byron Center) returns behind the plate. He recorded a .986 fielding percentage last season.

On the mound, senior left-hander Matt Plaehn (Okemos, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) and junior right-hander Owen Krizan (Grand Haven, Michigan / Grand Haven) are the Flying Dutchmen's top returning hurlers with five wins apiece.

Roster

By the Numbers

.646

Winning percentage for the Flying Dutchmen in MIAA play during head coach Stu Fritz's tenure.

1 

Baseball Hall of Famer from Hope College. Jim Kaat, a left-handed pitcher, was enshrined into Cooperstown last summer. Kaat studied speech and journalism while playing baseball at Hope College before signing with the Washington Senators on June 17, 1957. Kaat went on to record 283 wins in Major League Baseball and make three All-Star Teams.

6

Saves for pitcher Shane Hykin last season, a team-best. The fifth-year senior recorded 15 appearances, most among Flying Dutchmen pitchers.

23 

MIAA championships all-time for the Flying Dutchmen

33 

Extra-base hits for Spencer Cable in his two seasons with the Flying Dutchmen. The fifth-year senior has collected 18 doubles, six triples, and nine home runs. Cable's career slugging percentage is .558.