It is hard to believe that the college baseball season in Oklahoma is just around the corner.
Earlier in December, we sent out a questionnaire to each small college baseball team’s head coach (NCAA D2, NAIA, NJCAA) in the state about their program and outlook for 2024. We’ve had several responses and we are excited to share with you their previews for the upcoming season.
- Today: MACU Evangels
- Wednesday, January 17: Randall Saints
- Tuesday, January 16: Cameron Aggies
- Monday, January 15: Southwestern Christian Eagles
- Thursday, January 11: OK Wesleyan Eagles
- Tuesday, January 9: USAO Drovers
Basics
- School: Mid America Christian University Evangels
- Location: Oklahoma City, OK
- Level: NAIA
- Conference: Sooner Athletic Conference
- Team website: MACU Evangels
2023 Recap
- Record: 39-17 (SAC 15-9)
- Conference finish: 4th
- NAIA National Tournament: N/A
- NCCAA National Tournament: National Champions
Head Coach
- Brett Stanton
- 4th season as MACU Head Coach
- 2020: Assistant Coach – MACU
- 2014-2019: Associate Head Coach – Western OK State
- 2012-2013: Graduate Assistant – Southwest Baptist (MO)
- Career record: 95-65 (.594)
Returning Players
Position Players
- Noel McGarry-Doyle: (2023): G 56; .389/.519/.722; 11 HR, 11 2B, 5 3B, 50 RBIs (1st team All Conference in 2023)
- Carlos Medina: (2023) G 55; .341/.397/.529; 5 HR, 17 2B, 32 RBI (2nd team All Conference in 2023; SAC Gold Glove winner in 2023)
Pitchers
- Isaac Baez: (2023) G/GS 16/16; CG 2, 86 IP, 9-2, 4.50 ERA, 93 Ks, 12 BB (1st team All Conference)
- Zane Robeaux: (2023) G/GS 8/6; CG 2, 33.2 IP, 4-0, 2.94 ERA, 37 Ks, 10 BB
- Kelton Lachelt: (2023) G/GS 21/0; 33.0 IP, 5-1, 10 SV, 3.00 ERA, 19 Ks, 3 BB (2nd team All Conference in 2023)
- Cameron Brown: (2023) G/GS 16/15; GC 2, 88.2 IP, 7-8, 4.47 ERA, 84 Ks, 28 BB
- Ryan Harney: (2023) G/GS 15/15; CG 4, 87.1 IP, 8-3, 5.56 ERA, 52 Ks, 14 BB
Potential Incoming Impact Players
- Zach Stark (Williston State CC): NJCAA Div II Gold Glove Catcher
- Marcus Brown (Southwestern College): Power hitting 1B/OF
- Anthony Hampton (Genesee CC): Utility player that hits for average and has speed
- Kyle Williams (Cisco CC): OF middle of order bat with power
- D’Andre Gaines (College of Marin): 5 tool player; 1st team All Bay Valley Conference
- Taiga Sakuma (Herkimer College): High average with plus speed
- Devan Quesada (Academy of Arts Univ): Hard throwing RHP with experience
- Breyllin Suriel (Western OK State): Explosive RHP
- Jordan Smith (Modesto JC): LHP with 3 pitches for strikes
- Carlos Escobosa (Southeastern CC, Iowa): Hard throwing RHP on NJCAA World Series qualifier
Season Outlook
In 2023, MACU continued the trend under Brett Stanton’s tenure of winning more games than the last. However, the Evangels got swept in their last series of the regular season eliminating them from SAC regular season title contention and the lost their 2 games in the SAC Tournament keeping them out of the NAIA National Tournament.
MACU bounced back in the NCCAA World Series winning the National Title with a 10 inning, 3-2 win over rival Southwestern Christian.
The non conference schedule is loaded season with games scheduled against national preseason ranked #5, #12 (twice), #13, and the always tough Cajun Collision the 2nd weekend of February. On top of that, the SAC is always tough.
The pitching staff looks to be loaded this year with 2 All Conference performers returning along with experience transferring in. Also helping that pitching staff is the defense behind them as Coach Stanton says they have “the ability to field at a high level.”
Coach Stanton also says the “offense should be well rounded with the chance to be explosive.”
MACU was one of our favorite teams to follow last year. They were one of only 3 teams that were ranked in SSBR’s College Power Ten each week.
Looking at the depth and more importantly the quality of their pitching coming into the ’24 season, it should be tough for teams to score off the Evangels. If the offense can provide run support, MACU will make some noise in the Sooner Athletic Conference and challenge for the conference regular season AND tournament titles. Don’t be surprised if they qualify for the NAIA National Tournament as well.
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