WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace's baseball team enters the 2026 season with excitement. The team brings a blend of seasoned veterans, emerging talent and strong depth across the diamond.

The Lancers are planning to continue their momentum from a historic season last spring. Grace rewrote the record books in 2025 with both team and individual accomplishments.

Under head coach Ryan Roth, who topped 100 career coaching wins last year, Grace recorded its most wins ever for a single season (23) and also claimed the most Crossroads League wins in team history (14). 

Individual milestones include the most RBIs in a single season, most doubles, most home runs and most saves.

Additionally, Grace is starting the spring with a winning record. The Lancers took on Grace Christian in a four-game series in the fall, winning three of the four matchups.

Grace averaged more than seven runs per game in the fall. Jose Ayala and Cayden Calloway each homered twice with both players hitting over .450.

Ayala was a Gold Glove winner for the Crossroads League in 2025. He was perfect defensively in the outfield. Offensively he set a team record (and led the Crossroads League) with 19 doubles, batting .327 with 42 RBIs (second-most in a season in team history). Uniquely, he, along with Gabriel Maldonado and Mayo Fernandez, had a father who played professional baseball.

Calloway returns to Grace's infield after missing most of last season to injury. The junior has 48 hits in 55 career games. Matt Friesema, another steady fielder and hitter, returns to the lineup after battling injuries in 2025.

The Lancers graduated one of the most accomplished classes in team history, including: Evan Etchison, the program's career pitching leader in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched; Ryan Stark, an NCCAA Third Team All-American in 2025; and Hunter Schumacher, the program's career leader in saves.

But Grace returns a strong core to the diamond — both at the plate and on the pitching staff.

Carter Stogsdill was a weapon on the base paths last year, stealing 17 bases last year and scoring 27 runs. Mason Wire manned third base for a large portion of the season. 

The Lancers' pitching staff boasts a wealth of veteran arms. Joey Diaz and Sam Justice were regular starters last spring. Diaz struck out 33 batters in 40 innings, and Justice has topped 100 innings over his career. Opponents hit just .259 against Justice last year.

Kyle Showley, Steen Bellerjeau and Caleb Davis also made at least 10 appearances on the mound in 2025.

Grace will enjoy another season at its home ballpark of Tom  Roy - UPI Park. The stadium, which has received numerous improvements each offseason, will debut a new press box for the upcoming spring season.

The Lancers' spring will kick off with a pair of weekend tournaments in Jasper, Ind. Grace will take on Defiance on Friday and Saturday this week before playing IU South Bend next weekend (Feb. 20-21).

Grace begins Crossroads League play on Feb. 27-28 against Taylor with a split home/away series. The Lancers' home opener is Feb. 28 against the Trojans.