FLASHBACK

The 2025 season marked a historic breakthrough for the Patriots. UT Tyler finished 49–13 overall and 40–8 in Lone Star Conference play, setting a new school record for wins while establishing itself as one of the most complete teams in Division II baseball.

Behind a balanced attack that paired one of the league's top pitching staffs with a deep, experienced lineup, the Patriots surged through the NCAA postseason. UT Tyler went unbeaten in both the Regional and Super Regional rounds, captured the South Central Super Regional title, and earned the program's first-ever berth to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship in Cary, North Carolina.

PATS IN THE POLLS

To start the year the Patriots were selected as the preseason favorites to capture their first Lone Star Conference title, totaling 603 points and 20 first-place votes in the poll. Caden Copeland was named LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, while Drew Schmidt earned LSC Preseason Player of the Year honors. Nationally, UT Tyler was ranked No. 4 in both the ABCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll and the D2 Baseball Preseason Poll, and slotted No. 3 in the NCBWA preseason rankings. Schmidt also collected First Team Preseason All-American honors from both D2 Baseball and NCBWA, while Tanner Hornback earned Second Team recognition from D2 Baseball and First Team honors from NCBWA.

The Patriots remained in the polls through the first couple of weeks in the season, holding top spots in the ABCA, NCBWA, and D2 Baseball national rankings. UT Tyler is ranked No. 11 in the NCBWA poll, No. 24 in the ABCA poll, and 14th in the D2 Baseball poll.

PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS

• UT Tyler closed the 2025 season with a 49–13 overall record and a 40–8 mark in Lone Star Conference play, finishing second in the LSC regular-season standings and advancing to its fourth consecutive LSC Tournament. The Patriots went on to capture their first Super Regional title and earned a trip to the NCAA Division II World Series.
• The Patriots have defended their home ballpark in a big way over their first years of Division II. Going back to their first season of Division II eligibility (2022), the Patriots are 93-38 inside Irwin Field prior to the 2026 season.
• Head Coach Brent Porche enters his tenth season with UT Tyler and holds a record of 300-138 with the Patriots. He holds a career record of 447-221 in his 14 total seasons.
• On March 10^th, 2024 with a win over Texas A&M-Kingsville, Coach Porche became the all-time winningest coach in UT Tyler Baseball history, surpassing James Vilade for the top spot.
• The Patriots return several key contributors from that historic run, headlined by returning All-American Drew Schmidt, who anchors a middle infield alongside preseason All-American Tanner Hornback. They are joined by a strong group of returning bats in Bryce Jewell, Kaston Mason, Connor Clark, and Brock Bearden.
• Joining those returners will be a cast of highly touted newcomers. The Patriots brought in the #1 ranked transfer portal class which includes LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Caden Copeland.
• Offensively, UT Tyler was one of the nation's most productive lineups in 2025, totaling 696 hits and batting .344 as a team. The Patriots added 139 doubles, scored 569 runs, and swiped 86 bases over the course of the season.
• On the mound and in the field, UT Tyler was equally impressive. The pitching staff held a 3.78 ERA while the defense fielded at a .967 clip.
• Schmidt and Hornback paced the attack. Schmidt hit .410, set the program single-season hits record with 98, and reached base at a .500 clip. Hornback matched the .410 batting average, broke the program's single-season runs record with 68, and posted a .504 on-base percentage.

LAST TIME OUT

The Patriots improved to 26-8 on the season after securing their second straight four-game sweep, this time over UT Permian Basin, with wins of 23-2, 10-2, 11-3, and 10-0. In game two, Cole Ketzner led the offense, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored, and six RBIs.

On the mound, Matthew Mackenzie delivered a standout performance in the game four victory, tossing four scoreless innings while striking out four Falcons.

THE COMETS

The Patriots head to face UT Dallas this weekend for a four-game Lone Star Conference series. It marks the eighth consecutive four-game set for both teams after each opened conference play with three-game series in their first two LSC matchups. The Comets are coming off a 32-6 campaign in 2025 and are now in their first season competing in the Lone Star Conference.

The all-time series favors the Patriots 35-17, including a 15-11 mark on the road. In the preseason LSC poll, UT Dallas was picked to finish 11th, just behind Texas A&M International.

UT Dallas enters the weekend at 26-8 after sweeping its last two series over UT Permian Basin and Texas A&M International. The Comets are riding a nine-game winning streak and remain unbeaten at home. Kole Kinnison has led the offense, hitting .411 with 11 doubles, three home runs, and 35 RBIs while posting a .462 on-base percentage. On the mound, David Dean holds a 3.75 ERA over 36.0 innings with 16 strikeouts and a 5-0 record.

Due to anticipated weather, the four-game series will be played at Dallas Baptist University at Horner Ballpark in Dallas, Texas. The series begins Thursday, April 2 at 4 p.m., continues Friday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., and concludes Saturday at 1 p.m. Admission to all games is free, though concessions will not be available.