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 and have been all season, holding top spots in the ABCA, NCBWA, and D2 Baseball national rankings. UT Tyler is ranked No. 10 in the NCBWA poll, No. 12 in the ABCA poll, and 9th 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 33-9 on the season after securing another four-game sweep, this time over Sul Ross State, with wins of 19-1, 12-2, 22-3, and 16-5. In game three, Bryce Jewell led the offense, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored, and seven RBIs.

On the mound, Coleson Abel delivered a standout performance in the game two victory, tossing four innings of one run ball while striking out six Lobos.

THE EAGLES

The Patriots host Oklahoma Christian this weekend for a four-game Lone Star Conference series. It marks the tenth consecutive four-game set for both teams after each opened conference play with three-game series in their first two LSC matchups. The Eagles are coming off a 14-36 campaign in 2025 where they finished 12th in the conference.

The all-time series favors the Patriots 14-9, including a 5-3 mark at Irwin Field. In the preseason LSC poll, Oklahoma Christian was picked to finish 12th, just behind UT Dallas.

Oklahoma Christian enters the weekend at 15-27 after sweeping its last series over UT Permian Basin. The Eagles are riding a four-game winning streak and are 4-15 as the away team. Trey Migl has led the offense, hitting .397 with 8 doubles, seven home runs, and 31 RBIs while posting a .503 on-base percentage. On the mound, Arian Koester holds a 4.08 ERA over 28.2 innings with 23 strikeouts and a 3-1 record.

Due to anticipated weather, the series will now begin Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m., continue Friday with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., and conclude Saturday at 1 p.m. On Friday, the Patriots will host UT Health Night along with the Miracle League, where attendees will have the opportunity to meet players and receive free gear. The Patriots will honor their seniors throughout the weekend and, weather permitting, will hold their on-field graduation ceremony ahead of Saturday's game.