Maryville Fall Report: Blend Grittiness with Experience

Following a historic 2024 campaign that saw Maryville University set a program record with 40 wins and capture their first-ever GLVC Tournament Championship, the Saints returned to the diamond in 2025 with high expectations. While the 2025 season didn't quite match the record-breaking heights of the previous year, Maryville remained a formidable force, finishing 29-22 overall with a strong 21-10 mark in conference play to secure a third-place finish. The Saints capped the year with another GLVC Tournament appearance, solidifying their status as a perennial contender.

Now entering his eighth season, Head Coach Pat Evers has firmly established himself as the winningest coach in program history with a career record of 191-135. As the Saints turn the page to 2026, Evers sees a shift in the team’s identity. "I feel like this group is made up of more baseball players—hard working, grittier," Evers noted regarding the fall roster. With upgraded facilities, including a brand new dugout, two indoor batting cages, and a full indoor locker room, the program is investing heavily in maintaining its championship standard.

The Offense

Coach Evers describes the upcoming lineup as "more athletic" and "more well-rounded" than previous iterations. Leading the charge is sophomore sensation Jace Burton, who exploded onto the scene to earn GLVC Co-Freshman of the Year honors. Burton anchored the lineup with a stellar .380 batting average and a .471 on-base percentage across 155 plate appearances, tallying 49 hits and 18 RBIs.

Joining him is junior outfielder Dominic Sharp, a reliable presence who posted a .303 average and a .448 on-base percentage last season. Sharp displayed significant pop, contributing five home runs and 13 doubles while driving in 39 runs.

The Saints have also bolstered their offensive depth with a talented crop of newcomers. Justin Gorski, a junior transfer from Division I Miami of Ohio, brings experience up the middle. Behind the plate, sophomore Dominic Anselmo arrives from Division I Bradley; rated as the eighth-ranked catcher in Missouri’s 2024 class, he adds immediate pedigree to the catching corps.

In the infield, freshman Will Barnes from Penn High School is a name to watch. An Indiana First Team All-State selection, Barnes destroyed high school pitching with a .506 average and 37 RBIs in his senior season. The lineup is further deepened by grad student Jack Meyer, a transfer who hit .304 as a freshman at Lindenwood during their GLVC tenure, and could see success like former Saint Ambrose Russo, who hit .330 last season with Maryville as a transfer from Lindenwood. Lastly, Freshman outfielder Timothy Leark, the 77th ranked player in Illinois, is going to play a key role for the squad.

The Pitching Staff

While the offense retools, Coach Evers believes "Pitching and Defense will be the team's strength" in 2026. The staff must replace two key rotation arms, but the returning group has collectively taken a step forward this fall.

The staff is headlined by senior right-hander Ty Rauser, a 2nd-Team All-GLVC selection. Rauser was a workhorse, posting a 4-3 record with a 4.45 ERA over 60.2 innings, racking up 82 strikeouts against just 20 walks for an impressive 31.5% strikeout rate. He is joined by grad student Nolan Miller (3 ERA over 9 innings last season) and redshirt senior Ryan Hoshaw, who struck out 31 batters in 32.2 innings last season. Junior righty Sam Cardwell (.194 batting average against over 18.2 innings) also returns to provide valuable innings.

Reinforcing the rotation is junior transfer Collin Greiner from St. Charles Community College. Greiner brings a track record of success, having gone 12-3 with a 3.01 ERA across 89.2 innings at the JUCO level.

Key Departures

The "next man up" mentality will be tested as the Saints look to replace significant production on the mound. The team bids farewell to Braden Smith, who led the staff with a 7-2 record and a 3.52 ERA over 76.2 innings. Also departing is reliable starter Ben Gregory, who logged a 6-3 record and a 4.05 ERA across 66.2 innings. Both departed to Division I schools via the transfer portal. Their combined 142 innings and 13 wins leave a void that Rauser, Greiner, and the emerging arms will need to fill.

Schedule & Outlook

The 2026 schedule presents immediate challenges that will test Maryville’s new "gritty" identity. The Saints open the season on February 6 with a three-game road series in Magnolia, Arkansas, against Southern Arkansas University, a team that split with Maryville in a two-game series in 2024. They remain on the road the following week for a three-game set against Pittsburg State University in Kansas, a team coming off a program record 42 wins.

The home opener is slated for February 20 against defending Midwest Region champion Northwood University, kicking off a stretch of games in St. Louis that includes a visit from Saginaw Valley State and a marquee mid-March series against a Grand Valley State team coming off 43 wins.

Conference play heats up in April with road tests at Drury University and University of Illinois-Springfield, before the regular season concludes with a crucial home series against crosstown rival University of Missouri-St. Louis in early May. With a reloaded roster and a schedule stacked with regional heavyweights, the Saints are positioning themselves for another run at GLVC supremacy. If you value this in-depth, non-paywalled coverage of D2 Baseball, please consider supporting our independent reporting efforts. Your contribution helps us continue providing free access to all our articles without relying on restrictive paywalls. To support our work, please visit our Patreon page: patreon.com/diviibaseball