As he prepares to don his No. 13 jersey and take his position behind home plate for the last season, only one word accurately describes the Grinnell baseball team for Ethan Crawford `25. “First word that comes to mind is ‘family,’” Crawford said. “I have every single one of my teammates’ back as much as they have mine,” the catcher added. Grinnell baseball played their first game Feb. 23 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Illinois, kicking off a 40-game season that will finish May 4.
Compared to last season, this “family” is young. Of the 45 players on the roster, 15 are first years. “The legacy that the previous seniors had should trickle down to the next class, and we have to make adjustments based on who’s there and who’s coming in,” said Tim Hollibaugh, head baseball coach.
Shea Goel `28, Jacob Gaynor `28 and Conor Tashjian `28 are three of those first years who began their first season in February. “I just want to get better,” Tashjian said about his expectations for his first season.
As one of four team captains, Crawford said he has a special responsibility. “It’s tough being a senior and looking at a freshman this year and saying, ‘We only got one year with them, what are we gonna do with it?’” Crawford said. Crawford added that one of his main priorities with the first years was to “make sure they buy into our team culture.”
After a personal breakthrough in a 2024 season that saw mixed team results, Crawford said he has high expectations for the Pioneers this year. Speaking about the team’s chances at winning the Midwest Conference championship, which Grinnell has never done, Crawford said, “This is the year to do it. I think we have all the physical attributes to do it.”
Similar to Crawford, Gaynor emphasized his prioritization of team success. “While we may want to play the best — I can bat .500 in my head, [Tashjian] can make every play at catcher, [Goel] can strike everyone out — we want to see the team win the Conference championship,” Gaynor said.
One positive aspect of this year’s team for Crawford is the depth on the mound. “This year, we’re aiming to have about 18 pitchers healthy by Conference time, and that’s gonna be a huge help for pitching depth,” he said.
Goel, a pitcher himself, described the advantages of having a plethora of options on the mound. “You got starters, you got guys coming out of the bullpen, but as long as everybody pitches to their ability, I think the staff could have a really successful year.”
Hollibaugh shared Crawford’s optimism. “These guys are looking as good as we have in recent years,” he said. “We’ll see how it translates.” One restriction on Grinnell baseball is Iowa’s inclement weather, which forces the team to practice indoors for the early months of the spring semester. The Field House, part of the Charles Benson Bear `39 Recreation and Athletic Center, provides the team with enough space to set up batting cages with equipment to monitor performance statistics. “We’re able to at least simulate as many things as possible based on fundamental work and individual mechanical adjustments, so the guys are as ready to compete as we can be,” Hollibaugh said.
While the Field House provides a good alternative for outdoor practice, it lacks a few key aspects. “Specifically, taking ground balls, taking fly balls, defensive work … it’s way different indoors and outdoors,” Gaynor said. As an outfielder, Gaynor’s defensive responsibilities differ greatly from catchers like Tashjian and Crawford.
In addition to the lack of outdoor practice, the team only has 12 home games this season, with the first on April 5 against Monmouth College. Still, Crawford encouraged Grinnellians to show up to Pioneer Park for a home game. “I feel like they [basketball] play more energetically with everyone rooting them on, and I hope that maybe we can get the same this year from the student body,” Crawford said. “I hope when they [students] would show up, they would see the passion that these guys have,” Hollibaugh said, echoing Crawford’s comments. “You can hang out and just enjoy some good baseball.”
