ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College baseball team is set to start its pursuit of a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom title in 2026. The Dutchmen are scheduled to play 40 games this spring, including 18 home contests at McGill Field. 

Lebanon Valley is coming off a 2025 campaign in which the program finished 22-20-1 overall and posted a 13-8 record against conference opponents. The Flying Dutchmen earned a trip to the postseason last year, reaching the semifinals of the MAC Freedom Championship. Entering this season, LVC is ranked fifth out of eight teams with 28 points in the 2026 MAC Freedom Baseball Coaches' Preseason Poll. 

"We've got a lot of really intense, competitive, and locked-in baseball guys," Head Coach Jonas Fester said. "They're serious and focused. It's a group that wants to be great, and they're working hard."

Lebanon Valley's roster features 24 returning players and 20 newcomers, including 18 first-years and two transfer student-athletes. The program's group of returners is led by four 2025 All-MAC Freedom honorees: senior infielder and pitcher Owen Berry, sophomore infielder Carter Enders, junior infielder Dylan Mennillo, and junior pitcher Trey Dianna. 

Berry is coming off an excellent campaign in which he logged a .272 batting average and led the team with 14 stolen bases, while setting a single-season program record of 52 runs scored and ranking 37th in the nation with 36 walks. On the mound, he tied for second in the conference with three saves and led the club with a 2.84 ERA, in addition to striking out seven batters in 6.1 innings of relief. Berry is expected to be in LVC's starting rotation this spring, and he will continue to play shortstop. Enders will look to build on a debut season where he registered a .340 batting average, 14 RBIs, and three stolen bases, while tying for fifth on the team with 24 runs scored as a third baseman. Mennillo is also coming back for the Dutchmen after a year in which he tied for third on the squad with seven stolen bases and tied for fifth with 24 runs scored, in addition to recording 14 RBIs and a .957 fielding percentage as a second baseman. 

Senior outfielder Spencer Butz is another key member returning for Lebanon Valley's lineup, following a productive season where he ranked second on the team with nine stolen bases, and third with 40 runs scored and 34 RBIs, while tying for third with three home runs. He was also excellent in the outfield, delivering a 1.000 fielding percentage to tie for the best in the conference. The Flying Dutchmen will look to sophomore catcher and outfielder Kody Phillips as well. He hit .325 with a .906 OPS, tied for third on the team with three homers, and ranked fourth on the club with 27 RBIs. Senior catcher and first baseman Tyler Satterfield will also aim to make an impact, following a campaign in which he was fifth in the MAC Freedom with a .410 batting average and tied for 10th in the conference with a .489 on-base percentage. He also ranked second on Lebanon Valley with an OPS of 1.040 and had one home run, 17 RBIs, and 13 runs scored in 28 games. LVC will rely on senior outfielder Kenny Palmieri, junior catcher Joey Santora, and junior first baseman Devin Kreger to be key contributors as well. Additionally, sophomore outfielder Lucien Burger will be joining the club after transferring from Division I Fairfield University. 

Fester also expressed that he is excited about Lebanon Valley's pitching staff and said that he believes the program will have its best starting pitching depth during his time at the helm. Dianna enters his junior campaign after ranking 10th in the conference with a 4.89 ERA and fourth on the team with 33 strikeouts in 2025. Senior pitcher Jaden Click will be a member of the staff as well, after striking out 16 batters in six starts and three appearances out of the bullpen. Additionally, left-handed pitcher Aidan Bilder arrived at The Valley after transferring from Allegheny College. 

The program's other impactful returning pitchers include sophomore Landon Sexton, juniors Jordy Polanco, Parker Raham, and Parker Tarnoci, as well as seniors Kyle McCracken and Hayden Fravel. Lebanon Valley also expects several other players to fill important roles as the campaign progresses. 

The Dutchmen are scheduled to open the 2026 season on Saturday, Feb. 21, at noon, when the program will travel to take on Wilkes University in Edwardsville, Pa. Lebanon Valley will later begin its five-game Florida Spring Break Trip on Tuesday, March 3, at 11 a.m., against Norwich University in Vero Beach, Fla. The Flying Dutchmen are also slated to start their MAC Freedom schedule with a doubleheader against King's College, with the first matchup set for Saturday, March 14, at noon, at McGill Field. 

LVC will close out the regular season at home on Saturday, April 25, with a twin bill against DeSales University for Senior Day, with the first game beginning at noon. Before the game, the program will recognize its nine seniors: pitcher Jonathan Klein, pitcher Chris Langsdorf, Butz, Palmieri, Click, Berry, McCracken, Satterfield, and Fravel. Lebanon Valley's full schedule can be found here.

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