Defiance College baseball releases 2025 schedule
DEFIANCE, Ohio - Defiance College baseball unveiled the program's 50-game schedule and the 111th season with new affiliation in the NAIA and WHAC, the Athletic Department announced on Tuesday.
Under the direction of second-year head coach Shane Gardner, Defiance looks to build upon a 9-28 campaign in 2024. Gardner's 14th season as a college head coach ushers in DC's first year at the NAIA level since 1991 following 24 years at the Division III level.
The new level of competition delivers an earlier start and a longer season than what Defiance previously experienced in the NCAA. The Yellow Jackets begin their season during the first weekend of February and will wrap up the regular season at the end of April, which gives the program nearly a full additional month of competition. Defiance's baseball program will likely play the most games in the team's history with the previous high-water mark benign 43 games in 1985. DC has only played 40 or more games in a season four times.
"We are excited to get our season started in early February!" says Gardner. "We'll have trips to Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, and South Carolina before we kick off conference play at home in mid-March, which is new to our program and will be a welcome challenge to begin the season. Four of our non-conference opponents played in the postseason a year ago so we will be well-tested before WHAC play begins."
Those trips over the first six weeks of the season will be played in friendlier weather. Defiance opens the season with a trip to Knoxville, Tenn. to tangle with Johnson University for a three-game series before three more southern ventures. Defiance will meet Grace College for four games in Hoover, Ala. and then complete the February slate with a four-game series at Alice Lloyd in Kentucky. In March, the Yellow Jackets venture to northern Georgia to battle NCCAA programs Toccoa Falls and Bob Jones University in South Carolina over spring break.
Defiance opens conference play with back-to-back doubleheaders on March 15 vs. Rochester Christian and Siena Heights on March 16. The 14 WHAC dates will all be doubleheaders with Defiance playing Concordia and Cornerstone twice. DC also has dates with USCAA teams Wright State-Lake and Kent State Tuscarawas for the second consecutive season to break up conference play in March and finish the regular season in April. Three WHAC schools reached national competition last season with Indiana Tech and UNOH playing in the NAIA National Tournament and Concordia went to the NCCAA World Series.
With the new level of play, the Yellow Jackets will face a number of first-time opponents. Matchups against non-conference opponents Johnson and Bob Jones join WHAC teams Aquinas, Cleary, Cornerstone, Madonna, UNOH, and Rochester Christian with first-ever meetings with Defiance this spring.
The Yellow Jackets' nine home dates include Rochester Christian, Siena Heights, Cornerstone, Concordia, Indiana Tech, Aquinas, UM-Dearborn, Kent State Tuscarawas and Wright State-Lake.
All game times will be updated on the baseball schedule webpage at a later date. The complete 2025 DC baseball schedule is listed below.
2025 Baseball Schedule
Feb. 7 at Johnson (TN)
Feb. 8 at Johnson (TN)
Feb. 14 vs. Grace (at Hoover, Ala.)
Feb. 15 vs. Grace (at Hoover, Ala.)
Feb. 21 at Alice Lloyd
Feb. 22 at Alice Lloyd
Mar. 7 at Toccoa Falls
Mar. 8 at Toccoa Falls
Mar. 11 at Bob Jones
Mar. 15 vs. Rochester Christian*
Mar. 16 vs. Siena Heights*
Mar. 19 at Wright State-Lake
Mar. 22 at Cleary*
Mar. 23 at Lawrence Tech*
Mar. 25 at Kent State Tuscarawas
Mar. 29 at UNOH*
Apr. 2 vs. Cornerstone*
Apr. 5 at Lourdes*
Apr. 6 at Concordia*
Apr. 12 at Cornerstone*
Apr. 13 vs. Concordia*
Apr. 18 vs. Indiana Tech*
Apr. 19 vs. Aquinas*
Apr. 23 at Madonna*
Apr. 26 vs. UM-Dearborn*
Apr. 27 vs. Kent State Tuscarawas
Apr. 30 vs. Wright State-Lake
TBA WHAC Tournament (Top 8)
*Denotes WHAC game
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