Baseball's Dominican Republic Immersion, Album 4
The Wabash College baseball team enjoyed a trip to the Dominican Republic, Dec. 16-22, that joined the strengths of an immersion learning experience with sporting competition. Forty-six student-athletes, the largest immersion learning endeavor the College has produced, traveled to the Caribbean to engage in a learned experience that included history, culture, and baseball.
Based in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, the team had four scheduled games, a day of history and culture centered around Spanish Professor Dan Rogers’ SPA 312/HSP277 class: The Dominican Republic and Baseball, and two community service projects. Fifteen students on the trip came ready with a knowledge of the history of the island that dates back to Christopher Columbus’ landing in 1492 and colonialization under the occupations that included the Spanish, French, Haitians, and the U.S. and shared that knowledge with teammates.
This gallery focuses on two Little Giant games: Dec. 20 vs. the D.R. Police, a contest that was rained out in the second inning; and Dec. 21 vs. a D.R. all-star team made of minor league baseball players at Ozoria. Additionally, this gallery features the team’s final community service project in Gautier. Some photos in this gallery courtesy of Todd McDorman.
The pregame group photo with the Little Giants and the Dominican Republic Police.
Rain the night before forced a venue change to this one. Yes, the batting cage is a permanent fixture.
The ceremonial first pitch with a local dignitary.
The staff of the Dominican Republic Baseball Camp. Led by Director Sam LeBeau (second from left), the group included Willie, Lobo (in umpiring gear), Erik, and Junior. These guys handled the logistics flawlessly during the team's stay in country.
Michael Galanos (center) was all smiles pregame.
Assistant Coach Caleb Fenimore mans the first base coaching box.
Bradley Gilliam batted lead off for the Little Giants.
Young fans always wanted to be close to the players.
Senior Camden Scheidt fouls off a pitch.
A strong contingent of Little Giant fans packed the seating behind home plate.
The space above the D.R. Police dugout was popular as well.
Finn Randolph was the Wabash starting pitcher.
Will Wallace handled the first base duties.
(From left) Paddy Keefer, Robbie Manuzzi, Jackson Wannemuehler, and Connor Lambert take in the action.
Rhys Anderson (left) and Head Coach Jake Martin survey the field.
Scheidt patrolled left field.
Wallace holds a base runner.
Evan Neukam frames a pitch.
Pitching Coach Mac Lozer has a mound visit with Randolph.
Neukam is about to call a pitch that leads to a ground out to third base.
(From left) Aidan McConnell, Henry Birk, Ethan Kimmerle, and Matthew Manzuk handle the pitch charting duties.
Randolph delivers...
Randolph confers with shortstop Ben Henke.
Local youth congratulate the Little Giants on a scoreless inning.
Will Wallace readies for his first at-bat.
Ben Henke settles into the batter's box and awaits the pitch.
Rain forced everyone to seek shelter in the dugouts.
The scoreless game was called in the second inning.
Following the rain out on Dec. 20, 18 team members packed more than 300 goodie bags with candy for local youth. The community oriented task on Dec. 21 was to head to Gautier, an old sugar cutters’ town, and parade through the streets inviting children to the local ballpark for some presents with a call–“Regalo en el pley”—of gifts at the baseball field.
Here, Santa Claus readies himself for the stroll through town.
Braeden Bryant was one of the participants in the community outreach project.
(nearest to camera) Ethan Kimmerle nad teammates stroll through Gautier.
Santa always draws a crowd.
With each passing block a few more children joined the parade.
Goats were a common sight.
As the parade neared the ballpark, about 30 children had joined the parade.
Nearly 300 more children had assembled at the ballpark when Santa and the LIttle Giants arrived.
Santa distributes the goodie bags to local children.
The Wabash players formed a tunnel and gave high fives and daps to the kids.
There were plenty of smiles on everyone's faces.
More than 300 goodie bags were distributed on this morning.
It was a wonderful experience for all involved.
One local youth took the time to thank Dean of the College Todd McDorman.
Santa made time for every child and family in attendance.
After a day and a half of rain, the Little Giants helped the competitive cause by working to ready facility for play on Dec. 21. Those team members who did not go to Gautier for the parade instead walked to the field to remove the standing water. Once that work was completed, the team gathered, got in uniform, and walked back to the field for the game. Here is a photo of the team just prior to departure.
A view of Estadio Juan Alberto Ozoria. Wabash faced a team of minor league professional players in this contest.
Luke Mayer delivers a pitch in the second inning.
Henke anticipates the action at shortstop.
Mayer receives congratulations from his teammates after ending the inning.
Grant Fackel taks a lead off first base.
Galanos takes one for the team.
Will Wallace fights off a pitch.
Miles Williams took the mound in the third inning.
Jimmy Hawksworth surveys the field.
Williams plants and fires.
Camden Scheidt holds the base runner.
Fackel (7) makes the play in left field.
Neukam receives a pitch.
Williams takes a breather once his stint was complete.
As has been the case on the entire trip, local youth crowded the fields for these games.
Pitching Coach Mac Lozer (right) chats with Williams following his outing.
Parker Smith reaches base with a single in the fourth inning.
The bullpen was busy on this day, as Paddy Keefer (standing) prepares to enter the game.
Galanos with the swing.
Assistant Coach Caleb Fenimore uses the stopwatch to time deliveries.
Keefer settles in on the mound.
Matthew Wright chats with teammates in the dugout.
Finn Randolph looks on between innings.
Keefer unleashes a change up.
The D.R. all-stars watch from the third base dugout.
Jacob Edwards takes a hack.
Scheidt reaches base with one of his three hits on the day.
A three-hit day is always a reason to smile.
Gavin Pierson rocks and fires.
Jacob Edwards reaches for a pitch.
Connor Lambert fires away.
Lozer visits the mound.
Parker Smith stays loose.
Jimmy Hawksworth awaits a pitch from his shortstop position.
Galanos studies the field.
Mayer (rear) and Pierson take in the action.
Henry Birk trots in from the bullpen.
Dylan Haslett smiles in the dugout.
In this at-bat, Scheidt smoked a double to the gap.
Carson Vlcan readies in the on deck circle.
There were high fives and hugs all around after the game.
The all-stars and Little Giants following the contest.
With the D.R. trip complete, the group pauses for a team picture.
Following the game, the team walked back to the hotel. Pictured here are (from left) Vlcan, Caleb Ellspermann, Aidan McConnell, and Nate Brumfield.