DUE WEST, S.C. – Erskine College Baseball announced their schedule for the 2026 spring season this week. The program had a busy fall with an influx of new players, a coaching change, and facility upgrades. The new-look Fleet boast a myriad of fresh faces, coming from the high school, junior college, and portal ranks.

COACHING CHANGE: In October, Mark Crocco announced that he was leaving Erskine to take over the Head Coaching position of the newest Banana Ball expansion team, the Loco Beach Coconuts. Associate Head Coach Jimmy Prince (5^th year) and Recruiting Coordinator Scotty Bateman (2^nd year) were elevated to the posts of Co-Head Coaches for the 2026 Season. Additionally, Thomas Wheeler was added as the hitting coach after a brief stint coaching at Pratt CC in Kansas following an action packed playing career at Old Dominion. Former player Jessy Camiré has also joined the staff as the strength coach and has been a major difference maker.

NOTABLE RETURNERS: Infielder Pierce Radke is the biggest returner in the field for the Fleet, coming off of a .319 average and 11 extra-base hits a year ago and looks to be in the middle of the order once again. Utility player Quinn Allen also returns from a .293 average season. Catcher Noah Hill, Outfielder Elliott Sanders, and Infielder Mason McManus also return in starting roles. On the mound, bullpen lefty Kyle Knoll sports his 2.76 ERA from a year ago in 24 appearances and are joined by Ethan Wilford and Jared Guell as returners to once more to bolster the bullpen. 2024 Freshman All-American RHP Alex Heintz and 2024 Freshman All-Conference UTL Adrian Rolon will also make their return to the diamond after missing 2025 with injury.

NOTABLE NEWCOMERS: Depth was the goal in recruiting for Erskine, and depth was achieved. Behind the plate, junior college transfers Brock Donnelly (Queens/Gaston) and Andrew Tabares (Palm Beach State CC) will bolster alongside Hill. SS Danny Villafane (Palm Beach State CC), Thomas Kuhn (Holmes CC), and 3B Ricky Dober (Avila University) will be steady presences in the infield. In the outfield, additions of Stephen Kriner (Louisburg CC), Drew Potts (Motlow State CC), Matthew Dumas (Lake Sumter CC), and Carson Yates (MTSU/Roane State CC) will anchor. On the mound, RHPs Kendall Brewer (Chatt State CC), Eric Enerlich (Columbia State CC), Eric Santaguida (South Suburban CC), Scott Hardy (Limestone), Brandon Fears (Gadsden State CC), Coleman Garner (Calhoun CC), and Elias Hachem (U of Evansville) along with LHPs Ashton Wolfe (Southeastern CC), Riley Passman (East Central CC), Chase Grube (Palm Beach State CC), and Julien Hachem (U of Oklahoma/North Dakota State) will be the faces of this new look pitching staff. Some freshmen to watch are LHP Sully Mellor (Charlotte, NC), INF Jalyn Tidwell (Chichester, PA), and OF Samuel Casado (Cayey, PR).

WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT: The 2026 edition of the Flying Fleet will be an energetic, fast-paced brand of baseball that should excite in all phases. The roster upgrades combined with the facility upgrades will usher in this next era of Erskine Baseball. This will be the deepest team in recent memory for the Fleet and looks to win the conference for the first time since 2016 and earn a regional berth for the first time since 2010.

FACILITY UPGRADES: Numerous projects have been completed/are underway at Grier Field, including a full infield renovation, Trackman installation, new halo, new scoreboard, new batters eye, and sound system.

2026 SCHEDULE OUTLOOK: Erskine will open the year with its annual split-series rivalry clash against local foe, Lander University, at home on Friday, January 30^th. The final two games will be played in doubleheader fashion in Greenwood on Saturday, January 31^st.

As the calendar turns to February, the Fleet will take the road south for a midweek matchup against Augusta University on February 3^rd, before continuing down to Miami for their annual South Florida trip. While in the sunshine state, Erskine will battle with Lynn (2/5) in Boca Raton, Nova Southeastern (2/6) in Davie, and Barry (2/7) in Miami Shores.

Upon returning from Florida, Erskine will call the friendly confines of Grier Field home for 9 straight games, starting with a double midweek against Claflin (2/10) and USC Aiken (2/11) before opening Conference Carolinas play against Ferrum on 2/13-14. Newberry (2/17) and North Greenville (2/20-21) will wrap up this two-week homestand.

The Flying Fleet will take the bus down to the lowcountry for a 2/24 battle with USC Beaufort. That weekend, the Fly Boys will cross into the Peach State for the first time in 2026 to tango with Emmanuel (2/27-28).

Bouncing back into Due West, Georgia College (3/3) and Southern Wesleyan (3/6-7) will come to town.

For spring break, EC will go down the coast to Savannah to play Savannah State (3/10) before being mountain bound to wrestle with King (3/13-14) in the Smoky Mountains. USC Beaufort will return the trip to the upstate on 3/17, and Mount Olive will follow suit on 3/20-21. Augusta will also repay the favor on 3/24 to wrap up a five-game home swing.

The longest conference trip of the year for Erskine will be the embark to Murfreesboro, North Carolina, to play Chowan on 3/27-28 before pivoting to Orangeburg to compete with Claflin on 3/31. This road stretch for the Fleet will conclude with another trip to Georgia to tackle with Shorter on 4/3-4.

The final home stretch of the year for the Flying Fleet will see Grier Field play host to Barton (4/10-11), Lander (4/14), and Francis Marion (4/17-18) before seeing the final four games of the season played in the Georgia mountains against North Georgia (4/21) and Young Harris (4/24-25).

Come support your Flying Fleet throughout the 2026 season all year long at Grier Field!

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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