Wartburg Knights baseball

College baseball program

Wartburg Knights

Founded| 1958
Head coach| Casey Klunder (1st season)
Conference| ARC
Location| Waverly, Iowa
Home stadium| Harms Stadium at Hertel Field
(Capacity: 500)
Nickname| Knights
Colors| Orange and Black[1]

College World Series appearances
1964, 2000, 2005
NCAA Tournament appearances
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017
Conference tournament champions
1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2017
Regular season conference champions
1961, 1962, 1963, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017

The Wartburg Knights baseball program represents Wartburg College in college baseball. The program started in 1958. The team competes in the NCAA Division III and a member of the American Rivers Conference (ARC).[2] The team plays its home games at Harms Stadium at Hertel field in Waverly, Iowa.

## History

[edit]

The Wartburg Knights baseball team played its first season in 1958, with its first game coming against Iowa Wesleyan. The Knights reached the NAIA World Series in 1964. They hold the record for longest game played when they beat West Liberty State in a 16 inning game.[3] The program rose to national relevance in the late 1990s, early 2000s when Joel Holst was hired in 1996. The program has won a conference leading 22 conference championships, the most recent coming 2017 when they won three straight IIAC titles.[4]

### Joel Holst era (1997-2022)

[edit]

Joel Holst was hired in 1995 and coached his first season at Wartburg in 1996. In his first season they finished with a .500 record at 20-20. Following that season the Knights would go on to win 12 straight conference regular season championships and appeared in the college world series on two occasions (2000, 2005). During the 2005 College World Series the Knights played in two games that set records; the first was the longest game in series history in terms of innings, when they defeated Rowan College in 16 innings 8–6 and then played in the shortest game in series history when they lost to SUNY Cortland 5–0 in 1 hour and 52 minutes.[5] Joel Holst resigned from his head coaching position prior to the 2023 season.[6] Following his resignation, Casey Chaplin was named interim head coach for the 2023 baseball season.[7]

### Casey Klunder era (2024-Present)

[edit]

Following the 2023 season, Casey Klunder, was tabbed as the fifth head coach in program history.[8] He began his tenure at Wartburg with a 12–4 win over Grove City, with a 3–0 start to the year.[9]

## Record by year

[edit]

This is a table of the Wartburg Knights record year-by-year.[10]

Statistics overview  Season  | Coach  | Overall  | Conference  | Standing  | Postseason

|
|
|
|
|

Wartburg  (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1958–2017)
1958  | Earnest Oppermann  | 11–7 | 7–5 |  |
1959  | Earnest Oppermann  | 9–8 | 8–6 |  |
1960  | Earnest Oppermann  | 7–5 | 6–4 |  |
1961  | Earnest Oppermann  | 14–6 | 14–3 | 1st |
1962  | Earnest Oppermann  | 10–6 | 10–2 | 1st |
1963  | Earnest Oppermann  | 13–6 | 8–4 | 1st | NAIA Regional
1964  | Earnest Oppermann  | 18–6 | 9–3 | 2nd | NAIA World Series
1965  | Earnest Oppermann  | 3–8 |  |  |
1966  | Earnest Oppermann  | 12–8 |  |  |
1967  | Earnest Oppermann  | 15–5 |  |  |
1968  | Earnest Oppermann  | 12–8 |  |  |
1969  | Earnest Oppermann  | 11–9 |  |  |
1970  | Earnest Oppermann  | 12–17 |  |  |
1971  | Earnest Oppermann  | 11–19 |  |  |
1972  | Earnest Oppermann  | 7–7 |  |  |
1973  | Earnest Oppermann  | 9–14 |  |  |
1974  | Earnest Oppermann  | 7–18 | 5–8 |  |
1975  | Earnest Oppermann  | 13–14 | 6–0 |  |
1976  | Earnest Oppermann  | 16–16 | 8–2 |  |
1977  | Earnest Oppermann  | 12–20 | 10–2 | 1st |
1978  | Earnest Oppermann  | 16–20 | 9–3 | 1st |
1979  | Earnest Oppermann  | 14–11 | 11–1 | 1st |
1980  | Earnest Oppermann  | 9–23 | 6–6 |  |
1981  | Earnest Oppermann  | 17–21 | 10–4 |  |
1982  | Earnest Oppermann  | 13–19 | 7–3 |  |
1983  | John Kurtt  | 10–22 | 6–6 |  |
1984  | John Kurtt  | 11–16 | 9–9 |  |
1985  | John Kurtt  | 12–15 | 10–10 |  |
1986  | John Kurtt  | 16–22 | 14–8 |  |
1987  | John Kurtt  | 15–20 | 11–7 |  |
1988  | John Kurtt  | 16–20 |  |  |
1989  | John Kurtt  | 14–22–1 | 10–7–1 |  |
1990  | John Kurtt  | 12–19 | 10–10 |  |
1991  | John Kurtt  | 10–22 | 8–8 |  |
1992  | John Kurtt  | 9–25 | 6–15 |  |
1993  | John Kurtt  | 4–16 | 2–8 |  |
1994  | Randy Moore  | 17–14 | 8–8 | 5th |
1995  | Randy Moore  | 12–21 | 5–14 | 7th |
1996  | Joel Holst | 20–20–1 | 7–9 | 4th |
1997  | Joel Holst | 30–16 | 16–4 | 1st | NCAA Regional
1998  | Joel Holst | 40–10 | 20–4 | 1st | NCAA Regional
1999  | Joel Holst | 33–13–1 | 17–6 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2000  | Joel Holst | 41–9 | 22–2 | 1st | College World Series
2001  | Joel Holst | 37–9–1 | 20–2 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2002  | Joel Holst | 29–15 | 16–5 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2003  | Joel Holst | 33–12–1 | 14–6 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2004  | Joel Holst | 30–15 | 15–5 | 1st |
2005  | Joel Holst | 37–11 | 18–3 | 1st | College World Series
2006  | Joel Holst | 27–15 | 11–5 | T–1st |
2007  | Joel Holst | 28–13 | 18–5 | T–1st |
2008  | Joel Holst | 27–15 | 17–3 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2009  | Joel Holst | 28–20 | 14–10 | 4th | NCAA Regional
2010  | Joel Holst | 25–19 | 17–7 | 2nd |
2011  | Joel Holst | 26–18 | 16–8 | 2nd |
2012  | Joel Holst | 23–20 | 14–10 | 3rd |
2013  | Joel Holst | 35–10 | 20–6 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2014  | Joel Holst | 25–17 | 19–9 | 2nd |
2015  | Joel Holst | 33–14 | 19–5 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2016  | Joel Holst | 34–13 | 24–4 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2017  | Joel Holst | 33–14 | 19–5 | 1st | NCAA Regional
2018  | Joel Holst | 26–13 | 15–6 | 2nd |
Wartburg Knights  (American Rivers Conference) (2019–Present)
2019  | Joel Holst | 13–26 | 9–15 | 7th |
2020  | Joel Holst | 9–1 | 0–0 |  | Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021  | Joel Holst | 14–28 | 12–20 | 6th |
2022  | Joel Holst | 25–21 | 12–12 | 6th |
2023  | Casey Chaplin  | 14–21 | 9–15 | 6th |
2024  | Casey Klunder | 23–19 | 12–12 | 6th |
Total: | 1251–992–4 |

National champion Postseason invitational champion
Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion
Conference tournament champion

## American Rivers Conference tournaments

[edit]

Wartburg has made 29 appearances in the American Rivers Conference tournament and 19 appearances in the tournament championship game; both of which is the most in tournament history.[11] They appeared in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023. They have an overall record of 66–40, with 10 championships, the last in 2017.[12]

## NCAA Regional appearances

[edit]

NCAA Regional Results

1997 NCAA DIII Central Regional in Carroll, IA

Lost to Carthage, 2–3
Lost to Aurora, 11–22

1998 NCAA Oshkosh Regional hosted by Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Lost to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 0–7
Defeated Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 7–0
Lost to St. Thomas (MN), 8–16

1999 NCAA Geneva Regional hosted by Aurora

Lost to Simpson, 4–6
Lost to Carthage, 4–14

2000 NCAA Bloomington Regional hosted by Illinois Wesleyan

Defeated Aurora, 8–7
Defeated Westminster (MO), 8–0
Defeated Carthage, 8–5
Regional Championship

2001 NCAA Bloomington Regional hosted by Illinois Wesleyan

Lost to Hope, 1–2
Defeated Anderson (IN), 9–1
Defeated Wisconsin–Whitewater, 6–2
Defeated Illinois Wesleyan, 11–10(10 inn.)
Lost to Illinois Wesleyan, 6–7

2002 NCAA DIII Monmouth Regional hosted by Monmouth (IL)

Lost to Carthage, 2–3(10 inn.)
Lost to Aurora, 2–10

2003 NCAA Clinton Regional hosted by Mississippi College

Lost to Emory, 4–10
Defeated Millsaps, 13–12
Lost to Carthage, 2–5

2005 NCAA Bloomington Regional hosted by Illinois Wesleyan

Defeated Washington University St. Louis, 4–2
Defeated Illinois Wesleyan, 1–0
Defeated Illinois Wesleyan, 11–5
Defeated Edgewood, 11–3
Regional Championship

2008 NCAA Moline, Illinois Regional hosted by Augustana (IL)

Lost to Augustana (IL), 5–6
Defeated Webster, 2–0
Lost to Linfield, 5–57

2009 NCAA Moline, Illinois Regional hosted by Augustana (IL)

Lost to Millsaps, 3–5
Defeated Fontbonne, 4–2
Lost to Wisconsin–Whitewater, 3–8

2013 NCAA Moline, Illinois Regional hosted by Augustana (IL)

Lost to Adrian, 4–5
Defeated Ripon, 10–0
Lost to Augustana (IL), 3–9

2015 NCAA Waterloo Regional hosted by Wartburg

Lost to Anderson (IN), 3–4
Defeated Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 4–2
Lost to Carthage, 1–4

2016 NCAA Sauget Regional hosted by Webster

Lost to Rose–Hulman, 2–7
Defeated Westminster (MO), 8–0
Lost to Washington University St. Louis, 1–5

2017 NCAA Sauget Regional hosted by Webster

Defeated Webster, 3–0
Lost to North Central, 3–8
Defeated Washington University St. Louis, 1–0(13 inn.)
Lost to Birmingham–Southern, 1–6

NAIA Area Tournament Results

1963 NAIA Area 4 Tournament in Kansas City, MO hosted by William Jewell

Defeated William Jewell, 3–1
Defeated William Jewell, 3–2
1963 NAIA Area 4 District Final in Waverly, IA hosted by Wartburg
Lost to Winona State, 0–4
Lost to Winona State, 1–2

1964 NAIA Area 4 Tournament in Waverly, IA hosted by Wartburg

Defeated William Jewell, 5–2
Defeated St. Cloud, 5–1
Defeated Wisconsin State–River Falls, 4–0
District Championship

## College World Series appearances

[edit]

NCAA DIII College World Series Results

2000 College World Series in Appleton, WI

Defeated Southern Maine, 2–1
Lost to Allegheny, 2–3
Lost to Montclair, 2–7
6th Place

2005 College World Series in Appleton, WI

Lost to Chapman, 1–8
Defeated Trinity (CT), 4–1
Defeated Rowan, 8–6
Lost to SUNY-Cortland, 0–5
4th Place

NAIA College World Series Results

1964 NAIA World Series St. Joseph, Mo

Defeated West Liberty State, 2–1
Lost to Grambling, 1–3
Defeated Mayville State, 9–0†

† Mayville State's games were all ruled forfeits, with their opponents awarded 9–0 victories.

## Professional Players

[edit]

Wartburg has had seven professional baseball players and four selections in the Major League Baseball Draft since it began in 1965.[13][14]

Year  | Player  | Draft Round  | Team

|
|
|

1967 | Robert Meyer | 49  | Minnesota Twins
1969 | Thomas Cain | 16  | Chicago White Sox
1970 | Virgil Erickson | 22  | St. Louis Cardinals
2001  | Matt Thede | –  | Gulf Coast League Expos
2008  | Ryan Grant | –  | Sioux Falls Canaries
2011 | Bradley Watson | 37  | St. Louis Cardinals
2023  | Dylan Gotto | –  | Idaho Falls Chukars

## Current coaching staff

[edit]

* Head coach: Casey Klunder
* Hitting, infield, recruiting coordinator: Tyler Willis
* Pitching: Matt Milewski
* Pitching: Dylan Gotto
* Catching: Hunter Destival
* Outfield: Jared Pirkl
* Strength and Conditioning: Ethan Hayes
* Athletic Trainer: Danny Drees

[15]

## Head coaching history

[edit]

As of the completion of 2024 season[10]

Tenure  | Coach  | Years  | Record  | Pct.

|
|
|
|

1958–1982 | Earnest Oppermann | 25 | 292–300–0 | .493
1983–1993 | John Kurtt | 11 | 192–210–0 | .478
1994–1995 | Randy Moore | 2 | 29–35–0 | .453
1996–2022 | Joel Holst | 27 | 761–407–4 | .651
2023 | Casey Chaplin | 1† | 14–21–0 | .400
2024–present | Casey Klunder | 1 | 23–19–0 | .548
Totals  | 5 coaches  | 67 seasons  | 1251–992–4  | .558

† Casey Chaplin served as the interim head coach for the 1 season following the departure of Joel Holst.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Brand Guidlines Wartburg College" (PDF). Retrieved March 22, 2023.
2. ^ "Baseball History Wartburg College Athletics".
3. ^ "NAIA Baseball Championship Records" (PDF). www.naiahonors.com. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
4. ^ Petaros, Nick (May 6, 2017). "College baseball: Wartburg secures third consecutive IIAC title". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
5. ^ Dixon, Jim. "Championships record book". D3baseball.com. D3baseball.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
6. ^ "Wartburg College baseball coach resigns ahead of beginning of season". KWWL. February 24, 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
7. ^ Thompson, Nick (February 24, 2023). "Chaplin named interim Wartburg head baseball coach". Waverly Newspapers. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
8. ^ Coleman, Rick (May 17, 2023). "Casey Klunder to become Wartburg College Head Baseball Coach". KWWL. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
9. ^ Woods, Ben. "Baseball Opens 2024 Season With 12-4 Win". go-knights.net. Wartburg Athletics. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
10. ^ a b "Wartburg Knights Baseball Record Book" (PDF). Wartburg Knights. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
11. ^ "Conference Baseball Tournament History". rollriver.com. American Rivers Conference. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
12. ^ Nelson, Jim (May 13, 2017). "College baseball: Wartburg charges into NCAA tournament". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
13. ^ "MLB Amateur Draft Picks who came from "Wartburg College (Waverly, IA)"". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
14. ^ "ProPlayers from Wartburg". www.baseball-reference.com. Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
15. ^ "Baseball Coaches".

## External links

[edit]

* Official website