Augustana Baseball Dominican Republic Blog

Day 8 - Maddux Baggs

Today is the last day the Augustana baseball team is in the Dominican Republic. We started our day off with some fresh pancakes from the resort, and then headed to the field in Jarabacoa. This field was very interesting to say the least. There was a basketball court in deep right field, and if the ball landed on it, it was a ground rule double. In deep left field there was a smaller baseball field for younger kids, in which you had to hit the ball over that and over another fence in order for it to be a homerun. Despite these obstacles, there was a beautiful sight of the mountains overlooking the field. The game then started, but not before the graceful singing of the national anthem by our very own Michael Jensen. Augustana’s pitching was dominant, led by Tanner Brown, Seth Miller and Jed Schmidt. Jordan Barth countinued to stay hot tallying three more hits today in addition to Jaxon Rosencranz and Bjorn Hanson with inside the park home runs in the 14-1 win over Jarabacoa. The team now has the rest of the day off to relax, swim and watch the Super Bowl while taking in the last of the day at the resort.

Game 5 Recap - Coach Tim Huber

Today featured a game against a mixture of talent from a northern community in the Dominican.  The pitchers mainly threw strikes and they gave a good look for most of the game.  At the end of the day we came away with another win and finished our trip 5-0. The field was the most interesting and had some unique ground rules. Right field was very short as there was a basketball court that ran the length of right field and any ball hit in the basketball court would be a ground rule double. Closer to center, on the right side and deep, the ground rule said you had to play it in the open space that probably went out about 500 feet from home plate. It was a rough field and a great opportunity to see what baseball can be like in different parts of the world. 

The Viking pitchers did a great job of attacking hitters and forcing Jarabacoa to attempt to put the ball in play.  Only 2 walks were issued on the day against 14 strikeouts for Jarabacoa hitters. Only 3 total hits were allowed in a dominant performance from Tanner Brown- 2 inns, Seth Miller- 3 inns, Jed Schmidt- 2 inns, Parker Hanson- 2 inns. Each guy was back out for their second outing on the trip. Only 1 run scored in the 9 innings due to a walk and an error. 

Offensively the Vikings who have had a good week finished with a good game today. Jordan Barth continued his torrid trip with a 3-3 performance including a 2B, stolen base and 3 runs scored. Carter Howell joined Barth with a perfect 5 game hitting streak on the trip with his 1-3 effort today, also scoring 3 runs in the game and another 3 SBs for an impressive 10 total SBs this week. Jaxon Rosencranz had another good game as he scored 2 runs, had 2 hits- both for extra bases, with a 3B and a "HR" (thanks to the deep right center gap) and 3 RBI. Bjorn Hanson came off the bench to drive in two RBI, taking advantage of the ground rules as well with a "HR" and 2B to right center. 

Final score was 14-1 in favor of the Vikings.

The most impressive offensive performance of the week was Jordan Barth with 12 hits in 17 at bats, including 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 4 HRs, 3 SBs, 7 runs, and 10 RBI. Carter Howell had 9 hits in 15 ABs and also scored 7 runs, had 5 RBI and a staggering 10 SBs. Jaxon Rosencranz had 6 hits in 16 ABs, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 5 runs scores, 2 SBs, and 6 RBI. 

Day 7 - Mitch Stroh 

¡Hola desde Jarabacoa! We are spoiled with the resort we are staying at, and got our own beds and bathrooms (which was very different from Boca Chica). The team would agree we all slept great last night and were ready for our first day in the mountains! We began the day with a buffet style breakfast that included pancakes that reminded us of home. Next, we hit the bus for practice and a kids camp. As we arrived at the field, we were welcomed by a wave of friendly ball players excited and ready to play.

During the camp, we separated into four stations which included: throwing drills, ground balls, scrimmage, and a game of hotbox. From what I saw, the scrimmage was a big hit. The kids enjoyed each at-bat they got in the short time they had to play. Personally, I was a part of the throwing drills which quickly turned into catching every kid who wanted to show off their best heater or curveball, this was because I was wearing a catchers mitt. As our time ran out with the kids, they all left with smiles on their faces after the last “AU” breakdown and a morning full of baseball behind them. Even though they were done, most kids stuck around for our entire practice.

With the camp over, it was our turn to get our work in for the day. We warmed up our bodies and played catch quickly before breaking into positions for daily drills. With a lot of young eyes on us, we put our best effort into all the drills and hustled around the field all practice. After the infield took all their ground balls , outfield worked on fly balls in the sun, and catchers made some throws, it was time for big rig Thomas Bruss to throw a bullpen off the game mound. Sure enough, I saw a few Dominican kids with their jaws to the floor when the saw him step up there and throw his heat. Just like that, we were back to the resort for a quick shower and lunch before our afternoon excursion into the mountains.

After we enjoyed a nice buffet lunch, we packed on the bus and headed for the waterfall. As we slowly but surely ascended, we all enjoyed the beautiful views of Jarabacoa and other surrounding cities. After a small bus malfunction, we hopped off and began our hike down the mountain. As we started it was very steep, and Cole and Ford weren’t sure if their knees would hold up for the entire trip. Finally, we arrived at the postcard type waterfall hidden in the mountains. During our time in the water we enjoyed skipping rocks, swimming, climbing, and taking a lot of pictures for Instagram. What felt like 20 minutes was really over two hours and it was time to pack up and hike our way up the mountain. Some of us took 15 minutes to climb back up the trail, others it was not the case, but we all made it back to the bus with a good sweat and some burning calves.

From there we packed back on the bus and headed down the mountain back to the hotel for our last real night in the Dominican Republic. After showering up, we had another amazing meal at the resort. Everyone laid low after dinner: some guys played cards, some enjoyed desserts, some tried getting a head start on journals and essays, some had conversations about the trip, and even a bit of karaoke run by Jordan. As we wind down on the trip, we are all humbled by what we have seen the game of baseball do for an entire population. One more game to make it a 5-0 trip, and then back to Sioux Falls for the season!

Day 6 - Will Olson

Friday was filled with travel for us. We woke up early to check out of the complex that we called home for the first several days. I’m sure the team can agree with me that we will definitely miss the complex, but we are also more than ready to check into a resort. The complex had two bedrooms so everyone had to sleep with about 30 roommates. This was tough at first but we made the most of it. 

On the way to the resort, we drove through Santo Domingo. The city even had an IKEA. As we got to the northern side of Santo Domingo, we started seeing mountains. The beginning of our bus ride featured the ocean and coconut trees. The mountains down here are gorgeous. 

We made a pit stop to take a tour of the Alta Gracia clothing factory. It was about halfway to our resort and in the mountains. One of the unique things about the factory is that there are shirts from the factory in the Augustana bookstore. The factory is known for paying its workers a living wage based on where the employees live. They hope to set the bar for other factories in developing countries. 

Finally, we checked into the Resort in Jarabacoa. We are VERY spoiled. We each get our own beds, which is a major change from our last housing arrangements. We slept in bunk beds with about 30 guys in a room. We get our queen beds and bathrooms with a walk in shower. There is a pool to swim and a river that we can go in. The resort is located in a forest deep in the mountains. I could get used to staying here.

Day 5 - Parker Hanson

On day 5 of our Dominican trip we headed to the Hiroshima Carp Academy to play one 9 inning game against a talented team. We played our most sound game and came out victorious 7-5. The game was highlighted by Caleb Saari pitching 4 scoreless innings. We are now 4-0 on the trip as we prepare to leave in the morning to head to Jarabacoa for the last few days of the trip and final game!

Today we also went to the local supermarket to do a price comparison for some food items and basic necessities. It opened our eyes to the poverty level and how difficult it is for Dominicans to afford to support their family. The exchange rate at the market was $1 USD for $45 pesos. There was also an additional 18% tax on all items compared to the 4.5% in South Dakota. The average income here is $2 an hour whereas the average income in South Dakota is $23 an hour. Each person purchased an item of food that we have never heard of before to give it a try, I recommend the candy!

People were dealing with some sunburn issues from yesterday’s beach day as it was clear where each one of us missed applying sun screen. Stomach issues continued but for the most part it seems we are adjusting to the new food, or learning to avoid the food that creates issues to begin at least. 

With some off time at night, guys continued to play hackysack and enjoy the beautiful nighttime weather. Overall, day 5 was a fun day and we’re all excited to experience a new part of the island!

Game 4 Recap - Coach Tim Huber

The 4th game of the trip was against the Hiroshima Carp at their complex in San Pedro De Macaris. The Carp were coached by Andres Thomas, former Atlanta Braves SS from the late 80s.  The players were mostly mid 20s in age and all Dominican prospects working their way to play in the Japanese major league.  They were very physical and talented players.

Augustana got on the board first in the top of the first inning on a 2 run double off the bat of Jaxon Rosencranz.  It was one of 3 1st inning hits for the Vikings.  Despite quite a few swing and misses in the game and 13 Viking strikeouts, the team was able to total 10 hits on the day. Rosencranz added a 2nd double and also narrowly missed a HR (even though the fly-out was the farthest ball hit on the day). Jordan Barth and Carter Howell both continued to swing a hot bat on the trip, hitting safely in their 4th consecutive game. Barth had two hits, including and important RBI triple in the 9th. Howell had the most impressive day going 4-5 against good pitching. He added 2 more SBs to his weekly total, leading the team with 7 in just 4 games. To cap off the game Howell drove in Barth in the 9th for his 4th hit and 2nd RBI. 

The Viking pitchers looked impressive against a very free swinging and talented Carp line-up. Josh Olson, Caleb Saari, Caleb Stratmoen, and Jared Campbell combined for 9 innings of 4 hit baseball. Each guy threw well and it was especially good to see Olson start and give 3 strong innings and then 4 scoreless innings from true freshman Saari. Saari allowed just 1 hit in his relief appearance and struck out 4 Carp hitters. A few Vikings errors made it interesting,  especially in the 9th when the potential last out was thrown away to allow the tying runners to move to 2nd and 3rd. Campbell was able to get a strikeout to end the game and the Vikings remain perfect on their Dominican trip, defeating the Carp by the score of 7-5.  

Next game for the Vikings will be on the final day of the trip, Sunday. They venture to the northern part of the island the next couple days and will play a group of local ball players in Jarabacoa.

Day 4 - Bridger Bunnell

Today we all woke up about 7 and rolled out of bed to a breakfast of eggs, plantains, pound cake, and juice. At 7:45 we piled on the bus and had an hour and a half bus ride to get to the south west part of the island. Our tour guide Rafael made sure to keep us informed of some of the history we were driving past as well as some of the rules such as “we are all a big family stay together as a family.” As soon as we got off the bus we were immediately besieged by vendors trying to sell us everything from hats, to waterproof bags, to cigars. 

While we waited for our boats to come pick us up a guy walked over and started handing around a couple of iguanas for people to hold, which was a big hit with everybody until after they had held the iguanas, the guy who brought them over informed everybody they owed him money for letting them hold the iguanas. A couple of boats then came and ferried everybody out to a large catamaran. Once everybody was on the boat we set sail and hung out in the sun and had a good time. We played cards, danced and soaked up the sun. 

The entire ride was through gorgeous waters and unbelievable beaches. After about and hour and a half after that we got to the sanoa island and it was like a dream. It had perfect white beaches, palm trees, hammocks and crystal clear water. I heard somebody say it was ranked as one of the top beaches in the world, I’m not sure how true that is but I wouldn’t doubt it. Everybody had a blast, a lot of guys bought jewelry or souvenirs from vendors that were wandering the beach. Guys played catch in the water with a football or frisbee and some played hackey sack and volleyball.

 After spending a couple of hours on the beach we took boats out to a sandbar where we all had fun hanging out in the water together. After that it was just a boat ride back to the bus where we were once again besieged by vendors trying to sell us stuff. On the bus, most of the team was passed out asleep because we were all exhausted from being in the sun all day. When we got back it was a dinner of pasta, bread and pound cake. We had a low key evening and went to bed early to get ready for our game tomorrow morning. 

Day 3 - Seth Miller

On day three of our trip to the Dominican Republic we had the first taste of sickness, a couple guys woke up in the middle of the night to some... well... digestive issues. Some guys also weren’t feeling well in the morning but things are getting better. After the morning BP session we got on the bus to go play a double header against Delfines. The games were played in an extremely brand new environment, the field was in the middle of a city with houses and buildings all around us. Locals came from around the area, whether they were behind home plate, on their roof overlooking left field, or on their balconies just past the right field fence. Kids would run on and off the field and were waiting to play when we were done. Someone a couple of streets down got a fresh souvenir in the third inning of game one when Mitch Stroh’s bat broke and the barrel got sent over the houses down the third base line. Music and announcers were going all game, something none of us had experienced before. 

We won our first game by a score of 5-3. Jordan Barth led the hitting attack, going 2-3 with 2 Home Runs and 4 RBI’s. On the Mound, Jed Schmidt went 2 2/3 innings, giving up 1 run with a couple of strikeouts. A lot of the players on the team, position guys and pitchers, had played in the Minor Leagues. 

After the first game, we were bussed through the city where we were able to go to a local restaurant for the first time on our trip. The restaurant was located directly on the Caribbean Sea, we actually sat on a dock with the water underneath us, a couple of the players cozied up in the hammocks off the side of the deck and got some very much needed rays (@michaeljensen). Plantains and a rice, chicken and bean soup were brought to our tables. A lot of the guys enjoyed the meal along with a couple scoops of ice cream for dessert. It was an amazing experience being able to immerse ourselves in the Dominican culture a little more.

In our second game of the day we defeated the Delfines again by a score of 7-5. The group was tired but we were still able to come out with a win. Jordan decided that he wasn’t gonna stop hitting home runs, with two more in this game. On the mound we had a lot of guys come back for their first appearance in over a year. It was good to see some guys be able to throw healthy again. 

After the game we hopped back on the bus and headed towards the academy. On the way we were given some more vanilla wafers, which are an extreme fan favorite on this trip to go along with Pringle’s and PB&J’s. We ate dinner and exchanged our uniforms in to get washed. After the dinner the guys all hung out around the complex, whether it was playing hackysack, cribbage, or just sitting outside in some lawn chairs, these are the moments where we truly get to bond as a team. 

Tomorrow is our day off baseball where we will be heading to an island just off of the southeast coast of Hispaniola. It’s the day that everyone has been waiting for and I think it will be great to get some rest and enjoy some more local culture.

Games 2 & 3 Recap - Coach Tim Huber

Day two of games was a bit of a mixed bag but ended with two more wins for the Vikings. Some good, some bad, and one impressive offensive performance would sum up the doubleheader.

The Vikings were playing the Delfines in Boca Chica, about a 15 minute drive from the complex they are staying at. The team was made up of mostly former professional players (for game 1). Opposing pitchers for game one were definitely accustomed to game action and had a more veteran presence, compared to the young Ranger hopefuls from the day before.  Approximate age of most of the players were low to mid 20s.

Game one was very competitive and a well played and pitched game by both teams.  For the Vikings on the mound Jed Schmidt started and pitched very well and efficiently for 2 1/3 innings. Were it not a situation where the Vikings wanted to get some pitchers some work he would have continued deeper into the game. At the back end of the game, true freshman Bridger Bunnell came in and worked 1 1/3 inns of spotless relief to earn the save and finish off a 5-3 Augustana win. 

On the offensive side of the ball hits were hard to come by. Riley Johnson scored 2 runs, reaching base 3 times, 2 via walk along with a single and SB. Jaxon Rosencratz had an RBI single and Carter Howell a 2B. The other 2 hits in the game were the difference as Jordan Barth hit two 2 run HRs to account for 4 of the 5 runs scored in the Vikings win.

Game two would be a different game as most of the players who played in game 1 did not participate in the night cap. Enter some younger players (for both the Vikings and Delfines). The crispness and clean play of game 1 did not carry over. One veteran Viking who remained in game 2 line up, junior Jordan Barth, was the story of the day. He continued his torrid day at the plate with a long ball in each of his first two plate appearances.  Even the home crowd and opposing players on the field had admiration for the show. High fives were presented, certainly a rarity, as Barth rounded the bases following his 4th HR of the day. All in total, Barth finished the DH 5-6 at the plate, his lone out, a line out to 2B. His four homeruns and 8 RBI accounted for 8 of the 12 total team runs on the day. 

Game two would see 7 other Vikings collect 1 hit a piece including Carter Howell who also stole 3 bases in the game (and has hit safely in each game so far on the trip, along with Barth). The game was littered with mistakes by both teams. In addition, both pitching staffs allowed free runners with the Vikings issuing 9 walks and 2 hit batters and Delfines 9 walks and 2 hit batters. Final score was Augustana 7 Delfines 5. Jasper Elfrink started on the mound and was one bright spot for the staff and he dominated the young Define hitters over his two inning stint with 4 Ks and 0 hits, allowing just one base runner via walk. 

Next game is Thursday vs. Hiroshima Carp at 10am local time.

Day 2 - Ryan Nickel

Day two on our trip gave us our first opportunity to play a game this year. We woke up and went to the field to do our pre game warm up.  We were playing on a brand new field located at another academy right behind ours. It was the Texas Rangers academy and had multiple fields and cages for the players who practice there. The team we played was the Texas Rangers Dominican League team.  All of the position players have been signed to the Rangers including multiple players having signed 2 million dollar deals. Their pitchers were having a tryout so the ones we faced were not signed. 

The game was a great experience and a fun way to start the season. Playing potential major league players is always a little intimidating but our team did a great job against them. We won the game 13-6 and enjoyed playing on a nice field.

After the game we went back to our academy and changed quick before we got on a bus to go to a local village to paint two houses. We arrived in a small and extremely poor village. Walking through the village was a very eye opening experience for most of the team. Seeing the way these people lived everyday was very saddening.  The kids around the village enjoyed our company and followed us around, taking an interest in us. Our team painted the houses bright pink and the owners were very grateful. We were glad to have been able to help out their community.  

When we arrived back to the facility we are staying in, the Dominican hosts that stay with us wanted to play a game of baseball on the field. We played a few innings and had a great time messing around with them. After dinner we had free time to do what we wanted. 

This day was an amazing experience that we will never forget. Playing our first game and helping those in need made it a successful and fun day. 

Game 1 Recap - Coach Tim Huber

Today was day 1 of games on the Augustana Baseball DR trip and it was a pretty good showing. The team faced the Texas Rangers at their newer complex, a few long toss throws away from where the team is staying (an old Cleveland Indians complex) . The players faced were a mixture of players in the Rangers current minor league system (position players) and some young Dominican guys (pitchers) trying to earn a contract. The position players were pretty talented and a couple big signing bonus guys (who have played Rookie ball or Class A in the US). The pitchers were obviously young and their lack of experience showed most of the game.  

At the end Augustana came out on the positive side of things with a 13-6 unofficial score. Score being unofficial because in 5 of the 9 innings the Ranger pitchers didnt actually record a 3rd out. They rolled their guys off the field and ended each of those 5 innings after a certain number of pitchers. The Vikings saw a new pitcher each inning and few of them were effective with throwing strikes and keeping guys from taking bases. Total walks for the Vikings were 9, HBP at 5, and a total of 13 stolen bases for the Vikings. It was an impressive display on the base paths. Total team hits tallied were 10 with 3 going for extra bases. (Note: Playing with wood bats this entire trip)

A few offensive highlights include 2 hit games for Sam Baier, Jordan Barth, Carter Howell, and JT Mix. Barth and Baier each had 2Bs and stole 2 and 3 bases respectively.  Freshman Maddux Baggs worked a bases loaded walk in his first AB off the bench and excited the dugout in the 9th inning with a 3 run HR that hit the cap on the top of the LF fence and bounced over. 

On the defensive side the game was played pretty clean and seven pitchers saw action on the day. Seth Miller led the way with 3 inns and 3 Ks, allowing no runs (and technically getting the W). Caleb Stratmoen worked 2 hitless innings striking out 2 batters. 

The Vikings are back in action tomorrow morning for a 7/7 DH vs. Delfines starting at 10am local time.  

Day 1 - Riley Johnson

To say that we have an accessible field to use would be an understatement. When we woke up after a short night, we had a quick breakfast, walked out the door, and we had our own field(s) right there in our own backyard with batting cages and everything we needed.

Soon after practice, we headed to a field in town where we held a kids clinic. The kids were a blast, all so excited to play, and all enjoying talking to us (or at least *trying* to communicate between our English and their Spanish). Having a pair of sunglasses seemed to be golden to the kids, who always wanted to try on (and had to be convinced they weren’t allowed to keep) the different sunglasses. The kids responded similarly to hats and gloves. The energy we brought, and got from the kids was amazing.

We then got a tour around a colonial zone and got a Spanish history lesson from our tour guide on the colonization of the Dominican, and some of the more recent history of the area. We visited a Spanish fort, and walked around town, and also saw an old chapel, which was extremely nice, we even had to remove our hats before entering.

Our last event of the day was a big baseball game in town… basically the World Series of the Dominican. This game was easily the most electric baseball game any of us had ever attended. Everyone waving flags and standing and cheering (and I mean REALLY cheering with all the energy they could put together) for everything positive that happened, whether it be an out for the other team or a run scored for the home team. 

To end day 1, we had supper as a team back at our academy home, and got to lay low and head to bed and prepare for our first game tomorrow.

Day 0 - Riley Johnson 

After a long day of traveling, including a nine hour layover in Atlanta with a practice at Georgia State and a hike afterwards, we finally landed in the Dominican Republic. We got a bus to ride to the academy where we are staying, had a quick sandwich meal, and made it to our sleeping arrangements, everyone is bunking together in two big rooms. It was well after midnight. 

And bonus: there are a couple dogs at the academy!

Augustana Baseball Set for Preseason Trip to Dominican Republic

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The reigning NSIC Champion Augustana Vikings baseball team will begin the 2020 season in the Dominican Republic as part of a baseball and study abroad trip. The Vikings depart Saturday and return to Sioux Falls on Monday, Feb. 3. 

The class that most of the student-athletes are taking during the J-Term period is called: Dominican Republic: Development, Ethics, and Baseball. Professor Stephen Minister will accompany the Vikings on the trip.

"This is the second time we have had a chance to take a team on a foreign trip.," head coach Tim Huber said. "The first, Nicaragua in 2015, was an amazing and eye opening experience for our players. We talk a lot about how there is more to it than baseball and this is a great chance for them to fully experience a way of life different than they know.

"The great thing is that it is still a baseball centered trip and we will have a chance to practice and play while learning more about what life looks like for those less fortunate. Hopefully a great deal of perspective can be gained by each of our guys during our break from the cold of the midwest!"

Augustana will be staying at a former Cleveland Indians complex and is scheduled to play a total of five games, including a group of Texas Rangers minor leaguers.

• Jan. 27 - Game 1 vs. Texas Rangers minor leaguers
• Jan. 28 - Games 2 & 3 vs. Delfines
• Jan. 30 - Game 4 vs. Carp
• Feb. 2   - Game 5 vs. Jarabacoa

Fans can follow the Vikings trip on GoAugie.com which will have updates, pictures, game information and more.

The Vikings followed up their national championship season with a  2019 campaign that saw them go 43-16 with an NSIC regular-season championship, NSIC tournament championship and NCAA Central Regional Championship.

After returning to the U.S., the Vikings will play their first regular season game on Feb. 8 in Monticello, Arkansas, against the Boll Weevils of Arkansas Monticello.

-- GoAugie.com --