By: Mark Reinhiller
Learn More About Athletics at COD
College of DuPage’s magical ride from its baseball program turned heads and gained attention in the latter half of the 2024 season.A trip to the NJCAA Division III World Series was the product for the Chaps, who finished fourth in the country. Along the way, COD (33-18 overall) built a winning streak of 15 games entering World Series play and finished the year by winning 26 of its final 31 games.
The Chaps made just their third World Series appearance and their first since finishing fourth in 1993. They captured the Region 4 title for the first time in 22 seasons and advanced to the World Series by routing Region 12 foe Terra State 16-0 and 13-2 for the NJCAA Great Lakes District Championship.
Quite a turnaround, indeed, for a club that sat 7-13 overall after dropping the first game of a doubleheader at Bryant and Stratton College on April 13.
“It might sound simple, but if you asked everyone on our club, success came down to learning how to play together as a team,” Interim Head Coach Matt Gould said. “We needed our focus completely on taking care of our jobs, and not worrying about our opponent or anything else. At the plate and on the mound, we harped on being consistent within the strike zone. Swinging at good pitches with quality at-bats and making quality pitches and getting ahead of hitters.”
The maturation of the club did not go unnoticed during World Series play. Besides finishing fourth, the Chaps were honored with the tourney’s sportsmanship award.
During COD’s four games, Region 4 administrator Wally Reynolds, who also is a member of the Division III baseball committee, said COD’s positive demeanor during tourney play did not unnoticed.
“Matt and the coaching staff and their players conducted themselves well all week,” he said.
Reynolds said how the Chaparrals took notice of U.S. veterans in attendance during the Memorial Day weekend stood out. It marked the third straight year a Region 4 program won the award.
Standout play kept the Chaparrals alive, and they had their share, but perhaps none bigger than freshman outfielder Joe Pender. The Lemont native, who played in just five games through the first month of the season, got his chance to start in left field and he and the Chaps never let up.
He finished the season hitting a team-high .432 (48 for 111) and in those 30 starts, COD went 25-5.
Gould said Pender’s preparation that made the difference.
“His approach just wasn’t effective,’’ he said. “Once he cleaned up his swing and made those changes he took off.”
Maturation made a difference, too.
“I stopped worrying about the previous at-bat,’’ Pender said. “I just wanted to go out there and play. I didn’t think about a poor at-bat. I moved on, forgot about and I just wanted to play.”
COD opened the season with 30 freshmen and started five first-year players (LF Pender, CF Michael Morgan, 3B Vinny Spotofora, SS Hudson Williams and 1B Mark Mennecke with DH Jack Wade).
The Chaps’ top three starters — RHP’s A.J. McEneany, Eddie Scaccia and Aidan Pieniazek — also are freshmen.
“It’s super cool how family, friends and others followed us when we got rolling,” Pender said. “We started slow and got on an insane run and got to the series. It’s the most fun I’ve had playing baseball.”