Baseball's Dominican Republic Immersion, Album 2
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 the Little Giants’ second game of the trip, Dec. 18 vs. the D.R. Navy at Marina, as well as a house painting project in Guyabo.
Local children were always present. Here, Ben Henke shares a greeting.
Bradley Gilliam keeps his eye on the ball as Even Neukam watches.
The A.R.D. (Armada de Republica Dominicana) starter readies for action.
Caleb Ellspermann views the action.
Drew Neidig gets some advice from Head Coach Jake Martin.
Will Phillips was the Wabash lead-off hitter.
Assistant Coach Caleb Fenimore in the first-base coaching box.
Jarrod Kirsch warms for his start in the bullpen.
Phillips takes a swing.
Assistant Coach Cesar Barrientos in the third-base coaching box.
Pitching Coach Mac Lozer preps Kirsch for the mound.
Jimmy Hawksworth unleashes a throw across the diamond.
Martin makes a point.
Catcher Miles Cvelbar gives a sign.
The bullpens are always packed.
Cvelbar receives a pitch.
Kirsch delivers a pitch.
Finn Randolph takes a contemplative moment.
Cvelbar in the box.
Martin shares a thought.
Neidig makes the throw to first baseman Coby Stephens.
Hawksworth readies in the box.
Aidan McConnell delivers a warm-up pitch.
Outfielder Carson Vlcan awaits a pitch.
McConnell delivers a pitch.
Barrientos holds court near the dugout.
Cvelbar talks with Lozer.
Phillips (12) and Barrientos talk at first base.
Neidig follows through.
Coby Stephens with a swing.
Martin chats with his staff.
Parker Smith readies at third base.
McConnell delivers a pitch.
Stephens readies for the pitch.
Phillips makes the catch in center field.
Stephens at the end of an inning.
Fenimore (facing camera) and Barrientos chat between innings.
Tanner Turnpaugh delivers.
Henke enjoys a moment in the sun.
Turnpaugh follows through.
Will Wallace defends at first base.
Nathan Brumfield
Martin confers with Lozer.
Grant Fakel awaits a pitch.
Hawksworth engages.
WIll Fremion makes contact.
Gilliam greets a fan.
Trey Pitcock delivers.
Pitcock's follow through.
Gilliam shares a laugh with Caleb Ellsperman.
Jackson Fronek enters the contest.
Fronek delivers the pitch.
Fronek is greeted by teammates after ending the inning.
Henry Birk toes the rubber.
Zach Bielecki is hit by a pitch.
Brumfield takes a swing.
At the house painting site, players are readied by Dominican Baseball Camp Tour Director Sam LeBeau.
Rhys Anderson receives paint from a Dominican Baseball Camp staffer.
Trey Pitcock adds some blue paint.
Everyone pitched in on the painting duties.
Some spots required quite a reach.
Turnpaugh adds some white paint.
Zach Bielecki was meticulous with his brush.
Barrientos (left) and Martin work on one of the home's front columns.
Many hands make short work.
One of the neighbor's hogs surveys the activity.
Aidan McConnell enjoys the work.
Concentration was the key to a smooth finish.
Matthew Manzuk (right) checks on a teammate's progress.
Martin was a picture of concentration.
Luke Mayer surveys his work.
Anderson paints deliberately.
Camden Scheidt contributes.
Pitcock pays rapt attention.
Fenimore paints on the front porch.
Bielecki moved his brush to the upper levels.
Jackson Woehr found enjoyment in the work.
Lozer assesses the group's progress.
Grant Stratton adds some blue to the upper reaches of the home.
Miles Williams adds a few finishing touches.
Jackson Fronek carefully applies a coat of blue.
Nick Wangler gets advice from a teammate.
Braeden Bryant paints the window trim.
The home owner was present during the work.
Bielecki puts in the extra effort to finish the job well.
Lozer and Michael Galanos (near) add a few final strokes of the brush.
A group photo once painting is complete.
A moasic on one of the buildings at the team hotel in Boca Chica.