After shattering a school record in wins last season, the 2015 Truman baseball team raised the bar to new heights during the most historic season to date in program history.

Coach Dan Davis’ squad won nine more games than the year before (35), finished above .500 for the fourth time in program history and first time since 1982 (35-22), earned a spot in the 48-team NCAA Division II national tournament, and swept through the Midwest regional to earn a trip to Cary, N.C., and the Division II College World Series.

The Bulldogs raced out of the gate winning 11 of their first 13 games, including a four-game sweep over the defending national champion, the University of Southern Indiana. The two losses came against Division I opponent the University of Missouri and a one-run loss to the University of Illinois-Springfield.

The early season success coupled with a strong GLVC West division schedule earned the Bulldogs a spot in the NCAA Midwest regional tournament for another first in program history. Truman was the fourth seed in the tournament and was the only team to run the table and go undefeated, finishing off Ashland (Ohio) in the championship game 6-3 to earn the trip to the World Series.

In Cary, the team was treated to first-class facilities at the USA Baseball Training Complex. A high-profile banquet took place on the floor of the RBC Arena, the home of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League, and the team participated in a community engagement project with The Miracle League of the Triangle.

When games restarted, the Bulldogs lost 3-1 in an 11-inning dogfight to Mercyhurst (Pa.) in the opening game, then fell 13-2 to the No. 8 team in the nation, Cal Poly Pomona, in an elimination game.

Six Bulldogs earned All-GLVC honors with pitcher Kent Frantz earning GLVC Freshman of the Year accolades. He was joined on the first team by seniors Paul Trenhaile and Jarod Hahn, while seniors Zak Larkin and Cody Gardner, along with freshman Brendan Trimble, were named to the second team.

Frantz and Gardner led the team and broke the single-season pitching wins record with nine apiece. Trenhaile nabbed all-region honors and wrapped up his career as Truman’s leader in hits (235) and RBIs (129).