Carolina University’s baseball team opened its 2026 home season with a doubleheader against IU Columbus at Mando Field in Mocksville, North Carolina. The Bruins split the series, dropping the first game but winning the second, which marked Associate Head Coach Logan Conklin’s first career win.
In Game One, IU Columbus defeated Carolina University 14-11 in a high-scoring contest that featured a combined 25 runs and 24 hits. Danny Gonzalez gave the Bruins an early lead with a three-run home run in the first inning. Gonzalez finished the game with three home runs and seven RBIs. Ben Gambrell contributed two hits and scored three times, while Alexis Fontanez had multiple hits and drove in a run. Despite scoring in several innings, Carolina could not overcome IU Columbus’ five-run seventh inning.
The Bruins responded in Game Two with a 10-2 victory. After falling behind early, Carolina took control in the second inning by scoring four runs. Contributions came from Gonzalez and strong base running by Chandler Smithart and DJ Biggers. The offense continued to add runs through solo home runs by Fontanez, Leland Brown, and Randy De Maio. Smithart led the team with two hits and three runs scored.
Carolina’s pitching improved after the first inning of Game Two, limiting IU Columbus to four hits for the rest of the game. This performance secured Conklin his first win as part of the coaching staff.
“It was special to pick up my first win, but I’m even more proud of how our guys responded. After a tough first game, they came back locked in, played clean baseball, and competed the way we know we’re capable of. This was a great step forward for our group at home,” said Associate Head Coach Logan Conklin.
The Carolina University Bruins Baseball Team competes in both conference and non-conference games during their season as listed on their official website. The team is based in Bexley, Ohio; it is part of NCAA Division III athletics and belongs to the Ohio Athletic Conference [source]. The program emphasizes balancing academics with athletics for student-athletes while contributing to its university’s athletic tradition [source].
