PASADENA, Calif. — Exciting finishes, monumental victories and a laundry list of school records defined the 2023 season for the Caltech baseball team, who elevated their game to a new level after posting a number of impressive seasons the last several years.

This spring's group achieved eight impressive wins, making it the fourth time in the past five complete seasons that the Beavers have reached at least eight victories in a single season. The program has won one or more conference game every season since 2017 — excluding 2021, in which no baseball was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the direction of head coach Kevin Whitehead, the 2023 squad achieved the second-most conference wins in one season since 1973.

The group grabbed their first victory on Feb. 4 as the team took on the Sea Beggars of Providence Christian College in a neutral site doubleheader. The Beavers earned a thrilling 6-5 walk-off in Game 2 after sophomore catcher Edward Speer connected for an RBI single.

Senior center fielder Will Dembski recorded three runs over the course of the two games, earning four RBIs and three hits – two of which were home runs. Sophomore right fielder Thorsen Kristufek strung together three doubles among his four hits.

Caltech would top Occidental College 8-6 in a home matchup later in the month in what was the Beavers' first conference series of the season. It was a historic win for the program, who had not topped the Tigers in 50 years.

Back-to-back-to-back singles from sophomore shortstop Jack Fishel, senior left fielder Jack Warren and Kristufek in the first inning would put the Beavers on the board, before a bases-loaded walk scored Fishel. A ball put in play by junior third baseman Gautam Chawla scored Kristufek to make it a 3-1 game.

Oxy would re-take the lead in the third inning, though this would soon change in the bottom of the frame as Fishel rocketed a ball over the left field wall for a three-run home run — his first four-bagger of the season.

The Tigers would tie the game up at 6-6, but the Beavers scored two more runs in the eighth. Occidental was unable to score in the ninth as Dembski showed his stuff on the mound, recording the final three outs – including two strikeouts. The team recorded 14 hits to Oxy's nine; Fishel and Warren led the game with three a piece.

The group would make it back-to-back wins in its next game as Caltech defeated Southern California Leadership University, 5-2, in another home clash. Five different Beavers logged a hit in the game's seven innings; Chawla registered the game's lone double.

The Beavers would log yet another victory as the squad hosted Nebraska Wesleyan to open March. The Beavers recorded 14 hits – one shy of their season-high – en route to the 11-6 win. Highlighting the contest was Warren's grand slam in the seventh inning to blow the game open. First-year RHP Brendan Flaherty picked up the win; the newcomer let up just two earned runs and struck out six batters in his five innings of work.

The crew would descend on Kino Sports Complex a few weeks later as the group competed at the Tucson Invitational in Arizona. There, they faced the Norse of Luther College in what can be described as a barrage of offense; Beavers poured in 18 runs to Luther's eight to earn the massive victory. The Beavers' 18 runs were the most scored against an NCAA opponent in program history. Six different Caltech batters recorded at least two hits in the matchup.

The team would earn two wins across three days between Mar. 28 and Apr. 1, with the first victory coming against the Flames of Bethesda University at home. A monster seven-run first inning for the Beavers proved too overpowering for the guests as Caltech nabbed the 11-5 win. Warren logged an incredible six RBIs — the most of any Beaver this year — with four coming by way of a grand slam.

Four days later, the team scored a monumental victory over Pomona-Pitzer in yet another home matchup, with the Beavers limiting the visitors to just one run – a season's best for the squad – in the 5-1 win.

Flaherty posted one of his strongest games on the mound, dominating the Sagehens with an impressive carousel of pitches. The Rhode Island native let up just three hits and one earned run in 7.0 innings pitched; he struck out five total batters. Dembski pitched the final two innings, letting up no hits and no runs as the Beavers secured the victory. At the plate, Caltech connected on eight hits; Warren smashed another home run and led the way in RBIs, with three.

The Beavers hosted Whittier College later in April in what was a huge win for Caltech, who got out ahead early and kept pouring on the runs throughout the game. The scoreboard read 10-2 by the end of the contest, making it three straight wins for the Beavers over the Poets going back to 2022.

Beyond the victory itself, it was also a massive day for the program as Warren broke Caltech's all-time single-season hits record. In the sixth inning, the star launched a deep shot that one-hopped the fence for a ground-rule double. Warren would ultimately finish the year with 61 hits, smashing the existing record of 46. He also graduates with the single-season doubles record (19), set this year.

History was also made in 2023 by Dembski, who broke the career home runs record, with 20 – a number achieved after playing in just two full seasons of baseball due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite playing so many fewer games than usual, the Iowa native still topped the existing record of 17 set in 1986.

It was not the only piece of history for Dembski, who tied the program's single-season home run record (10), set by himself one season ago. Additionally, the standout destroyed the single-season runs record (43), topping the previous mark of 29 set again by himself last season. The slugger's 59 hits were the second-most in one season in Caltech history; he comes in second only to teammate Warren, who beat Dembski out by two hits to grab the record. Dembski finishes the year with a .404 batting average, 30 RBIs and a .705 slugging percentage. On the mound, he sported an ERA of 3.60 and a W-L record of 2-0. He earned First Team All-SCIAC and All-Region honors for his phenomenal play and was named Sportsperson and Athlete of the Year at Caltech's Student-Athlete Celebration.

As a team, 2023's group broke a host of single-season program records, including: highest batting average (.273), most hits (357), most home runs (28), most doubles (77), most runs (207), most RBIs (185) and most total bases (528). On the mound, the crew collectively logged the most strikeouts on opposing batters (208); in the field, they recorded their most-ever put-outs (949).

The program will graduate four seniors but will welcome back a plethora of returners as the team takes on the 2024 campaign. Stay tuned for an official newcomer and schedule release later this summer.

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