Photo by Iowa Central Athletics: Sam Sejnoha has been one of Iowa Central's top hitters to date.

The junior college baseball season can be divided into three stages, and as a veteran of the sport, Eric Stein is well aware.

Stein’s No. 14 Iowa Central squad recently completed what may be considered the “preseason” portion of he schedule, going an impressive 21-1 in non-conference games while scoring 320 runs.

On Friday at Rogers Park, the Tritons started the second part of the grind with the beginning of ICCAC play against Des Moines Area Community College.

The start of the series was moved up a day from its original date at Rogers Park, as Iowa Central opened the three-game set with a 14-6 win. The two will square off again on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

While Stein was pleased with the strong start to the year after winning 21 of 22 overall, game one on Friday had added importance given what opponents like the Bears, No. 5 Kirkwood, eighth-ranked Southeastern and others have to offer.

“It was good because (the first 22 games) allowed us to play a lot of different guys and gain valuable experience,” Stein said. “We were able to evaluate what they could do in-game and build through that.

“We scored a lot of runs and did a lot of nice things, but we struggled for a bit with consistency. I guess that’s to be expected with a young group.”

In the win over DMACC, Iowa Central plated runs in seven of the eight innings they came to bat, including three frames with three runs each. Sam Sejnoha continued his strong week with two home runs. Sawyer Stein, Ben Jones, Mitch Seykora and Parker Studtmann each went deep.

George McIntyre, Tate Perrin, Sejnoha, Jones, Studtmann and Seykora each had two hits, with McIntyre, Studtmann and Seykora all scoring three runs. Stein drove in three and Jones stole two bases.

Isaiah Brennan came on in relief, striking out 10 over five-plus innings of work, allowing just three hits, one earned run and walking one.

“Isaiah really was big for us, coming in and pitching as well as he has all year,” Stein said. “We struggled early but we put it together after a first couple of innings (vs. DMACC).”

The preseason coaches poll placed Southeastern first ahead of Iowa Central, Kirkwood, the Bears and Northeast. The Tritons won the regional tournament last year by taking a three-game set from Southeastern — the regular-season titleist.

“It’s once again a deep league with a lot of really good players,” Stein said. “Anybody can beat anybody on any given day, so you have to show up all the time ready to go.”

Iowa Central went on to reach the semifinals of the NJCAA World Series last spring, finishing with 48 wins overall. Stein, in his eighth season, has helped the program post 40-plus victories in each of the last three years.

While over 300 innings and seven positional players were lost, aces Carter Giesen and Maddux Gast return having both won nine games last year. Giesen recorded 82 strikeouts in 2025, and Gast had 49.

Gast and Giesen are both 7-0 so far with just seven earned runs allowed in 35 innings pitched. Brennan, a sophomore, has 31 strikeouts to lead the staff, while Maddox Sullivan has three complete games and a perfect 3-0 record.

Stein is one of the key returning position players, as the first baseman slugged nine homers last year with 45 RBI. McIntyre transferred in from NIACC, where he hit 15 home runs.

McIntyre has picked right up where he left off, hitting over .500 with 14 home runs and 46 runs scored already this season before the DMACC series. Stein is also batting .500 with eight homers, 10 doubles and a pair of triples.

Freshmen Perrin and Wyatt Myers are hitting over .460 as well.

Perrin and Bryson Carpenter have double-digit home run totals already, and have also stolen a combined 23 bases.

“Sawyer, Bryson and George have been through the ICCAC and understand what it takes to compete at this level,” Stein said. “Kids like Tate that come from a winning (high school) program, they know what the expectations are, and I feel like we have a good amount of those kids.”

Former Eagle Grove standout Jake Jeske is part of the rotation behind the plate, while ex-Fort Dodge Dodger Royce Pederson is working at both first base and as a pitcher.

Stein will be assisted by Jake Astor, Korey Kuhlmann, Walker Gentz and Ryley Kozisek.

The Region 11 Tournament is scheduled for May 7-10 in Carroll from Merchants Park. The NJCAA World Series takes place in Enid, Okla. later that month.