Ryan Korolden could’ve ended his college baseball career last season with a finish most college players would be more than happy with. 

But Wayne State’s ace on the mound, even after winning the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year award a year ago as a senior and leading the Warriors to an NCAA Division II Midwest Regional they hosted for the first time, wasn’t satisfied. 

And neither were many of his similar-thinking teammates in the same position, having been granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA due to the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Thus, motivated by further accolades, upperclassman experience and veteran presences (both of which Korolden brings) line the Wayne State baseball roster in 2023. 

And as a result, WSU coach Ryan Kelley sure is glad those who have been around the block a few times have decided to stick around, as the Warriors – with their tight-knit core intact – are in the hunt to potentially make some program history.

“They very easily could’ve moved on and on to their lives after graduation,” Kelley said. “But some of these individuals we’re talking about, they made a decision to come back to continue to be around each other in a winning environment. That’s where the motivation really is. They’re hungry to do everything they can to win for this university and win for this team.”

That hunger, judging by what the Warriors have accomplished this season, hasn’t gone away. If anything, in recent weeks, it’s only rumbled harder. 

Wayne State, which set a program record last season for wins with 37, can (as of Saturday evening) break that benchmark this year before it even reaches its regular-season finale. 

The Warriors are 33-9 overall and top the GLIAC standings with a 19-5 mark in conference play – the latter of which is a very important record, as WSU is looking for its first regular-season conference title since 2010, a stretch that features seven runner-up finishes.

The pitching staff – led by Korolden, a redshirt senior who looks primed to be one of the main favorites for a second straight league Pitcher of the Year honor – has been what Kelley called the “pinnacle” of the Warriors’ team and its successes this season. 

It’s a claim that’s hard to dispute.

Korolden is 7-1 with a 2.24 ERA (the second-best in the GLIAC) in 56 1/3 innings, but WSU’s other main weekend starters (Karter Fitzpatrick and Seth Marano) each hold sub-3.00 ERAs, too. All three are true seniors or older. 

When looping in top contributors from the bullpen, such as Brennan Cox (four saves) and Griffin Kilander (3.44 ERA, 36 2/3 innings), as well, it makes for the GLIAC’s top rotation, based on team ERA. 

#WarriorBSB: Wayne State Baseball Appears in First Edition of NCAA Regional Rankingshttps://t.co/n3lNMCkIhC#ThisIsOurDetroit pic.twitter.com/ULv3HtL3d5

— WSU Athletics (@waynestwarriors) April 26, 2023

Though Korolden is one of the more recognizable names on the squad due to his past honors, he was quick to shout out his fellow hurlers when talking about what makes the Warriors’ pitchers click.

“As far as the staff from top to bottom, we’re pretty deep,” Korolden said. “It’s not only me … you’ve got to have four guys in the rotation who really come and bring it every day. Fitzpatrick has been unreal once again for us, and Seth Marano is making more and more improvements every year … you’re only as good as everyone is. You’ve got to have guys from the top to the bottom, and I feel like we’re a pretty even staff.”

It’s not just the staff that’s helping the Warriors make waves, however. 

Their lineup is among the most productive Kelley has had at WSU since becoming the program’s head coach for the 2009 season, though its best players also share an important trait with the best pitchers – they’re old and grizzled.

Wayne State’s four best hitters all are post-graduate players, classified on the roster as either redshirt seniors or graduate students. 

Chief among them is outfielder Rudy Ramirez, who is amid a career year, slashing .391/.472/.623 with 47 RBIs (all career highs). Pacing right behind him is the graduate trio of Hunter DeLanoy (.361 average, 1.074 OPS), Chris Tanderys (.346, seven home runs and 51 RBIs) and Ryan Foley (.314, 27 RBIs), all of whom have been immense in helping the Warriors have the most runs scored (309 as of Saturday evening) of any school in their league.

As that engine powers its pushes, Wayne State’s unsung heroes are in high regard from its stars, too. 

Freshman Tony Hatzigeorgiou has started 34 games in the infield, junior CJ Maury has stepped up at shortstop and redshirt senior Brett Zimmerman has been a dependable backstop, for instance, and it’s a group Korolden says keeps him at ease when he’s in some trouble.

“We can’t do it without the guys who are out there backing us up … the guys playing behind us are what really drives the train,” Korolden said. “It keeps us all going. Getting down the stretch here, I feel like our experience and the talent and the depth we have are going to push us forward and hopefully take us to that GLIAC title.”

That GLIAC title, by the way, is far from clinched for Wayne State, even with less than a week of games remaining in the regular season.

Davenport is the Warriors’ biggest title rival, and with a four-game series in Detroit between them still left to go next weekend that could act as a title-decider, WSU – scarred by the many near misses over the past decade-plus – can’t get complacent at the wrong time. 

Plus, there’s a single game against Saginaw Valley State on Tuesday (being streamed live on FloBaseball - link above) that can give Wayne State fits, as the Warriors have lost to the Cardinals twice already, after all.

#WarriorBSB: Baseball Drops Series Finale at Saginaw Valley Statehttps://t.co/2dfr2ovCPA pic.twitter.com/EmBFYAE8ze

— WSU Athletics (@waynestwarriors) April 23, 2023

The veteran core of Warrior baseball knows exactly why it’s back for another go-round this year, though. 

A year unlike any in program history is in sight, and with the No. 1 seed in the Division II Midwest Region potentially for the taking with it, perhaps the pressure of making the decision for a follow-up season worth it is exactly what the seasoned names on the roster wanted.

Wayne State baseball is in a good place. But the place it’s got its sights on – past the regional round and beyond – has it believing it’s about time to show that it belongs among the nation’s elites.

“It’s been a big, collective team dynamic,” Kelley said. “It’s been a lot of fun to witness as a coach and (there’s) a lot of pride in this group and these leaders. They’ve set a great tone and example for the underclassmen how to continue to carry the torch forward. (We’re) obviously in the hunt for a championship, but we’ve had a lot of good teams come through and do some special things. Hopefully, this group can continue to lead us in a great direction moving forward.”