Cedarville University Men's Baseball

Matt Richter has been the baseball head coach at Cedarville University since the 2022-23 academic year. During his three seasons at CU he has coached two NCCAA All-Americans, five NCCAA Midwest Region players, one G-MAC Freshman of the Year, five All-G-MAC players, 19 NCCAA Scholar-Athletes, and 54 G-MAC Academic All-Conference players. Richter came to the Yellow Jackets with more than 20 years of experience as both a player and coach. The California native was with the Baseball Factory from 2002 through 2022 as director of college recruiting, regional scout, and on-field director. He’s also been the assistant general manager and coach of the Xenia Scouts with Athletes in Action for eight years. While this is his first head coaching position, Richter has been a college assistant coach at three stops - the first two in his home state. He spent five years at his alma mater, Westmont College, and another season at Azusa Pacific University. More recently, he was an assistant coach at Sinclair Community College in Dayton before the school discontinued its entire athletic program in 2020. Richter earned a bachelors degree in English from Westmont in 1999. He was a four-year member of the Warriors’ baseball team as a catcher and two-time team captain. Matt and his wife Erin, who is a Cedarville University alum, reside in Xenia with their children.

David Steele joined the Yellow Jacket baseball staff as the pitching coach beginning with the 2024 campaign. The Dayton, Ohio native was on staff at NCAA Division III Wilmington College where he served as the pitching coach and strength & conditioning coach for the 2021 through 2023 seasons. Steele’s pitching staff set a single season school record for strikeouts which included individual season and career records for K’s. Two pitchers earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors. On the offensive side the Quakers set season team records for hits, RBI, and batting average. Steele played baseball at the University of Rio Grande from 2011-15 where he was a pitcher / infielder for the RedStorm. He was named to the All-Mid-South Conference Team and was a Gold Glove winner. Steele went on to play professionally for the White Sands Pupfish, an independent league team in New Mexico, where he was an All-Star participant. Steele is a 2015 graduate of Rio Grande with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology. David and his wife, Logan, reside in Dayton.

Zac Filos joined the Yellow Jacket coaching staff in the 2022-23 academic year following a five-year collegiate and summer league career. The Murrieta, Calif. native was the top pitcher in 2022 at NAIA The Master’s University. Filos helped the Mustangs to a 29-24 record by posting an 8-6 mark and a 3.58 earned run average. He led the pitching staff in wins, ERA, innings pitched (93.0), starts (15), and complete games (5). Filos was a Rawlings NAIA Gold Glove award recipient after being selected as the pitcher on the nine-player Golden State Athletic Conference Gold Glove Team. The 5-foot-10 righthander played at Corban University in Oregon in 2019 as well as the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign. He won five games in 2019 and paced the staff in ERA (3.09), innings pitched (81.2), strikeouts (53), and complete games (2). Filos began his collegiate career at Riverside City College in California in 2017 and 2018. He most recently earned All-Alaska Baseball League First Team honors while playing for the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks in the summer of 2022. Filos played for the Xenia Scouts in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League in 2021 following stints in the Independence League as well as the California Collegiate League. He is a 2022 graduate of The Master’s University with a degree in kinesiology.

John Chavies has been a part of the Cedarville University baseball coaching staff since the 2023 season. He came to the Yellow Jackets with baseball coaching experience at various levels in the local area. Chavies continues to work with the Dayton Ducks Baseball Club which is a Fellowship of Christian Athletes select youth baseball program. He previously was on staff from 2012-14 with the Xenia Scouts, who play in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. Chavies, who grew up in nearby Beavercreek, has been a financial advisor with Raymond James since 2014 after working for Merrill Lynch for 22 years. He also served at Dayton Avenue Baptist Church in Xenia as Pastor of Discipleship and then Executive Pastor over a period of nine years. Chavies is a 2002 graduate of Liberty University with a degree in finance and accounting. John and his wife, Tammy, reside in Spring Valley. They have four children and one grandchild.