WEYAUWEGA – Weyauwega-Fremont’s softball roster includes several familiar names.
Coach Todd Breuer is hoping that experience adds up to wins for his squad, which finished 17-5 last season and placed second in the Central Wisconsin 8 Conference with a 12-2 mark.
Returning players include a pair of first team all-conference selections in pitcher Kayla Bastar and catcher Kaitlyn Akey. Both players were sophomores on the Indians’ last state team two seasons ago.
“They know each other well and know what’s going on,” Breuer said. “The other kids are going to feed off their confidence. They’ve seen a lot, so hopefully, they can carry us through a lot of situations this year.”
Bastar and Akey are two of five seniors on the team.
“I’m expecting a lot out of our five seniors,” Breuer said. “This is Rachel Knecht’s third year on varsity and she’ll be playing in the outfield, Kate Wieters has been playing for three years for us and she’ll be at third base and Amy Samson came from New London last year and did a nice job. I’m going to rely on those five seniors to carry the weight and lead us.”
Most of the team’s practice time the past two weeks has been spent inside because of the weather.
“We actually had to go all the way to Poynette Saturday for a scrimmage, which was a good thing,” Breuer said. “It showed us that situations are so hard to simulate in the gym. We definitely have to get outside. They’re definitely sick of being in the gym and that’s the biggest thing right now. There are a lot of things we can do outside that we can’t do inside.”
The Indians faced Kaukauna, Poynette and Neenah at the scrimmage.
“I’m not going to say if we won or lost or anything, but we played with them,” Breuer said. “It was worth the drive.”
Bastar will handle most of the pitching duties.
“Our No. 2 pitcher right now is Kelsey Akey, a sophomore,” Breuer said. “I’m going to try to work her in as much as I can. She’s probably going to split time between varsity and JV. We also have a couple freshmen that have been working on it.”
Bastar is one of the top returning pitchers in the CWC-8, but she’s not the only one. Stevens Point Pacelli’s Laura Raflik and Iola-Scandinavia’s Morgan Oppor are also back.
“I think Amherst is a team to watch out for,” Breuer said. “They have Jess Torrey and she beat us last year in the first game of the tournament. She’s going to be tough and they always seem to have good athletes. It’s the same thing with Raflik at Pacelli and I always give a lot of credit to Iola-Scandinavia. They have Morgan Oppor coming back for her fourth year. That’s a team you have to watch out for. You can’t take anybody for granted in our conference.”
Breuer is counting on his team’s experience to make a difference.
“I think No. 1 has to be our experience, but we’re still going to have a few key positions like shortstop, center field and first base filled with young players,” he said. “We have to replace all those players from last year. I’m also going to have to go with our defense. Our bats haven’t shown me anything yet because we haven’t been able to get outside.”
The Indians’ conference opener with Iola-Scandinavia scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, will be made up Thursday, April 28, in Iola as part of a doubleheader. W-F is scheduled to play at Bonduel Monday, April 11.
“I can’t control how much snow is out on that field,” Breuer said. ” I hope that’s where our experience will help us out.”
Weyauwega-Fremont
Indians 2011
Softball Schedule
Varsity
Thursday, March 31 – at Wautoma, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5 – Iola 4:30 0-0
Monday, April 11 – at Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 14 – at Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 – at Marion Tournament, 10 a.m.
Monday, April 18 – vs. Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 26 – vs. Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 28 – vs. Iola-Scandinavia (DH), 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 30 at Wittenberg-Birnamwood (DH), 10 a.m.
Thursday, May 5 – vs. Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 7 – Weyauwega-Fremont Tournament, 9:30 a.m.
Monday, May 9 – vs. Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 12 – vs. Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 14 – at Peshtigo Tournament, 9 a.m.
Monday, May 16 – at Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 19 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 23 – at Mosinee 4:30 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Thursday, March 31 – vs. Wautoma, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5 – at Iola 4:30 0-0
Monday, April 11 – vs. Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 14 – vs. Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 18 – at Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 26 – at Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 28 – at Iola-Scandinavia (DH), 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 3 – vs, Wittenberg-Birnamwood (DH), 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 5 – at Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 9 – at Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 12 – at Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 14 – at Peshtigo Tournament, 9 a.m.
Monday, May 16 – vs. Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 19 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 23 – at Mosinee 4:30 p.m.