If the season opener is any indication, things are definitely looking up for the Weyauwega-Fremont baseball team.
After having the first two games of the season against Wautoma and Clintonville cancelled due to the weather, the Indians handed Amherst a 14-4 five-inning loss April 7 in a Central Wisconsin 8 Conference matchup.
The Indians used a five-run second inning and added four runs in the third and fourth frames to build a 14-1 lead against the Falcons.
“Being only the second time outside, you never know what you’re going to get,” coach Joe Sambs said. “We were able to put some runs together and had a pretty good eye at the plate. Our pitchers struggled a little with location and that’s one thing we have to really hone in on and try to fix. You can expect it, but you don’t want to see it. We expect them to throw strikes, but you can’t be upset when they don’t right out of the gate.”
Adam Krause and Bryce Akey each had three of the Indians’ 10 hits, while Logan Bosquez added a pair. Krause and Akey drove in four runs each and Bosquez crossed home plate three times.
Blake Hudziak picked up the win on the mound.
Sambs said Krause, a senior starting his third season behind the plate, is the team’s leader.
“He has a lot of experience and he’s a great catcher,” he said. “He understands the game and seems to enjoy it. That’s what you need. The other guys really follow his example.”
Also back are senior shortstop Zach Costello and senior first baseman Nick Walters, both honorable mention all-conference players last year.
“We really only replaced two guys, so there are only two guys on the team that didn’t play varsity last year,” Sambs said. “We feel comfortable with each other and comfortable with our roles. It’s nice, especially when you don’t get much time outside, to know everybody’s going to be in the right spot because they were there last year.”
Although the Indians have seven starters back, they do have to replace Tyler Hart, last year’s player of the year in the CWC-8.
That returning experience has Sambs convinced his team can contend for a conference championship.
“I expect us to compete and try to finish at the top of the conference,” he said. “We have young guys, but a lot of them played a lot last year. I don’t expect this to be a rebuilding year or anything like that.
“Offensively, I think we can put up some runs this year,” he added. “We did it today, but took us a couple of innings to get going. We strung some hits and walks together, made some good decisions at the plate and had some good base running. Defensively, we have a lot of guys in the same spots they were last year, so they should all be comfortable with where they are. I expect to make a few less errors than last year.”
The CWC-8 always seems to turn out some solid teams and that trend should continue this season, according to Sambs.
“It’s always tough,” he said. “(Stevens Point) Pacelli’s going to be tough. Bonduel had a nice year last year and I’m sure they’ll be ready to go again this year. It’s a tough conference up and down. We have three conference games this week, so we’re coming out flying right away. That’s why it’s fun. When the weather is nice, you have to be out playing.”
The Indians will head to Shiocton and Manawa today (Thursday, April 10) and Friday, April 11, before hosting Iola-Scandinavia at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 14.
There aren’t any nonconference games on the schedule until the Indians host North Fond du Lac for a doubleheader Saturday, April 26.
“You learn quick,” Sambs said. “You don’t have a lot of time for a learning curve. We talked about being able to close out a team at the end of a game when you get a big lead and being able to rebound when things aren’t going right. There are a lot of times things aren’t going to go your way.”
Weyauwega-Fremont 2014 Baseball Schedule
Varsity
Monday, April 7 – vs. Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 – at Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 11 – at Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 14 – vs. Iola-Scandinavia, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 22 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 24 – at Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 – vs. North Fond du Lac (DH), 10 a.m.
Monday, April 28 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 29 – at Waupaca, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 1 – at Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 5 – vs. Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6 – at Wild Rose, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 8 – at Iola-Scandinavia, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 12 – vs. Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 15 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 – at Adams-Friendship Invitational, 11 a.m.
Monday, May 19 – vs. Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 22 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 4 p.m.
Friday, May 23 – vs. Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 27 – at Oshkosh Lourdes, 4:30 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Tuesday, April 8 – vs. Wild Rose, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 – vs. Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 11 – at Manawa, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 14 – vs. Iola-Scandinavia, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 21 – vs. Rosholt, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 24 – vs. Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 – vs. North Fond du Lac (DH), 10 a.m.
Friday, May 2 – at Mosinee, 5 p.m.
Monday, May 5 – at Shiocton, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 19 – at Bonduel, 4:30 p.m.