MLC baseball team hoping for success

Juniors lead the Knights quest

By ANDY ROGERS

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- The Martin Luther College baseball team has yet to take the field this year, but coach Drew Buck is optimistic because a number of players have returned.

"Hopefully, this will be the year," Buck said.

A number of key players, most of them juniors, are eager to show their experience out on the field.

"We do have enough veterans -- I'm saying veterans even though we have one senior. We have juniors who have had key positions going on this third year," Buck said. "We're going to be very strong veteran-wise. I think their leadership is going to help us more in the past."

The team also looks like it will have a sound offensive attack according to the coach.

It's hard to get a grasp on the how the team will do because the team hasn't played outside yet.

"I'm kind of excited to get started and see what we're all about," Buck said.

Junior Mike Kuschal, who plays third base, is a key returning player.

"He's played well for us for two years," Buck said. "He hits the ball well -- No. 4 hitter."

Junior Aaron Dolan plays second base is the lead-off hitter.

"He plays just as well on offense as he does on defense," Buck said. "But I think defensively he's more of a plus for us."

The top two returning pitchers are Chris Rathje and Phil Hockmuth.

"Both of them saw a lot of time last year -- threw a lot of innings for us," Buck said. "We'll again be looking for them to take the brunt of the (innings)."

Also, a number of freshmen look to contribute this year to fill the holes left by the graduating class. The outfield particularly will see a number of new faces.

Buck said, he's "got some incoming freshmen who will come in and fill in the voids pretty decently in the first year."

Center fielder and freshman Noah Bater will be out there right away.

"He has a lot of speed," Buck said. "He'll be starting initially."

Another freshman Nate Hockmuth will probably get the nod at right field, according to Buck.

Also, returning after a one-year absence, a junior pitcher Jake Briney didn't play last year and looks to be a factor on the mound.

"There's so many unknowns yet," Buck said. "We'll get a good feel (tonight.)

The team opens its season tonight at the Metrodome for a doubleheader against Macalester beginning at 9:45 p.m., and ending around 2:15 a. m.

"We've never done anything like this before," Buck said. "But we're anxious to go. We've just now been able to get into the gym with basketball over."

Macalester has already seen the field a number of times this year, so Buck expects a challenge as the season begins.

"We may get off to a sluggish or slow start because we'll be playing teams with a few more games under their belts," Buck said. "I think Macalester has played like six games so far and I think they've all been in the (Metrodome.) So they'll have that advantage."

The team Buck feels is standing in the way of taking the UMAC conference is St. Scholastica. The team always looks forward to the games against St. Scholastica.

"Year in, year out, they have the best team in the conference," Buck said.

Last year, according to Buck, most of the teams St. Scholastica played in the UMAC conference were ten-runned by the Duluth school.

"Except for one game we played them, every team was ten-runned by them," Buck said.