Eagles welcome back many vets

Team's has 'good nucleus to start with'

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM - Last year, the New Ulm Eagle baseball team finished 23-4, won the South Central Conference baseball title again, and captured the Section 2-3A crown and won the consolaton title in the State Class 3A baseball tournament.

This year, under veteran coach Jim Senske who begins his 39th season as their mentor, the Eagles appear to be a strong team with a lot of potential to be as good, if not better, than last season's 23 win season.

"We have a couple of veteran pitchers back in junior Bob Wellmann and senior Mike Grossman, we have veterans at firstbase in Jace Marti and secondbase in Issac Forstner and also at shortstop in Jamie Hoffmann. Also back is centerfielder Eric Austvold and rightfielder Brandon Rolloff," Senske said. "We also have a part-time starter in Dusty Fleck back, so we've got some kids back from last year. We have a good nucleus to start with."

But as everyone knows, success begins and ends with pitching and the Eagles should be strong at that spot with Wellmann, Grossmann, and Dusty Fleck back.

"They all pitched during the summer time. Plus we have three or four 'B' squader who will be good pitchers for us in Dusty Farasyn, Tyson Anderson, Andy Kamm, Andy Walden and Andy Budahn. I think that the combination of what is back and what is coming up will give us a fairly deep pitching staff. We hope that some of our 'B' squaders will show that they can pitch at the varsity level which will be harder than the area that they came out of."

Another pitcher who should see varsity time for the Eagles is senior Chris Cariveau.

Senske said that there are two catching prospects vying for the job of graduated Rob Geistfeld in Tyler Janni and Blake Thorson.

"They both are good prospects and they both will be our catchers early in the year. Then one of them will play himself into that position by the time that tournament time rolls around,'' Senske said

Jace Marti, who was bothered with a shoulder injury all of last year, had surgery and will be there. "He DH'd last year and he said that his shoulder is better." Kyle Marti,Joe Peters and Dan Kitzberger will also battle for that spot.

Isaac Forstner, who played a lot of defensive secondbase last year, will man that spot full-time this year with Nate Carroll and Pete Meier seeking a spot there.

Jamie Hoffmann returns at shortstop. "Derik Johnson played there for the Junior Legion and he hit well."

"We need to replace Travis Thorson at thirdbase and that will be tough," Senske said. "I look for either Johnson, Dan Kitzberger, Tyler Janni -- if he doesn't end up catching - will get a look at thirdbase. Tyson Anderson has played some thirdbase when he doesn't pitch so I think that the thirdbaseman will emerge from one of them."

The outfield looks to be Dusty Fleck in leftfield -- "he played there a third of the time last year. He will also get a look as a pitcher."

Other people up for that leftield job are Keith McClellan, (who also plays centerfield), and Matt Suess. Eric Austvold will be in centerfield with Brandon Rolloff in rightfield.

'We have strong candidates in Fleck, McClellan, Austvold, Suess and Rolloff - there are good players and will play," Senske said.

"We need to get outside to get a good look at the younger kids coming up like Andy Budahn, Dusty Farasyn -- Chris Reinarts is a hockey player who missed the baseball season last year because of a shoulder injury. He was a starter at Sleepy Eye St. Mary's as a freshman.

"We have 27 juniors and seniors out for varsity baseball and from that, we will get down to a final 18 for tournaments"

Senske looks for the Eagles to be a strong candidate in the South Central along with Fairmont, Blue Earth and St. Peter with the Eagles, Marshall, Chaska, Mankato East, Mankato West all tough in Section 2-3A.