MVL looks toward 2001 campaign

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- The Minnesota Valley Lutheran Charger baseball team hopes to improve on their 7-11 overall record from last season with seven returning lettermen.

Back from last year's team are Tom Metzger, Danny Liggett, Aaron Madson, John Enter, Pete Costello, Chris Mielke and Jake Berg.

New this season to the Charger diamond hopes are Andrew Wagner and Jeff Dolan.

"I have nine juniors and seniors," said fourth-year head coach Craig Morgan. "We will be bringing up some sophomores this year for varsity time. We are still looking at those (sophomores)."

Morgan said that if he was to put a line-up on the field today (and with the winter months going into extra innings, who knows when baseball will start) he expects to have Costello catching.

Berg will man first base with Dolan getting the nod at second base. Madson will return to his shortstop spot from last year, with Mielke at third base.

The outfield will see Metzger in left, Enter, perhaps the Chargers' best player and maybe the best defensive outfielder, in center with Wagner in right field.

"The sophomores will see a lot of playing time," commented Morgan. "That all depends on who we pitch; they could get slotted in at those spots or they could work their way in if one of the starters gets into a slump."

This year, the pitching duties will be handled by Mielke, Enter, Metzger, Madson and Liggett. "If we bring up (sophomore) Mark Rolloff, he will also see time pitching," Morgan said.

Last year, Mielke had a 1.43 ERA, which was third best in Charger baseball history. Mielke also led MVL offensively with 20 runs scored and 26 hits to go with his .448 batting average.

With the extended winter, Morgan has his team working as best they can inside.

"We took the first three days and just worked pitchers and catchers and their mechanics," said Morgan. "That was pretty much the entire team. Later, we worked on hitting and bunting fundamentals. We will work on middle infield stuff because we will have different players playing in different spots when whoever is pitching. And the kids are optimistic and enthusiastic because of the quality players that we have back.

"I think that we have a good quality group of guys that love the game," said Morgan. "We have some guys who did not play basketball but worked on baseball all winter. Toward the end of the year last year, we started playing pretty decent baseball. We shot ourselves in foot last year with errors in some games.

"Our weakness is depth because we are lacking there and if the season gets pushed back because of the weather, it is really going to affect our pitching arms. I told all the kids that everyone except Peter (Costello, Chargers catcher) will have to do some pitching this year."

Morgan feels that MVL will have a good hitting attack with Metzger and Madson along with center fielder Enter, who started for New Ulm Legion Gold last year. "I am looking for John to really have a good season for us; he is a great defensive center fielder."

Morgan looks for Sleepy Eye St. Mary's to be the favorite in the Tomahawk Conference and the section this season.

MVL is scheduled to open their season at home Tuesday against Sleepy Eye Public.