Knights continue domination

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- There are very few teams in the state that can compare to the reign Sleepy Eye St. Mary's has had in the Section 2A tournament the last seven years.

The Knights have been to the championship game the last seven years and have advanced to the state tournament the last four years, so head coach Bruce Woitas expects the senior-dominated team to be ready for another run at the state title.

"I think our eight seniors, they're going to be focused and ready," Woitas said. "Like we tell each other, we owe ourselves the best baseball for this time of year and we owe it to our seniors."

The Knights will battle Nashwauk-Keewatin (19-6) in the first round. Earlier in the season, St. Mary's defeated the Spartans 6-5 in eight innings in the Knights' own tournament, but Woitas doesn't think either team is at an advantage in the game that counts.

"Since it was so early, I don't think it gives anyone an advantage," Woitas said. "It was such a long time ago, I don't think it's going to mean a lot. We got to see a couple of their pitchers and they got to see a couple of ours."

The Knights won their first five games, but fatique from the basketball playoffs set in and the Knights dropped three straight before winning nine in a row. Currently, St. Mary's is riding a six-game winning streak.

Joey Wahl has been the staff ace this year, going 6-1 with a 1.34 ERA. Matt Mathiowetz is 3-1 with a 2.24 ERA and Cole Helget is 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA. Jake Bohnen, Matt Gangelhoff, and Mark Hillesheim also have ERA's under three, giving the Knights a deep staff comparable to the one they had in 2002 when they won the state title.

"We've got five guys under a three ERA," Woitas said. "I basically told the guys that we're going to ride the two (Mathiowetz and Wahl) in the playoffs. Pitching wise, we're probably as good as 2002 as far as depth."

At the plate, Gangelhoff leads the team with a .386 batting average along with a home run and a triple in the lead-off spot. Bohnen, who bats second, is hitting .380. Wahl is hitting .364 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. He leads the team in both categories. Mathiowetz, who hits third in the order and plays shortstop when he's not on the mound, is hitting .338 with two home runs and Steve Seidl, another senior, is hitting .340 with a pair of home runs. Helget is batting .348.

The Knights (20-4) play their first game at 12:30 p.m. today at the Mini Met in Jordan.