Catholic Central High School, Union Grove High School

Key injury, pitching staff concerns for Catholic Central baseball

by Ed Nadolski Views: 22
Catholic Central's Connor Wegge (left) and Nolan Girard (9) yuck it up with Union Grove's Toby Robe during a game at last weekend's Racine County Showcase. The Burlington event, which was going to feature all nine county squads, was cancelled due to rain and muddy conditions. (Rick Benavides/Standard Press)
Catholic Central’s Connor Wegge (left) and Nolan Girard (9) yuck it up with Union Grove’s Toby Robe during a game at last weekend’s Racine County Showcase. The Burlington event, which was going to feature all nine county squads, was cancelled due to rain and muddy conditions. (Rick Benavides/Standard Press)

 

By Mike Ramczyk

Sports Editor

For 11 straight years, the Catholic Central baseball team enjoyed blistering postseason success to the tune of 11 straight regional titles.

As it always does with sports, the other shoe has to drop eventually and things go in cycles.

The Toppers experienced an eventual down year in 2014, finishing 7-17 and exiting early from the playoffs.

Head coach Tom O’Connell enters his 46th year coaching and 15th at Catholic Central optimistic about a core group of returning letterwinners.

Nolan Girard, Austin Hayes, Kross Krueger, Ben Heiligenthal, Jake Webley and Jobe Wagner will take over learship duties with the departure of Jake Surges, Tegan Miles and Alec Wegge.

O’Connell said Girard, Hayes and Brandon Vandehei will carry the bulk of the pitching load, and Krueger is back after missing last season with an arm injury.

O’Connell said the pitching staff was his greatest concern, and he is being proven right.

Through nine games, the Toppers are 3-6 and 1-4 in the Metro Classic Conference, and the pitching has been shaky.

Led by Girard and Vandehei (37 combined IP) and freshman Frankie Koehnke, Toppers pitchers have slumped to a 6.41 team earned-run average.

They have allowed more walks (37) than strikeouts (34) in 59 innings.

“Our defense and hitting should be fine, but pitching is our greatest concern,” O’Connell said.

Also, last year’s top pitcher in terms of innings pitched didn’t come out for baseball this season.

“Instead of having 80 percent of our pitchers back, we are now closer to 50 percent and one of those is Hayes, who may not pitch until late April or May,” O’Connell added.

Tuesday at Shoreland Lutheran, the Toppers got a strong start from Girard (6IP, 3ER), but failed to capitalize at the plate.

The Toppers fell victim to a one-hitter by Lutheran’s Johnson.

It was the second straight loss for the Toppers after earning a 3-2 victory at Racine St. Cat’s April 23.

In that game, Girard allowed only one run in seven innings and struck out five while scattering four hits.

Austin Neuhaus, Heiligental and Wagner each had two hits.

O’Connell said Vandehei, Owen Dirksmeyer and Connor Wegge are quality newcomers that will complement the veterans.

Currently, Wegge, Hayes, Girard, Heiligenthal, Vandehei, Webley, Krueger, Dirksmeyer and Chad Zirbel make up the Toppers lineup.

O’Connell said Koehnke is a designated hitter.

“So far, we’ve played above expectations,” O’Connell said. “Our team chemistry is outstanding.”

O’Connell said the team’s goal is to improve every day.

In the tough Metro Classic, he added that Thomas More and Racine Lutheran/Prairie are the favorites.

Can the Toppers turn things around, now almost halfway through the season?

Catholic Central will look to exact revenge on Shoreland Lutheran Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Beaumont Field in Burlington.

 

Schedule

(HOME GAMES CAPS)

May – 5: DOMINICAN. 7: at Dominican. 9: at Hillsboro. 12: KENOSHA ST. JOE’S. 14: at St. Joe’s. 19: at Racine Lutheran/Prairie. 21: RACINE LUTHERAN/PRAIRIE. 26: THOMAS MORE. 28: at Thomas More. 30: at New Berlin West.

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