By Jennifer Eisenbart
Sports Editor
Last year, the Burlington High School baseball team had considerable success.
The Demons were 19-8, and reached the sectional final before losing to Kenosha Bradford, 5-4, at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
BHS graduated five seniors from that team, but returns eight players from last year.
“We have very minimal varsity starting experience,” said BHS coach Scott Staude. “Even though they didn’t start, they gained some playing experience.
“I think, going in, they knew they’d have the chance to be starters this year,” he added. “I think we’re in pretty good shape.”
BHS’s biggest problem could be lack of experience in its pitching staff. The only two returning starters are Nolan Friend and Mark Wallace.
“We have a lot of pitchers in the program, just not a lot of experience,” Staude said.
Among the names mentioned are Nate Fischer, Dane Helnore, Nick Bartlett and Nathaniel Sibley.
When they are not pitching, Bartlett will be at shortstop, Fischer will be in center field, Friend at first base, Helnore in the infield, Wallace listed as a utility player and Sibley in the infield.
Junior Chandler Meseberg was an All-Southern Lakes pick a year ago, and will catch and a strong hitter, as is Friend. Jimmy Penzel (1B, outfield) will also contribute, as will Ryan Kolczaski.
Newcomers include Larry Meeks (OF), Will Pulda (OF), Marcus Lois (OF), Bennett Konrardy (IF), Collin Sewell (IF) and Luke Gannon (C). Sibley and Gannon are both sophomores, while the rest are juniors.
Staude expects BHS to be contending in the SLC race, but acknowledged that there are question marks until the inexperience works itself out.
“I do think this team has what it takes to contend for a conference championship,” said Staude, who named Wilmot, Union Grove and Lake Geneva as teams with experienced talent returning.
The Demons opened their season in South Bend, Indiana over the weekend, splitting a doubleheader at Bethel College with Jefferson.
Every other year, BHS makes a spring trip, and this year took them to Indiana – where they had hoped to play at Notre Dame.
“Because the Big East schedule got shuffled a little bit, Notre Dame got precedence,” said Staude. “Go figure.
“We still played at a really nice facility, just not at Notre Dame.”
The Demons won the first game 9-6, but lost the second 14-8.
Burlington committed four errors in the second game, and gave up six runs in the top of the eighth when the game went to extra innings.
In the first game, Friend got the win on the mound and Wallace the save. Fischer and Meseberg both had two hits in the contest, Sibley had two RBI and Meseberg had two stolen bases.
BHS was supposed to play Tuesday at home against Elkhorn, but that game was rained out.
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