Burlington baseball wins season opener

Boys poised to contend in solid SLC

 

By Mike Ramczyk

Sports Editor

Sometimes, records can be misleading.

Such was the case with the 2013 Burlington baseball team.

At 13-12, the Demons seemed like your average, middle-of-the-road club. But looks can be deceiving.

Burlington lost eight of those 12 games by only one run, including a tough 3-2 regional final defeat to end its season.

With only three key losses to graduation, including left-handed pitcher Nolan Friend, who is playing college baseball (Wisconsin Lutheran), Burlington returns a wealth of talent but not a ton of varsity experience on the mound.

If Tuesday night is any indication, it’s going to be a good year at 400 McCanna Parkway.

Senior pitcher Mark Wallace went the distance on the mound and bashed the go-ahead, two-run double in Burlington’s 5-3 opening-season victory at Southern Lakes foe Westosha Central.

“It was our first game, and it was nice to get a win,” Burlington coach Scott Staude, now in his 15^th season, said Tuesday night.

Wallace struck out 11 Falcons and added two hits at the plate.

The Demons opened the scoring with one run in the first inning. Then, Central answered with three runs in the third.

In the top of the sixth, Burlington sophomore Aaron Mutter smashed a two-run double to tie the score at 3-3.

Finally, Wallace doubled in the seventh then retired Westosha in order in the bottom of the frame.

“He wanted to finish them off,” Staude said of Wallace. “He had a low pitch count and felt good.”

Burlington busted out with a big offensive performance, as Wallace, Dane Helnore, Luke Gannon and Chandler Meseberg each tallied two hits.

Burlington concludes its two-game series with Westosha Central Thursday at Beaumont Field in Burlington. Then, the Demons travel to Kenosha Tremper Friday.

“I would love to see us pitch well in these first couple games,” Staude said. “Also, we want to defend well. The hits will come and go, but we want to make sure to pitch and defend.”

 

Team young but talented

Along with Friend, Burlington must replace key losses Nick Bartlett and Nate Fisher.

Fortunately for the Demons, a wealth of skill returns, including seven upperclassmen.

Wallace is the unmistaken ace of the staff. He posted a 3-5 record with a team-best 2.65 earned-run average in 2013. Meseberg, a senior, is the leading returning hitter (.348 batting average, eight doubles).

Staude said Meseberg is one of the best catchers in the conference.

“We get good leadership from Chandler,” Staude said. “He calls 90 percent of the pitches, and he called a great game Tuesday.”

Helnore, a junior, hit .333 last season with 19 RBIs. Gannon, another junior, will play first base.

Other key seniors include second baseman Bennett Conrardy and outfielders Larry Meeks and Will Pulda.

Sophomore Houston Cowan is expected to be the No. 2 starting pitcher behind Wallace. Helnore, Mutter and newcomer Tanner Stroman will also see time on the mound.

Sophomores Cal Tully and Mitch Klug round out the key newcomers.

Staude is excited about the pitching staff’s potential.

“Our pitchers are athletic,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of varsity innings, but our pitching depth makes me feel better.”

Staude said the team should be solid offensively, with team speed its strength. He wants players to be aggressive on the bases.

Right now, he said an area of concern is inconsistent defense.

Staude said Wilmot and Union Grove will be top teams in the SLC. The Grove and Badger are the co-defending champions.

However, don’t count out these young Demons. With some games under their belt, Staude said his squad stacks up with just about anybody.

“We aren’t the favorite, but we will be there at the end,” Staude said. “After we weather the storm of the early season, our youth should blossom. We just want to play good baseball at the end of the year.”

 

Schedule

(HOME GAMES IN CAPS)

April – 10: WESTOSHA CENTRAL. 11: at Kenosha Tremper. 14: RACINE HORLICK. 15: UNION GROVE. 17: at Union Grove. 25-26: RACINE COUNTY SHOWCASE. 29: BADGER. May – 1: at Badger. 2: Doubleheader vs. Wisconsin Lutheran at UW-Whitewater. 5: at Indian Trail. 6: at Waterford. 8: WATERFORD. 9: KENOSHA BRADFORD. 12: at Racine Case. 13: at Wilmot. 16: WILMOT. 20: at Delavan-Darien. 22: DELAVAN-DARIEN. 24: at Whitefish Bay. 27: ELKHORN. 29: at Elkhorn. 30: KETTLE MORAINE.