Rathsack, Rhude on All-EWC first team

Juniors Jake Rathsack and Greg Rhude of Plymouth were selected to the All-Eastern Wisconsin Conference baseball first-team for the 2009 season.

Both Panthers were named as position players. Rathsack, a first baseman, was a unanimous choice in voting by the EWC coaches.

Also earning all-league status is senior pitcher Cory Thuemmler who is honorable mention.

“Jake had an outstanding year at the plate,” said Panther head coach Butch Cain.

“His on-base percentage was over .400, he ran the bases [well] and had clutch hits and RBIs for us. He used all fields and hit the ball hard.”

Rathsack led PHS in EWC batting this year with a potent .383 average, and also had a team-high 23 hits. He had nine RBIs, four doubles, one home run and was 4-for-4 stealing bases.

“Jake did a nice job in the fourth spot,” the coach said. Rathsack was also solid defensively with a fielding percentage of .983. “Greg had a solid year at the plate. He hit the ball hard and had some clutch hits,” Cain noted.

“He did a nice job in the third spot.”

Rhude hit .367 with six RBIs, one homer and six doubles in league action. He scored 16 runs, was 1-for- 1 stealing and collected 18 hits.

Cain said Rhude and Rathsack are continuing to work on their defense and are improving. Rhude had a .961 fielding percentage.

Cain said Rhude and Rathsack were very deserving of their first-team honors.

“Cory pitched really fine most of the time. He led us in ERA in the conference. He showed a lot of heart and passion,” Cain observed.

“He kept us in a lot of games. He did a nice job of throwing strikes when he had to.”

The right-hander posted an outstanding 1.53 ERA and allowed only 18 hits in 32 innings in league play. Thuemmler was 3-2 with one save and fanned 24 batters. He had one shutout and two complete games.

Rathsack is one of four unanimous first-team picks. The others are New Holstein senior pitcher Parker Schrage, and Kewaskum senior Nick Olla and New Holstein senior Codi Klapperich – both position players. Olla is the only repeater on the top unit.

Schrage was voted the EWC’s “Player of the Year.” Kewaskum’s Doug Gonring and New Holstein’s Chad Dowland were named the league’s “Co-Coaches of the Year” after guiding their teams to a share of the EWC title.

Kewaskum has a league-high five first-team players. “I was a little disappointed we weren’t able to creep more players onto all-conference but we didn’t stack up well with teams,” said Cain, referring to comparative statistics for players.

All-Eastern Wisconsin Conference Baseball