Falcons return with youth, enthusiasm

The Sheboygan Falls Falcons baseball squad will get its 2010 season underway this Saturday, May 22, with a host of new faces in the fold.

Falcons head coach Todd Struve, who is entering his fourth season at the helm, is excited to have a hardworking group leading the way.

Struve likes what he sees in his pitching staff, and feels that the defense should improve from last season.

Falls struggled early in the 2009 season and finished 14-20 overall (7-11 in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference).

In the postseason, the Falcons won their second straight regional final by a score of 6-5 over Sheboygan Lutheran.

In sectional play, Falls defeated Plymouth 7-6 in the semifinals, before losing to New Holstein 12-2 in the sectional final game.

“We had a good group, but we weren’t able to put it all together until the end of the season,” said Struve. “Our home field has been worked on and that should be a plus in our defense. Last season we lost some games because of our fielding.”

The Falcons lost second team all-conference players Eric Kluz, Travis Christenson, Tyler Collins and Kyle Hahn, as well as senior Justin Laack from last year’s team.

“The hardest player to replace will be Collins at catcher,” remarked Struve.

He said sophomore Bobby Musil and freshman Jacob Meyer will battle for the catcher’s position.

Juniors Russell Preder, Devin Christenson and sophomores Cole Heili and Mitchell Buehler look to make up the pitching staff.

Seniors Adam Lorenz, Andrew Endsley, Jared Ertman and Lewis Halverson return this season to provide Falls with some needed leadership.

Other returnees include junior Dustin Schueffner, sophomores Jesse Jakubowski, Zach Van Engen and Ryan Krist.

Struve feels that a few newcomers could see action with the addition of Jacob Hand, Drew Setzer and Ryan Halverson.

“Our youth will have to be mentally tough,” stated Struve. “It will be a long season, Our 36-game schedule should be a test for our mental toughness.”

Struve feels if the Falcons can improve their hitting, they could finish among the top three teams in the final EWC standings.
BASEBALL
Schedule
May 22 - South Milwaukee DH, 1 p.m.
May 24 - Elkhart Lake, 5:30 p.m
May 25 - at Grafton, 5:30 p.m.
May 28 - West Bend West DH,4:30 p.m.
June 1 - at Plymouth, 5:30 p.m.
June 3 - Two Rivers DH, 4 p.m.
June 7 - at Campbellsport, 5:30 p.m.
June 8 - Kiel, 7:30 p.m.
June 11 - at Germantown, 5:30 p.m.
June 14 - Kewaskum, 7:30 p.m.
June 15 - at New Holstein, 5:30 p.m.
June 17 - Plymouth, 7:30 p.m.
June 18 - at Two Rivers, 5:30 p.m.
June 19 - at Cedarburg, 11 a.m.
June 21 - Campbellsport, 7:30 p.m.
June 22 - at Kiel, 5:30 p.m.
June 25 - at Kewaskum, 5:30 p.m.
June 26 - Nicolet DH, 11 a.m.
June 28 - New Holstein, 7:30 p.m.
June 29 - at Plymouth, 5:30 p.m.
July 6 - at Campbellsport, 5:30 p.m.
July 8 - Kiel, 7:30 p.m.
July 9 - at Slinger, 5:30 p.m.
July 10 - at Brookfield East, 1 p.m.
July 12 - Kewaskum, 7:30 p.m.
July 13 - at New Holstein, 5:30 p.m.

July 15 - at Brown Deer DH, 5 p.m.
July 16 - Homestead ________________ D_H__, 5_ _p_.m__. ___