Markesan baseball is back on the diamond after a year hiatus due to the pandemic. In 2019, the team finished with a 22-6 record, was a perfect 14-0 in Trailsways-West play, and marched all the way to the WIAA Division 3 State Championship game where they fell to Stratford. Head Coach Dean Slark says 2020 was a tough year and that his squad could have made another good run through the state tournament.
The 2019 season marked the final year in the Trailsways-West Conference for Markesan, who moved to the Trailways-North in 2021. Slark says it should be a competitive year and that there are a lot of good, well coached teams in the conference including Princeton/Green Lake and Montello.
The Hornets are off to a 4-0 and start in 2021 and are 3-0 in conference play, with two wins over Lourdes Academy and one over Cambria-Friesland. Slark says good defense and throwing strikes along with being aggressive on the base pads are key areas he is focusing on this year. He says if you can throw strikes and field the ball you will be in a lot of games.
Slark says confidence is also key if Markesan is to return to another state title game this year. He says he knows his team can play with anyone but it is important for players to continue to grow their confidence and their belief in themselves. Slark adds if confidence improves, so does confidence in running the base pads, fielding the ball, and hitting the ball.
Listen to the full interview with Coach Dean Slark:
Caleb Stoll | 10 | IN/P/C | 2 |
Micah Kracht | 10 | C/OF | 21 |
Chayce Osterhaus | 10 | IN/P | 16 |
Jaden Walker | 10 | OF/P | 1 |
Ryan Mast | 10 | IN/P | 20 |
Trevor Roberts | 11 | IN | 9 |
Ethan Gerbitz | 11 | OF | 12 |
Hayden Quade | 11 | IN/P | 7 |
Aiden Schmick | 11 | IN | 10 |
Brock Straks | 11 | IN/P | 3 |
Keaton Lieske | 11 | OF | 4 |
Brady Boelter | 11 | IN/P | 17 |
Gavin Gilbertson | 12 | IN/P | 14 |
Bryce Leedle | 12 | IN/P | 15 |
Sage Stellmacher | 12 | C/OF | 24 |