NewsTribune baseball preview capsules

With the season just underway, here’s a look at the Mendota, Earlville, Fieldcrest and Henry-Senachwine baseball teams.

Mendota

Coach: Cody Zinke (first season)

Last season: 5-16 overall, 2-10 Three Rivers East

Top returning players: Izaiah Nanez, jr., P/SS/3B; Ryne Strouss, sr., P/UT.; Cale Strouss, jr., C/OF

Top new players: Braiden Freeman, so., P/SS/3B; Jace Baird, jr., P/IF; Jacob Kelley, sr., P/SS/2B

Worth noting: Mendota has 12 players in the varsity program, consisting of five seniors, six juniors and one sophomore. Nanez is a returning honorable mention all-conference performer. Zinke will assume the Trojans’ varsity head coaching duties after serving as the JV leader in 2022. “I think we have a really nice blend of newcomers and returners this year … and we only lost three seniors from last year with the sophomores and juniors now on the varsity all ready to contribute,” Zinke said. “I’m confident that any guy on our roster coming up to bat in a big situation will get the job done. That’s a pretty special thing in high school baseball. I plan on using 11 or 12 guys on the mound this year. I think we might surprise some teams in our conference.” Along with losing three seniors, the Trojans lost NewsTribune All-Area first-team pick Krew Bond, who transferred to Marquette.

Earlville

Coach: Dillon Reel (fifth season)

Last season: 4-17 overall, 3-14 Little Ten

Top returning players: Garrett Cook, sr., P/UT; Trenton Fruit, jr., P/IF; Ryan Browder, jr., OF/P; Trey Gauer, jr., 3B/P

Top new players: Isaac Vazquez, fr., P/OF; Scott Brandt, fr., C/UT; Rocco Morsovillo, jr., P/OF

Worth noting: Reel returns only one senior in Cook to go along with five juniors, four sophomores and four freshmen. Cook led the way for the Red Raiders year by hitting a healthy .474 with 14 RBIs and nine stolen bases. Along with Cook, Fruit is going to be one of the team’s main arms on the mound, while Browder also will throw a lot, said Reel, who also believes Gauer is an “absolute vacuum” at third base and provides fine offense to the lineup. Reel also is encouraged by freshmen Vazquez and Brandt along with junior Morsovillo, who missed all of 2022 with a knee injury. “Younger players are going to have to step up and fill the holes that were left by the graduation of last year’s senior class,” Reel said. “Everyone is going to see a lot of innings played throughout the year.”

Fieldcrest

Coach: Mark Brown (21st season)

Last season: 7-11 overall, 6-5 Heart of Illinois

Top returning players: Koltin Kearfott, jr., SS/3B; Jordan Heider, so., 2B/SS; Tyler Serna, so., C/3B; Coltin Perry, sr., 3B/C; Kade Kearfott, so., OF; Zach Johnson, so., 1B

Top new players: Eli Gerdes, fr., 2B/OF; Lucas Anson, fr., C/OF; Layton Gerdes, fr., SS/3B; Lucas May, fr., OF/1B

Worth noting: Brown finds 13 players in his program this year with only one senior, one junior, seven sophomores and four freshmen. Serna paced the returning Knights last season as a freshman with a .286 batting average, 15 hits and 11 RBIs. Fellow sophomore Heider also clicked by hitting .278 and recorded a .490 on-base percentage, gaining him honorable mention All-HOIC. “We are very young for the second year in a row … however, we return six key players from last year’s roster,” Brown said. “All gained an incredible amount of baseball experience last season, and while the remaining lineup will be newcomers, they have had success coming up through our junior high program, and we’re confident they’ll step in and play well this season. Our expectations are high … and our kids are anxious to get out on the field and start competing.”

Henry-Senachwine

Coach: Max Kirbach (first season)

Last season: 19-11 overall, 7-7 Tri-County

Top returning players: Colton Williams, sr., C; Lance Kiesewetter, jr., P; Mason Johnson, sr., 1B/OF

Top new players: Carson Rowe, fr., SS/P; Jacob Miller, fr., P/OF

Worth noting: Kirbach is a 2001 Henry graduate and takes over the head coaching reins from Matt Emmons, who left for Pekin after leading the Mallards to a regional championship last spring with Kirbach as his assistant. Henry has 14 players in the program with Williams, Johnson and Kiesewetter leading the way. Kirbach is encouraged by the potential of Rowe and Miller. “Last year, the team had a lot of success and won a regional,” Kirbach said. “We did lose some great senior players and leadership from that group … but we have some talented young players ready to step up to try to fill these voids. With plenty of hard work, practice and game reps, we are looking to have a solid season.”