Pat Nelson is happy he has eight starters back from last season. But the Gillett High School baseball coach isn’t happy he has only 12 players on his roster.
“Hopefully no one gets hurt or misses a game,” said Nelson, who lost only Aaron Crocker from last year’s team.
The Tigers don’t have any juniors or freshmen on the team and won’t be fielding junior varsity or freshman teams.
The Tigers will rely on durable pitching and strong defense, just like last season.
Senior Derek Zahn returns as the ace on the mound. He went 2-5 in 2013, throwing 36 innings and striking out 47 hitters while walking seven. Zahn attended camp over the winter months and pitched a couple of days a week in Green Bay.
“Hopefully that will help him get his speed up, his control,” said Nelson, who is in his third year as coach. “We’re working a little more with his curveball now.”
Senior Bryce Cibulka also will get some time throwing, as will Zahn’s younger brother, Brian. The sophomore logged seven innings as a freshman, striking out and walking six. Sophomore Dylan Boucher will be another pitching option for the Tigers.
“Once we start playing ball, we will probably play three games a week,” Nelson said. “We’re definitely going to need the arms.”
The pitchers will be throwing to a solid backstop in three-year starting catcher Jeremy Cibulka.
Nelson is confident his defense will be strong up the middle with sophomore Mitchell Umentum at second base and Bryce Cibulka at third base. Eric Fischer will play first base and Derek and Brian Zahn will switch off at third base when the other player is pitching. In the outfield, Korey Badeau will patrol left field, Cody Lindal will man center field, and Wade Wasmund and Travis Temple will battle for the starting spot in right field.
Sophomore Ben Taylor, who has some speed, should also see time in the outfield and Boucher will fill in on the infield.
Gillett had a tough time scoring last season, so a major emphasis this year is plating more runs to help out the Tigers pitchers.
The Tigers didn’t have a player last season with a batting average over .200. Fischer led the way with a .200 average on six hits. Jeremy Cibulka had a team-high seven hits and a .194 average. Derek and Brian Zahn batted .187 and .166, respectively.
Nelson believes his players were swinging too much for the fences in 2013 and need to become singles hitters.
“From the tapes we are watching, they were swinging below the ball, so I’m trying to shorten up their stride a little bit,” Nelson said. “It’s not as if they were hitting good shots; just a lot of strikeouts last year.”
Gillett was aggressive on the base paths, but got picked off a number of times, so Nelson might not run as often.
“We really don’t have that much speed either, so hopefully we’ll get some timely hitting,” Nelson said.
Coleman is the defending Marinette & Oconto Conference champion after finishing 10-0, and it should be strong again this season. Second-place Peshtigo (7-3) and Wausaukee (6-4) are again expected to be good.
Nelson is hoping to finish in the middle of the pack after placing fifth in 2013 with a 2-8 conference record. Nelson would like to beat Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas and Niagara, which is new to the M&O.
“If we get five wins, I guess I’d be happy with that, maybe six,” Nelson said. “I’d like to do better, but reality, I’m thinking maybe a .500 season.”
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