Eagles return 10 letter-winners

Published by admin on Wed, 05/31/2017 - 9:09am

The Midland varsity baseball team, first row from left: Carson Hunter, Jake Arnell, Branden Stock, David Flores, Brayden Gravel and Iziek Soper. Second row: Ethan Milder, Aaron Bixler, Alex Smith, Griffin Gravel, Sawyer Hansen, Jensen Dodge, Wilson Buckwalter, Cael Eganhouse and Owen Doll. Third row: head coach Ryan Steines, Fisher Bisinger, Landon Hunter, Connor Harms, Eli Spilman, Britan Martens, Austin Smith, Brett Schoenherr and assistant coach Kolby Harms. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Cronkleton, The Photography Mill)
BASEBALL PREVIEW

     Midland has high hopes for a better baseball season record in 2017 than last year’s 12-20 mark, with 10 returning letter-winners and 21 players out for the team.

     “We have at least 11 kids that could play a number of positions for us this year,” said sixth-year coach Ryan Steines. “Even though we have a young team, we have a lot of kids that have varsity experience.”

     The Eagles have one returning all-conference player, junior Austin Smith, who batted .347 with 10 doubles and 20 runs batted in. Smith can play infield, catcher or pitcher for Midland.

     There are three seniors among the returning letter-winners: pitcher/infielder Connor Harms, outfielder Landon Hunter, and first baseman Eli Spilman.

     Others back include junior Fisher Bisinger, sophomore Griffin Gravel, and freshmen Britan Martens, Alex Smith, Jensen Dodge and Wilson Buckwalter; all of whom played as eighth-graders last year. Martens, a catcher, threw out 12 of 30 runners attempting to steal last season.

     Harms and Bisinger each earned three victories on the mound, and Bisinger led the team in earned run average at 2.48, with 55 strikeouts over 59 1/3 innings.

     Midland went 10-11 in Tri-Rivers Conference play last season.

     This year, the coach said, “Everyone will be chasing North Linn. Calamus-Wheatland and Lisbon should be the next best teams. The middle of the conference will be tough between Midland, Bellevue Marquette, Maquoketa Valley and Alburnett.”

     Steines’ assistant coach is Kolby Harms.

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