Baseball

2021 WIAC Baseball Preview

MADISON, Wis.--After a shortened 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball teams are thrilled to return to the field for the 2021 season.
 
The 2021 campaign welcomes UW-Eau Claire back to the conference after having its program discontinued following the 1995 season. Charles Bolden will lead the Blugolds after serving as an associate coach at Illinois Institute of Technology.
 
Nat Richter begins his first season at UW-Stevens Point. He was most recently an assistant coach at UW-Oshkosh and played for the Pointers from 2002-06.
 
The schedule for each team in 2021 includes 28 conference games, as well as a “non-conference schedule” consisting of contests against only WIAC schools. The conference tournament has been expanded to six teams with the No. 3 thru No. 6 seeds participating in “play-in” games at the site of the higher seed on May 19. The winners of the single-elimination contests will join the No. 1 seed and No. 2 seed at the double-elimination finals in Whitewater May 21-22.
 
In 2019, UW-Whitewater claimed the program’s 19th regular-season conference championship and sixth tournament title. The Warhawks also received their 22nd NCAA bid.
 
 
Team Capsules (Entering the 2021 season)
 
Finlandia University (Mich.)
Head Coach:  Evan Brandt; 4th season at FIN; 14-60
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  22
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  5
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  0

Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Christian Frederick, Jr., 2B; Nik Geiser, Sr., 1B; Mike Martinez, So., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Tyler Hale, So., P; Nate Johnson, Sr., P
 
 
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Charles Bolden; 1st season at UWEC
Letterwinners Returning:  0
Starting Position Players Returning:  0 
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning:  0
Pitchers with Saves Returning:  0 

Returning All-WIAC:  None
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  None
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  None
 
 
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  Chris Schwarz; 17th season at UWL; 373-270-2
Letterwinners Returning:  11
Starting Position Players Returning:  6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning:  2
Pitchers with Saves Returning:  0

Returning All-WIAC:  Zach Carney, Jr., OF (2018-Honorable); Zach Pronschinske, Sr., RHP (2019-First/Pitcher of the Year); Brennan Schmitt, Sr., INF (2019-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Shane Coker, Sr., 1B; Ethan Gerstner, Jr., C; Parker Plume, Sr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Jack Mizgalski, Jr., RHP; Will Monroe, So., LHP
 
 
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Kevin Tomasiewicz, 8th season at UWO; 138-112-1
Letterwinners Returning:  11
Starting Position Players Returning:  8
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning:  2
Pitchers with Saves Returning:  3

Returning All-WIAC:  Hunter Staniske, Jr., 2B (2019-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Sean Cummins, Jr., OF; Kameron Dransfeldt, So., 1B; Matt Scherrman, Fr., SS
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Alex Larson, Sr., RHP; Will Michalski, Jr., RHP; Harry Orth, So., RHP
 
 
UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Chad Harris; 3rd season at UWP (11th overall); 150-197 (overall) / 23-24 (UWP)
Letterwinners Returning:  22
Starting Position Players Returning:  9
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning:  5
Pitchers with Saves Returning:  3

Returning All-WIAC:  Jonathon Kelso, Sr., CF (2018-Honorable, 2019-First); Ross Krist, Sr., INF (2019-Honorable); Josh Moses, Sr., RF (2017-Honorable, 2018-First, 2019-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Ryan Vogel, Jr., 1B; Jason Adams, So., OF; Logan Kozak, Sr., C
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Sam Hernandez, So., RHP; Michael Greco, Jr., LHP; Sam Peters, Sr., RHP
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Nat Richter; 1st season at UWSP
Letterwinners Returning:  20
Starting Position Players Returning:  7
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning:  6
Pitchers with Saves Returning:  1

Returning All-WIAC:  Payton Nelson, Sr., OF (2018-Honorable, 2019-Honorable); Aaron Simmons, Sr., OF (2019-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Tommy Duddleston, Sr., INF; Bradley Comer, Jr., INF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Zach Haupt, Sr., RHP; Austin Syvertson, Jr., RHP; JD Schultz, So., RHP
 
 
UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Ben Kincaid; 5th season at UWST; 42-72
Letterwinners Returning:  20
Starting Position Players Returning:  6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning:  4
Pitchers with Saves Returning:  2

Returning All-WIAC:  Kasey Bass, Sr., 1B (2018-Honorable, 2019-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Dan Deis, Sr., OF; Hunter Merrill, Sr., C; Charlie Szykowny, Jr., SS
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Jace Baumann, Jr., RHP; James Palmer, Sr., LHP; Cody Urban, So., RHP
 
 
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  John Vodenlich; 20th season (18th at UWW); 606-226-1 (overall) / 577-186-1 (UWW)
Letterwinners Returning:  25
Starting Position Players Returning:  7
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning:  5
Pitchers with Saves Returning:  3

Returning All-WIAC:  Westin Muir, Jr., RHP (2019-First); Matt O’Sullivan, Sr., LHP (2019-First); Nick Santoro, Sr., INF (2019=First); Connor Spear, Sr., RHP (2019-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Connor Moroder, Sr., UTIL; Matt Korman, So., OF; Bryan Sturdevant, Jr., INF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Donovan Brandl, So., P/1B; Hayden Fox, Jr., RHP; Ben Muscatello, Jr., P
 
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