‘Jays are turning their season around
By Casey Krautkramer
The Athens varsity baseball team has won four out of its last five games after a sluggish start.
Four of Athens’ six losses to begin this season were against the tough teams of Abbotsford/Colby and Rib Lake that are tied for first place in the Marawood North Conference. Abbotsford/Colby and Rib Lake split their two games against each other.
Phillips is currently in third place in the North with a 4-2 record but the Loggers haven’t played any games against the two top North squads yet. Athens has a 4-4 record in the North after sweeping Chequamegon and Phillips. The Bluejays are 4-6 overall this season.
Todd Diethelm is in the midst of his fifth season as Athens varsity head baseball coach. His assistant coaches are Jeramie Penney, Dale Westfall and Aaron Doll.
Athens’ top returning baseball players this season are senior catcher Logan Ebben, senior first baseman Adam Belter, senior outfielder and pitcher Hunter Haehlke, senior outfielder and third baseman Ty Johnson, junior infielder and pitcher Nick Pittman, junior infielder and outfielder Kaden Auger and sophomore infielder and pitcher Kam Zarnke.
The team’s top newcomers to this year’s varsity squad are sophomore outfielder and catcher Shay Blake; freshman outfielder, first baseman and pitcher Daxton Diethelm; freshman outfielder and pitcher Kaleb Cracraft, freshman infielder and pitcher Garrett Frahm and freshman infielder and catcher Mason Belter.
The Athens baseball team is doing exactly what its head coach expects after recent Marawood North Conference sweeps against Chequamegon and Phillips.
“I want my players to improve every day,” he said. “I want them to focus on the details and have the discipline to win games. If we improve and do things correctly, I will see this season as a success. Baseball is a humbling sport and I tell my players daily that the lessons they can learn in baseball will make them better people on the playing field and in life.”
Athens downed Phillips, 10-6, on April 23 at Veterans Memorial Field in Phillips. Daxton Diethelm was the winning pitcher. He struck out eight Loggers while only surrendering two hits, three walks and one earned run. Daxton Diethelm also had a big game at the plate with a double, triple and three RBIs. Mason Belter, Ebben, Haehlke and Pittman had one RBI apiece in the win.
The Bluejays also beat the Loggers, 9-1, on Thursday at Tucker Westfall Memorial Baseball Field in Athens. Haehlke earned the complete-game pitching win by striking out five Loggers while only surrendering three hits, two walks and one earned run in seven innings. Pittman led Athens with three RBIs while Auner, Cracraft and Haehlke collected two RBIs each.
Athens blanked Chequamegon, 10-0, in five innings during the first game of Tuesday’s road doubleheader. Pittman earned the pitching win by striking out eight Screaming Eagles while only surrendering four hits and one walk in five innings. Auner led Athens with a double and two RBIs. Daxton Diethelm, Haehlke, Johnson and Pittman had one RBI apiece.
The Bluejays defeated the Screaming Eagles in the nightcap, 11-1, in six innings on Tuesday. Haehlke was the winning pitcher.
ATHENS VARSITY BASEBALL- Introducing the 2024 Bluejays varsity baseball squad. Players pictured, from left to right, front row are: Kaleb Cracraft, Logan Ebben, Kian Ellenbecker, Garrett Frahm, Evin Passehl, Kyle Belter and Mason Belter; back row: Ty Johnson, Hunter Haehlke, Nick Pittman, Daxton Diethelm, Adam Belter, Kaden Auner, Brayden Frahmann, Jeffery Draper and Shay Blake. Not pictured is Kam Zarnke.
PHOTO BY TANILLE HARTWIG
