Raiders off to 6-1 start
Old feed mill is now a training center in town
By Casey Krautkramer
Marathon baseball and softball teams, from youth to high school, got a head start by practicing indoors this winter before the spring season began in the new training center in downtown Marathon.
This valuable practice time has helped the Red Raiders varsity baseball squad get off to a 6-1 start this season. The team’s only loss is to Lakeland Union. Marathon edged Stratford, 8-7, on Tuesday at home to begin this season undefeated in the Marawood South Conference with a 4-0 record.
Steve Warren is in the midst of his 25th year as Marathon’s varsity head baseball coach. His assistant coaches this season are Tyler Schilling, Ron Kunkel and Doug Kaldunski. Warren said Kunkel and Schilling established the baseball and softball training center, with a lot of help from parents and supporters of the Marathon softball and baseball programs.
“The idea behind its creation came from the closing of Premier Sports Academy in Weston in March of 2022,” Warren said. “Dodson Auto in Marathon, who owns the building which was a feed mill, has given a lot of help and effort toward the project. The training center has given us some flexibility for spring practices as both the baseball and softball teams have been able to share the mill and gym at the high school.”
The Marathon varsity baseball team’s top returning players this season are senior utility Pierson Hamann, senior outfielders Hector Pintor and Daniel LaQua, junior shortstop Tyler Underwood, junior outfielder Cooper Hoeksema, junior catcher Derek Vesely, junior first baseman Grant Warren, junior utility Clayton Marcott and sophomore infielder Cody Radtke.
Marathon’s top newcomers to this spring’s varsity baseball squad are junior outfielder Jorey Kunkel, freshman outfielder Drew Woelfel, freshman catcher True Thurs, freshman infielder Blake Underwood and freshman first baseman Reed McCain.
Coach Warren doesn’t talk to his players about winning championships because the high school baseball program’s motto “Battle on the Next Pitch” has served players and teams well over the years.
“Good things happen when a team practices very hard and battles on the next pitch,” he said.
Marathon’s varsity baseball team beat Stratford, 8-7, on Tuesday at home behind Radtke’s winning pitching performance. Thurs batted two for three with a home run and three RBIs. Underwood was two for three with a double and Grant Warren collected a pair of RBIs. Hoeksema hit two for four in the victory. Marathon plays at Stratford at 4:45 p.m. this Thursday, April 27.
The Red Raiders kicked off the spring season on April 6 with a 14-1 win at Tomahawk. Grant Warren was the winning pitcher. Thurs batted three for three with a triple, five RBIs and three runs scored.
Marathon defeated Wausau Newman, 10-0, on April 11 as Underwood, Vesely and Grant Warren collected two RBIs apiece. Grant Warren was the winning pitcher. Marathon lost to Lakeland Union, 8-5, on April 11.
The Red Raiders beat the Newman Catholic Cardinals, 10-0, on April 14 to sweep the regular season confer- ence series. Hoeksema, Hamann and Vesely each collected a pair of RBIs. Underwood struck out seven hitters to earn the pitching win.
Marathon nipped Edgar, 2-1, on April 15, as Grant Warren was the winning pitcher. LaQua had two RBIs. Marathon defeated Rhinelander, 6-2, on Friday as Underwood fanned seven batters to earn the pitching win. Pintor collected two RBIs.
