Head Coach Brett Knudsen enters his second season in charge of a program coming off its first Conference Championship since 1991, and he will be relying on a core group of experienced players and several newcomers to try and duplicate last season’s success.
The Bulldogs lost eight seniors to graduation a year ago, as the 2024 season ended in a crazy section tournament that saw Becker lose a 1-0 extra inning game to eventual State Champion Totino-Grace.
Knudsen says this season’s success will be determined by how well his squad improves throughout the packed, 20 game regular season schedule.
“After graduating eight seniors last year, we have a lot of players who will be getting their first taste of varsity experience this year,” Knudsen said. “We have some very promising talent between upperclassmen and underclassmen. The key will be how we can gel together as a team and fill those open roles the best we can.”
One of the team’s strengths so far has been their work ethic in practice, something that Knudsen thinks will come out in his players’ competitiveness.
“After winning the conference last year, we are excited to go out and try to defend our title,” Knudsen said. “Our goal is always to win the conference and also make it into the deeper rounds of the section tournament.”
The Mississippi 8 is loaded with baseball talent, with multiple teams finishing in the top 20 state rankings a year ago.
“The AAA state champion last year also came out of our section so we know that it’s going to be a great challenge for us as we head into the season,” Knudsen said.
The Bulldogs will have some experience to help bolster the lineup until their youngsters develop and acclimate to the speed of the varsity game.
Senior Isaac Daluge was a top hitter a year ago for the team and will serve as one of three Captains along with Alex Schermer and Ethan Obermoller.
Daluge batted .424 last season and was second on the team with 24 runs scored, while Isaac Guck also returns from a year ago when he hit .352 as a sophomore. Both speedsters stole 10 bases a year ago.
The starting battery is formidable, as junior Ethan Obermoller returns with a wealth of experience and a cannon arm behind the plate, and sophomore Gerad Hanle will give Becker one of the best lefty’s around on the mound. Last season, Hanle went 7-1 on the mound and ate up 35.2 innings as he racked up 56 strikeouts and held opponents to a measly .204 batting average.
As many as eight other Bulldogs will vie for innings on the mound, as Knudsen expects healthy competition for playing time from across his program.
Becker tuned up for the regular season with a scrimmage last Friday in Big Lake again Coach Loren Holthaus and his Hornets.
The varsity roster included: Schermer, Austin Rimmer, Brandon Hyrkas, Cayden Denne, Obermoller, Ethyn Cantin, Hanle, Griffin Munsch, Hunter Pietrowski, Guck, Daluge, Jack Fischer, Jacob Lauermann, Riley Girard and Riley Wilke.
Becker was scheduled to open the season Thursday in Foley.
