The Big Lake baseball team is looking for a good start to the 2023 season.

  The Hornets began last year with a team that had virtually no varsity experience and finished 5-14 in the regular season.

  “We had a whole new group of varsity kids, so we didn’t know what our expectations were,” says Coach Loren Holthaus. “We were in a lot of games but we lost a lot of  games by one run.”

   The Hornets gained experience throughout the season, and by playoff time, they had developed into a much better team. They won two section playoff games, beating Becker and Fridley. They were ahead against Zimmerman but eventually lost, 8-6.

   “At playoff time we beat Becker and Fridley. We got things together and we were heading in the right direction,” says Holthaus. “That’s where we want to start off this year - where we left off.”

   It shouldn’t be a stretch for the Hornets to begin strong. They have almost their entire starting team from last season.

Their catcher, Keenan Hjermstad, is also the team’s leading hitter. 

  At second base is All-Conference player Nolan Reiter.

   Shortstop and third base will be covered by last year’s duo of Cooper Cusick and Carson Gellerman.

   Some of the pitchers will share duty at first base, depending who is on the mound.

   All three of last year’s outfielders are also back: left fielder Conner Stukenholtz, center fielder Conner Stern and right fielder Trent Josewski. 

    “Pretty much everybody who will be starting the season will have varsity experience,” says Holthaus.

     The pitching staff will be led by last year’s top thrower Isaiah Terlinden. But he will have lots of company. Holthaus says there are a couple of 10th graders who pitched last year. And the team will also be joined by Owen Wilczek, a 6’4” hard-throwing ninth-grader.

   “I’m excited about our pitching this year,” says Holthaus. “This is the most depth we’ve had in pitching in a long time.”

    But putting together a winning season will take more that pitching. Scoring runs will be a top priority.

 “The only thing that held us back last year was hitting. We had a .195 team batting average,” says Holthaus. 

   Having experienced position players will help, since Holthaus can spend more time on hitting and less on defense and basics.

  “Hitting - that’s our focus this year,” he says. “If we’re going to make a run for the state tournament, we’re going to have to hit better.”

    Now it’s up to Mother Nature to bring better weather an improve field conditions so the team can get started.

   “I’m pretty excited this year - if we ever get outside,” says Holthaus.

    The Hornets are scheduled to open the season April 4 at Cambridge-Isanti, weather permitting. Their first home game is against Zimmerman on April 10.