The Marshall baseball program has enjoyed a successful two-year stretch. The Cardinals took home a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) regional title in the spring of 2022 and finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Capitol — South conference last spring.
Former head coach Shane Murphy, who had held that position since the spring of 2015, helped build the program to this level. With his departure, Sam Hernandez steps in to a winning culture. It’s something he’s already noticed, not only with his baseball players, but with Marshall as a whole.
“There’s an aura in the hallways here of winning, regardless of the sport,” coach Hernandez, a Marshall High School graduate, said. “Success breeds success. That’s a feeling you get when you walk through those doors. The kids want each other to be successful. They’re winners in other sports and now they want to keep doing it in the spring.”
“Coach Murphy did such a great job building this program,” coach Hernandez said. “This is not a rebuild. If anything, I’m just trying not to get in the way. I just have to let these kids go be great. I’m just continuing the blue-collar mentality for this program’s culture. Nothing is going to be given to us. We’re going to go earn everything we get and be good people while we do it.”
He’ll have a strong core to build around this season, including four returning all-conference selections from last season’s co-conference championship squad.
An obvious leader is senior Matthew Motl, the team’s starting center fielder and a two-time first team all-conference selection. Despite missing an early portion of last season with a hamstring injury, Motl was still far and away the most effective batter on the team with a batting average of .400, thanks to his team-high 20 hits and seven drawn walks. Two of those hits were triples and yet another was a double. He drove in nine RBIs, came in to score 11 times, and stole three bases. He also led the team in slugging percentage at .500.
Another highly decorated Cardinal back on the diamond this spring is junior Carson Connelly. He’s done it all for Marshall in his two years on the varsity, earning first team all-conference honors as a designated hitter as a freshman before earning second team recognition as a pitcher last season.
In 2023, Connelly finished second on the team in both innings pitched and strikeouts with 39.33 and 29, respectively. He allowed only 19 earned runs over that span. Additionally, Connelly was a major part of Marshall’s batting lineup. He served as the team’s slugger, leading the program in doubles with four and RBIs with 15. He also stole nine bases and came home to score nine times.
Fellow junior Teseo Ruelas seems primed for a breakout spring, as well. He earned honorable mention all-conference honors last spring as the season-long catcher. He posted a .983 fielding percentage this season as he recorded 104 putouts and caught one runner stealing. At the dish, Ruelas posted a batting average of .311 and stole six bases to help him lead the team in runs scored with 18. On the year, he collected 19 hits, drove in eight RBIs, and drew 12 walks.
The depth of the junior class is represented by yet another returning honorable mention all-conference selection, Mitchell Pletcher. Pletcher stepped up in place of Motl last spring as he dealt with injuries and shined bright. In the field, Pletcher committed only one error. He collected 24 putouts and two assists for an impressive fielding percentage of .963. At the plate, Pletcher collected 10 hits and drew three walks. He posted a batting average of .333, second-best on the team, thanks to his two doubles, one triple, and two RBIs.
Connelly, Ruelas, and Pletcher will all contribute in the pitching rotation. A fourth junior, Maddux Anacker, has separated himself as a vital pitching option, as well. He was stuck behind a healthy amount of pitchers in last season’s senior class, but he has taken the opportunity this spring and run with it.
Other Cardinals will have to step up, as well, if they wish to replicate their success in the Capitol — South conference. Sophomore Brady Kleinheinz broke out in the fall as Marshall’s starting quarterback. He’ll be a vital utility player on the baseball team, as his athleticism allows him to slot into many places on the field. Senior Jackson Neuberger is another “do it all” player that was described as a “glue guy” by coach Hernandez. Fellow senior Aram Rocha is a potential big bat in the offensive lineup.
Marshall’s team depth has eased the head coaching transition for Hernandez. He’s allowed his leaders to lead, and they’ve set an inspiring tone early in the spring.
“Teams tend to take on the mentality of their upperclassmen,” coach Hernandez said. “Our seniors and juniors are laid back. They come in and do their work. We haven’t had a bad practice in weeks. They’re not showy. We’re not going to be flashy, but we’re going to make the consistent plays every time. That’ll put us in a position to win baseball games.”
That approach will be a necessary one, as Marshall will get right into the thick of things to start the new season. The Cardinals open the season with a series against one of the teams they tied for the conference crown last season, New Glarus. They’ll open at their place on Tuesday, April 2 before returning home on Thursday, April 4. Marshall’s opening week wraps up with a non-conference trip to Lake Mills on Friday, April 5.
For those planning to attend early on in this new season, Marshall’s home games will be played behind the high school for a brief time. There was an issue with the grass seeding at Marshall Fireman’s Park, but there’s hope the program will be able to play there again before the end of the season.
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