Waterloo baseball eager to prove itself

The 2023 season was an example of the heartbreaking nature of high school baseball for the Waterloo Pirates. They entered the year with plenty of talent and experience on the roster. The bounces just didn’t go their way. Waterloo lost three games by only one run and three more by two. Five of these nail-biters came in Capitol — South conference play.

“We felt snakebitten at times last season,” Waterloo head coach Keith Setz said. “It’s really contributed to the hard work the guys have put in over the offseason. They want to win, and they want to win now. They want to leave no doubts this time around and take care of business.”

Overall, Waterloo finished last season with a 5-17 record. They also finished last in the final conference standings with a 1-9 mark. But, there’s reason for optimism heading into this new campaign.

Waterloo only lost three players from last spring. Graduated seniors Cooper Setz and Jordan Cook were strong varsity contributors that will be tough to repalce. The Pirates will also be without current senior Owen Haseleu. He was a big bat out of right field last spring but has found his calling in competitive weightlifting. He won a state title earlier in March and has chosen to focus on that avenue.

Outside of those three, everyone is back. There’s a palpable energy in the locker room, one with hints of both optimism and desperation. While the Pirates are talented, they’ve seen how tight the margins are. That’s helped the roster as a whole lock in and focus on this preparation period prior to the season.

“We have a lot of guys that have stepped up over the offseason,” coach Setz said. “The players have really taken it upon themselves and put in some hard work. They want to hit the ground running. Every single person on the field has some amount of varsity experience. They know that and it’s been impressive to see their commitment.”

Two seniors which earned second team all-conference honors last season will help lead the charge this spring: center fielder Trevor Firari and catcher Jon Sampo.

Sampo was not only one of the most efficient bats on the team in 2023, but the entire area. He had a ridiculous .576 batting average thanks to his 19 hits, five of which were doubles. He came in to score 14 times and batted in six runs. Defensively, Sampo committed only four errors on the year and collected 85 putouts, second most on the team.

Firari was next up on the team when it came to batting average at .406. He batted in seven RBIs and came in to score six times. His exceptional speed led him to steal a team-high seven bases. Firari was also stellar from his center field position on defense. He recorded the highest fielding percentage on the team at .984. In 63 total chances, he made only one error, recorded 58 putouts, and added another four assists.

Firari will also be an option in the pitching rotation this spring. He did not last spring as he dealt with an arm injury, but has to recovered to the point where coach Setz mentioned his name in the long list of viable arms. A similar case rings true for fellow senior Cal Hush.

Hush was a second team all-conference pitcher as a sophomore in 2022. He struck out 34 batters in 40 innings of work with an earned run average of 3.15. An injury relegated him to a full-time role as the team’s designated hitter in 2023. He was still a valuable varsity contributor here as he knocked in five RBIs as he put up a .345 batting average.

Hush and Firari are just the beginning of a laundry list of options in the pitching rotation. Seniors Cam Tschanz and Keegan Lauersdorf, junior Bryce Aubart, and sophomore Ryder Jaehnke all bring depth to arguably the team’s deepest department.

Tschanz, Aubart, and Jaehnke typically contribute in the infield, as well, with Lauersdorf filling an outfield spot when he’s not on the pitching mound. Aubart was a second team all-conference third baseman as a freshman. All four also carry solid bats at the plate, creating a well-rounded and deep varsity attack.

While the returning production is impressive, there are plenty of newcomers that could make early contributions, too. Freshmen Shea Sellnow, Trey Collins, Gavin Schroud, Mason Reedy, and Jacob Gier all made the varsity. Sellnow and Gier should be immediate options in the pitching rotation while the other three will push the older Pirates for their starting spots.

“We’re looking for a conference title,” coach Setz said. “I think we’ll be a tough team to beat.”

Things are already off to a stellar start for the Pirates this spring. They opened the 2024 season on Thursday, March 28 with a trip to non-conference Markesan. The Hornets were a No. 2 seed in the WIAA state tournament last season, but Waterloo was the far better team on Thursday in a dominant 17-3 win.

Tschanz and Aubart split the pitching responsibilities. Tschanz got the start and the win, going four innings with nine strikeouts. Of the two runs scored, only one counted against his earned run average. Aubart came in to close things out, allowing only two hits in three innings of work. He struck out three batters and the one scored run did not count against his earned run average.

It was an incredible day at the plate for Lauersdorf. He went 4-5 with five RBIs and three runs scored. One of his hits went for a double. Tschanz was more than just the winning pitcher, too, going 3-4 with three RBIs, a drawn walk, and two runs scored. Sampo and Firari both came in to score twice. Sampo and junior left fielder Caleb Bullock both had two RBIs. In total, Waterloo bashed 23 hits in its season opener.

Up next, the Pirates will look to keep their hot streak up as they open up Capitol — South conference play. This week brings up Waterloo’s series with Wisconsin Heights, starting with a game at Waterloo Fireman’s Park on Tuesday, April 2. They’ll meet again at the Vanguards’ Jerry Barsness Field in Black Earth on Thursday, April 4. Waterloo will then close the week with a non-conference road trip to Mayville on Friday, April 5.