The 2021 North Union varsity baseball team is as follows: row one, from the left, Richie Bolander, Caden Potts, Aaron Krebehenne and Landon Converse. Row two, from left, Evan Hoffer, Mason Bright and Anson Brown. Row three, from the left, coach Trent Pugh, Nolan Draper, Trevyn Feasel, Chris Isler, Greyson Beeney, John Hughes and coach Klarke Ransome. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The 2021 North Union JV baseball team is as follows: row one, from the left: Gavin Bango, Tayden Peck, Austine Cline and Jackson Huff. Row two, from the left: coach Cody Neel, Spencer Parish, Drew Schmidt, Leevanui Suifuniui, Tyler Cline, Ozzy Wilson and coach Marvin Jackson. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The North Union baseball squad looks to use 2021 as a year to rebuild. The Wildcats had a team stacked full of experience in 2019 with 10 seniors in the lineup.
Coach Klarke Ransome was looking at 2020 as a year to give new players varsity time on the field.
COVID-19, however, took that away.
“The shutdown took away a lot of valuable time and experience that a bunch of these athletes needed,” Ransome said. “Last year we would have had quite a few guys earning valuable varsity experience for the first time.
“Now that becomes this year,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge and being a part of a great group.”
With the loss of time, experience and talent, Ransome will be leaning on his two returning letter winners – Trevyn Feasel and Aaron Krebehenne – to lead this year’s squad.
Feasel is returning to the lineup as a utility player for the Wildcats. He brings speed and a solid .403 batting average to the table.
He led the team in stolen bases with 15 in the 2019 season.
Krebehenne is returning to the outfield for NU and went 10-41 at the plate a couple of years ago.
Although the Wildcats lack varsity experience, they do have players who have moved onto the varsity team with baseball knowledge.
Greyson Beeney, Chris Isler, Evan Hoffer and Anson Brown are all upperclassmen who have come onto this year’s team to fill in some of the holes.
Beeney will be moving into the infield, Hoffer will take on a utility role, Isler will be on the bump and Brown will also see time in the infield.
Ransome has some concerns for this year’s team on the mound.
The Wildcats only have Feasel returning with varsity pitching experience, although he did not throw in the 2019 season.
“We have a few solid arms, but we need a few guys to step up and demand to be on the mound,” Ransome said. “Not many have varsity pitching experience, so we will see early on who wants the ball.”
The coach will be looking to some of his new talent. The Wildcats have five freshmen and one sophomore on this year’s varsity roster.
Three of those newcomers have been tapped to take the mound. They are John Hughes, Mason Bright and NU’s lone sophomore Richie Bolander.
The Wildcat coach believes this mix of new and veteran talent will pay dividends.
“We have a good mix of older players that has been around and talented youngsters,” he said. “Our lineup will be able to produce some runs and we will be able to glove it.”
Even with the inexperienced crew, Ransome believes NU can hang with the best of of the rest in the Central Buckeye Conference.
“I think we can compete with anyone we play and I look forward to getting after it on the diamond with this group of guys,” he said.
The Wildcats will have to ‘get after it’ as they contend for the CBC Mad River Division championship.
Benjamin Logan has returned two solid arms on the mound, according to Ransome. The Raiders won the divisional title with a 12-4 record in 2019, while the Wildcats finished a game behind at 11-5.
Ransome said his team will need to be prepared for anything with a gap year between seasons.
“By taking a year off, I am unsure what everyone else is returning,” he said. “This conference is a very good baseball conference and I expect us to be right there and compete for the title.”