Tuesday, June 5, 2007 1:11 AM CDT
District 19 champion Stew-Stras hopes to make another run
By MIKE MONAHAN, Staff Writer
mmonahan@jg-tc.com
STRASBURG — Although the Stewardson-Strasburg American Legion Post 289-611 baseball team lost eight players from its first-ever District 19 title last year, the team, coached by Don Wetherell, returns seven players and has added three others that have just completed their first year in college.
Returning from the 20-10 team are five players from Stewardson-Strasburg, a team that finished 14-11-1 this spring, and two from St. Elmo. Phil Wetherell led the Comets, coached by Mark Wascher in 12 categories, including batting average (.427), runs batted in (32), complete games pitched (four), strikeouts (70 in 37 innings), and earned run average (1.70). Wetherell was a first-team all-National Trail Conference player in the fall along with three other players in Jesse Brandt of Stew-Stras and St. Elmo’s Logan Mahon and Colton Booher. Stew-Stras’ Ben Giertz, a shortstop, led the team in assists with 45 and had just five errors. On the mound the senior-to-be was 7-3 with a 3.65 earned run average with 51 strikeouts in 46 innings. Jesse Brandt, a catcher, also returns as does Conrad Widdersheim, who batted .365 during the spring and is a four-year letter winner for the Comets. Justin Mechling is the other player from Stew-Stras to return. However, Mechling has been sidelined with fluid on his rotator cuff. Mechling batted .280 in the spring and was 2-1 on the mound with a 3.67 earned run average.
“The number of people we have back and the player with college experience is our strength, said coach Wetherell, who is in his second year at the helm and is assisted by Rick Wallace. “Pitching is our strongest asset.”
Stew-Stras has 11 pitchers on the roster, including Derek Hayden, a 2006 Shelbyville graduate, who appeared in seven games for Southeast Missouri State, a team that finished 32-24. Hayden was 6-0 for the Rams in 2006 and helped Shelbyville to two straight sectional titles. Jaden Widdersheim, who is to be a sophomore, was 4-2 with a 2.45 earned run average, with 33 strikeouts in 25.7 innings. Another 2006 Shelbyville grad, Kraig Ladd, who hit .500 as a senior to lead the Journal-Gazette/Times-Courier area, started in six games for Illinois Wesleyan and drove in five runs. Nathan Eversole, another member of the 2006 class, appeared in seven games for Lake Land.
Mattoon’s Brock Bailey, an honorable mention all-Big 12 Conference player, hit .340 for the 21-11 Green Wave, coached by Mark Jackley. Bailey is expected to help the team in any position as he along with Booher, as both are listed as infielders, outfielders and pitchers.
“Our offense hasn’t’ come around yet, but it should be pretty decent,” said Wetherell. “Our one weak spot might be our defense.”
Mahon and Booher are also pitchers and Mahon, who is headed to play for former Sullivan coach Brad Tuttle at Kaskaskia College, is a lefty, who earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Egyptian Illini Conference, while Booher is to be a senior for the Eagles, a team that finished 16-8 during the fall.
Another pitcher in his first year for Stew-Stras is Nick Wheeler, who graduated from Beecher City after playing for Beecher City/Cowden-Herrick. Wheeler is headed to play at Greenville College. Beecher City was 15-8 in the fall.
Steven Thomas, who is to be a sophomore, hit .325 for the Comets and is to play in the outfield and/or catch for Post 289-611, while twins Ty and Zach Lane round out the roster. Ty Lane was 5-0 for the 2006 Shelbyville team with a 2.47 earned run average, with 41 strikeouts in 34 innings. Zach Lane was also a member of the team before moving to Sullivan during the school year.
Stew-Stras opened the season by splitting with Champaign, losing 10-3 and winning 12-6. The team lost a doubleheader Sunday to Decatur 6-4 and 1-0. Post 289-611 takes its 1-4 record to Toledo today for a 6 p.m. contest.
“The team is to turn in what its goals are for the season tomorrow (today), but I feel confident that we are looking to try and make a serious run at district and have a very good showing at the Firecracker Classic and Alton Wooden Bat tournament (where they are to face two Missouri teams along with Alton and Edwardsville),” said Wetherell.
Post 289-611 is to play host to Teutopolis Thursday at 6 p.m. before traveling to Mattoon Saturday for a doubleheader against Post 88.
Contact Mike Monahan at mmonahan@jg-tc.com or 238-6854.
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