Averaging nearly eight runs in the first three games helped the Waupaca Comet baseball team get off to a 2-0-1 start this season.
It was a different story against Stevens Point, however.
The Panthers handed the Comets a 10-0 nonconference loss Monday, April 9. Waupaca also picked up a pair of Eastern Valley Conference wins over Little Chute.
Stevens Point 10, Waupaca 0
WAUPACA – Logan Mallek held the Comets to one hit over five innings in the Panthers’ season opener.
“We didn’t put the ball in play, but you have to give credit to Point,” coach John Koronkiewicz said. “They’re a pretty good baseball team. We tested ourselves today against a good ballclub, but you have to do that and learn by watching what good teams do.”
Scott Soik hat three hits to lead SPASH, while Jacob Barnes, Ryan Roman and Nik Kolbeck added two each. Barnes drove in three runs and Kolbeck ended up scoring three times.
Mallek and Cal Giese combined for a two-hitter.
Waupaca 9, Little Chute 0
LITTLE CHUTE – Beau Ash, Jake Reedy and Seth Deuman led Waupaca at the plate with two hits each, as the Comets outhit the Mustangs 13-3 Thursday, April 5.
The Comets scored once in the first, four times in the third, once in the fourth and sixth and twice in the seventh.
Josh Houtman picked up the win on the mound.
Waupaca 9, Little Chute 1
WAUPACA – The Comets scored three times in the second and fifth innings, twice in the third and once in the sixth Tuesday, April 3, after Little Chute scored its run in the top of the first.
Kevin Moe picked up the win and Joe Nelson was credited with the save.
Zach Martin had two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Comets, while Deuman also had two hits.
The two games over three days is how most EVC games are scheduled this season.
“You won’t see the same pitcher twice,” Koronkiewicz said. “I don’t think I can answer that. That’s something we’ll have to sit back and evaluate. We’re finished with Little Chute and we won’t see them again, so I don’t know how I feel about that. You’ll have to ask me that question at the end of the year.”
Also new this year is being able to play early-season games without having to reschedule them due to the weather.
“We were spoiled,” Koronkiewicz said. “We got on the field early. It was the first time in a long, long time that we got our first games in on schedule. We couldn’t ask for anything more.”
The Comets are counting on a handful of returning players, according to Koronkiewicz.
“We have some experience on the mound coming back from Josh Houtman to Joe Nelson to Kevin Moe and it’s nice to see Beau (Ash) get some innings,” he said. “We have Jake Reedy back behind the plate, Seth Deuman at first base and Aaron Gooch, a returning starter in center. We’re trying to build around those guys.”
Reedy is back as catcher after missing much of the season last year because of an injury.
“He loves the game of baseball,” Koronkiewicz said. “When he went down last year with that injury, that really hurt us. It’s good to have him back at the beginning of the season and I’m sure he’s looking forward to enjoying a whole year instead of one that’s cut short.”
Waupaca competes in the EVC with Appleton Xavier, Berlin, Clintonville, Fox Valley Lutheran, Freedom, Little Chute, Ripon and Winneconne.
“Based on the first week, you can see that FVL has a lot of experience coming back from last year,” Koronkiewicz said. “Xavier has pretty good players coming back, Clintonville has a couple of pitchers that can be pretty good, Freedom has shown that they can win and Winneconne’s 2-0. I think the league, from top to bottom, will be as competitive as usual. Hopefully, we’ll be in the mix.
“Pitchers are still trying to find themselves and build up some arm strength and hitters have to see more pitches,” he added. “That’ll happen during the course of the year. It’s early in the season and we’re still trying to figure out just who we are and how we’ll play. The goal is to be competitive in the conference and I think we can do that.”
Waupaca Comets 2012 Baseball Schedule
Varsity
Thursday, March 29 – vs. Antigo, 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 3 – vs. Little Chute, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 5 – at Little Chute, 4:45 p.m.
Monday, April 9 – vs. Stevens Point, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 10 – vs. Winneconne, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 12 – at Winneconne, 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, April 14 – at New London (DH), 10 a.m.
Tuesday, April 17 – at Freedom, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 19 – vs. Freedom, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, April 20 – vs. Hortonville, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 23 – vs. Clintonville, 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 24 – at Clintonville, 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, April 28 – at Fox Valley Lutheran (DH), 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, May 1 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 5 – vs. Appleton Xavier (DH), 1 p.m.
Monday, May 14 – vs. Berlin, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, May 18 – at Berlin, 4:45 p.m.
Monday, May 21 – at Ripon, 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, May 22 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Thursday, March 29 – vs. Antigo, 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 3 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 5 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 4:45 p.m.
Monday, April 9 – vs. Stevens Point, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 10 – vs. Winneconne, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 12 – at Winneconne, 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, April 14 – at New London (DH), 10 a.m.
Tuesday, April 17 – vs. Freedom, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 19 – at Freedom, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, April 20 – vs. Hortonville, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 28 – at Fox Valley Lutheran (DH), 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 5 – vs. Appleton Xavier (DH), 1 p.m.
Saturday, May 12 – vs. Little Chute (DH), 10 a.m.
Monday, May 14 – at Berlin, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, May 18 – vs. Berlin, 4:45 p.m.
Monday, May 21 – at Ripon, 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, May 22 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.
Junior Varsity 2
Thursday, March 29 – vs. Antigo, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 5 – at New London, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 12 – vs. Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 16 – vs. Hortonville, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 23 – at D.C. Everest, Schofield, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 24 – vs. Wild Rose, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 27 – at Winneconne (DH), 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 1 – at Hortonville, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 3 – at Wild Rose, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 10 – vs. D.C. Everest, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 14 – at Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 18 – vs. New London, 4:30 p.m.