LEOPOLD – The Leopold High School baseball program has won just 10 games over the past three spring seasons, and Wildcat coach T.J. Smreker only had 10 players out for the fall season this year, so he knew the past month-plus would involve a lot of learning.
“With only 10 players,” Smreker said recently, “there is no place to hide.”
That was evident in the Wildcats’ initial six games this autumn, as they scored a combined 13 runs and were 1-5 through that stretch. However, the adage is ‘It isn’t how you start, but how you finish,’ and Leopold finished playing “competitive baseball,” according to Smreker.
Over Leopold’s final five games, Smreker’s kids won three games and scored a combined 33 runs.
“We went out there with kind of a reset after our first four games,” Smreker said of his team’s slow start. “It was gut-check time and the kids responded.”
Leopold had five seniors on the roster this fall, one of whom was Braden Halter, who showed an ability to drive pitches.
“We are trying to get him straightened out,” Smreker said of Halter’s approach at the plate. “He’s got some power and he is finally putting it to use.”
The Wildcats dropped a 6-5 game in nine innings to Bell City, which was a 10-win club this fall.
Leopold scored nine runs in an extra-inning loss to Advance and beat Gideon 10-7, before falling 8-6 to Bernie on Monday to close out its fall season.
Aside from Halter, Leopold also got some offense (and pitching) from junior Drew Engelen.
“Drew and Braden both have some power,” Smreker said.
Engelen was also effective on the mound, as the Wildcats’ season gained momentum.
“Drew has some velocity,” Smreker said, “and he has a pretty good off-speed (pitch) to come with it.”
Engelen was joined by senior Fred Brandel, who also was solid in his pitching outings.
“Fred is crafty,” Smreker said. “He’s got more pitches and he can spot them all, but Drew has the velocity.
“That is the difference between them.”
The difference offensively between the first and second half for Leopold wasn’t so much the ability to connect with pitches, but getting the baserunners home once they reached base.
“We really struggled with, once we got guys on base,” Smreker said. “We were really missing those big hits, but we are finally getting them.
“I’m just glad that we are playing competitive ball. We’re having fun and that is all that I am asking. With 10 guys, you have what you have, so we’re going to make the best of it.”
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