Underclassmen expected to step up for Colfax baseball team in 2024 season

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by Marlys Kruger

Sports Correspondent

COLFAX — With just two senior ball players out on the ball diamond this year, Colfax varsity baseball coach Kirk Secraw will look for his younger players to reach their goals this season.

The Vikings have to replace their starting catcher and solid hitter Dylyn Hiitola, ace pitcher and all-around great player Mitch Medin, outfielder Brian Tuschl who was a very unselfish batter, first baseman Ashton Greenwell who was a backup pitcher, Brison Tuschl, a great baserunner and Micah Bailey and Braden Kiekhafer who were both great leaders via graduation. Medin was a first team all Dunn-St. Croix Conference pick while Hiitola was honorable mention.

The two seniors returning are key players for the Vikings. Mason Yarrington was named second team all-conference his junior year and is expected to be an ace pitcher and continue his strong hitting, as well as having more responsibility as a team leader on and off the field. Fellow senior Kade Anderson has played a ton of innings in center field and will be batting at the top of the order in hopes of continuing his success from last season.

Junior Zach Hiitola was an honorable mention all-conference player last year and will eat up a lot of innings from the pitching mound as well as batting in the top of the order. Another junior, Drew Buchner will move to the catcher spot and will also bat near the top of the lineup and hopefully steal plenty of bases when he gets on base.

Sophomores Orion Nichols and Peyton Hover will help out on the mound and will play where they are needed defensively and two more sophomores, Grant Palewicz and Grant Paulus should help the team in the outfield.

Newcomers who could compete for playing time are junior Brady Elmer who missed last year due to an injury, along with freshmen Caleb Bailey, Austin Coates, Conner Arntson and Grant Cook.

Colfax finished 7-7 in conference play and 8-8 overall last year, ending their season with a second round regional loss to Marathon.

According to Coach Secraw, goals for this year’s team include improving every game and to be playing their best baseball at playoff time. He would like to have his pitchers have an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 4.00 runs per game as well as the team finishing at least .500 in conference play and be competitive when WIAA playoffs come around.

As far as strengths and weaknesses of his team this season, Secraw, in his ninth year leading the team commented: 

“We are very top heavy with experience through our top four hitters,” he said. “We hope to build off of a playoff win last year and hopefully all of our pitchers from last season can take a step forward this year. We also have some speed on the base paths. However, we will be young and inexperienced in some positions and hitting is always tough, but these kids have come in and worked hard and have good team chemistry,” he added.

Secraw expects Elk Mound and Mondovi to be top competitors in conference play this season since both teams have a lot of returning players from last year’s successful season.

2024 Roster

Seniors: Mason Yarrington, Kade Anderson

Juniors: Zach Hiitola, Drew Buchner, Brady Elmer, Evan Cook

Sophomores: Orion Nichols, Grant Palewicz, Grant Paulus, Peyton Hover

Freshmen: Austin Coates, Grant Cook, Conner Arntson, Braydyn Hiitola, Jace Hintzman, Caleb Bailey