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Janesville Legion faces rugged early test

JANESVILLE — It shouldn’t take Ron Pohlman long to figure out what the summer has in store for the Janesville American Legion baseball team.

The fourth-year coach put together a demanding early-season schedule that has Janesville playing nine games in the next seven days.

“I can’t wait to get going,” Pohlman said. “I’ve got 18 boys that want to play a lot of baseball this summer, and I hope they stay hungry.

“I’ve got a real positive outlook. I’ve got a lot of players off the (Janesville) Craig team that went to state, and some good veterans coming back that played well for us last season.”

Although the Legion team figures to pack a punch offensively, pitching could be the key. There isn’t a clear-cut No. 1, but Craig High graduate Brett Fredricks was a first-team All-Big Eight Conference selection and figures to pitch a lot of innings.

Craig’s Cody Steed, Austin Geller and Mike Davis also will pitch, along with Janesville Parker graduates David Jacobson and B.J. Scharenbroch, and senior-to-be Tyler Teubert.

“As long as we throw strikes, I’m not too worried about our pitching,” Pohlman said. “We’re not going to be shutting people out game after game, but I have enough confidence in our offense that we can outscore teams.”

Leading the offense will be Craig graduate Zach Bayreuther and 2008 Parker graduate Matt Beyer. Bayreuther was an All-Big Eight first-team selection at shortstop after hitting over .400. Beyer came on strong for UW-Whitewater as the team’s starting center fielder, and will join Craig’s Dylan Grall in the middle of the Legion order to provide home-run power.

Joining Beyer in the outfield will be Craig’s Christian DeCremer and Keith Wright, along with Scharenbroch.

Craig graduate Zach Whalen will play third, while Jacobson, Teubert, Geller, Fredricks and Parker’s Jake Kobs can play anywhere in the infield.

“We’ve got a lot of versatility,” Pohlman said, “which is a good thing to have. With camps, work and family things going on during the summer, you don’t often have a full team there every game.

“My biggest concern is finding enough playing time for everybody when they are there. I’ve always coached with the idea that if you’re playing well, you’re going to stay in the lineup. If someone’s hot, I’m going to stick with them.”

Parker graduate Kelly Silha, along with Craig graduates Derek Mussey and Kaleb Eichman, will handle the catching duties.

Janesville is the two-time defending champion in the Lakes Area Region 7 League. Pohlman hopes to make it three straight.

“We’ve got the talent and the depth that you need to be successful,” Pohlman said. “Now, it’s a matter of going out and backing it up.”

(Home games at Riverside Park)

JUNE: 17—Genoa City, 7 p.m.; 18—Franklin, 7 p.m.; 19—Five Star Tournament (Union Grove), 7:15 p.m.; 20—Five Star tournament (Beloit), 10 a.m.; 20—Five Star tournament (Milton), 7 p.m.; 21—Five Star tournament (Ham Lake, Minn.), 1:15 p.m.; 22—At Burlington, 7 p.m.; 23—Richmond, 7 p.m.; 24—At Kenosha, 5:45 p.m.; 28—Oshkosh (DH), 1 p.m.; 29—East Troy, 7 p.m.; 30—Darien (DH), 5:45 p.m.

JULY: 1—Grogan tournament (Beloit), 5 p.m.; 2—Grogan tournament (Janesville East Jr. Legion), 7 p.m.; 3—Grogan tournament (Janesville West Jr. Legion), 7 p.m.; 5—At Sheboygan (DH), noon; 7—Elkhorn, 7 p.m.; 10—Oconomowoc tournament (Madison 57), 1 p.m; 10—Oconomowoc tournament (Norwood, Ill.), 4 p.m.; 11—Ocnonowoc tournament (Watertown), 9 a.m.; 12—Ocnomowoc tournament (TBD); 17—Plover tournament (Green Bay Southwest), 5:30 p.m.; 18—Plover tournament (Manitowoc), 10 a.m.; 18—Plover tournament (Plover), 8 p.m.; 19—Plover tournament (TBD); 22-26—Regional tournament at Kenosha.