The Amherst High School Baseball team looks to improve its 2000 record of 12-9 this season, with the pitchers who recorded those 12 wins both returning.
Bill Schweitzer is starting his 34th year as head coach of the Falcons, bringing an overall record of 317 wins and 162 losses into the campaign.
The Falcons have five letter winners returning, pitcher-shortstop Matt Mehne, shortstop-pitcher Luke Aubut, first baseman-pitcher Casey Neuville, outfielder-pitcher Philip Koback and outfielder Willie Hill. Aubut, Neuville and Hill are seniors, Mehne a junior and Koback a sophomore.
Mehne was an all-conference selection, hitting .338 with 16 runs batted in and recording seven wins against four losses on the mound.
Aubut was 5-3 pitching and batted .386, with 10 runs batted in. Hill had 11 runs batted in and collected 13 hits for a .265 average, while Neuville hit .250 and was 0-2 on the mound.
Koback had a big season as a freshman, hitting .444 with 20 hits and 12 runs batted in.
The Falcons have some holes to fill, losing five letter winners from last season, including All-Conference second baseman John Heinz who hit .319. The other graduating letter winners were catcher Paul Konkol, .265 batting average; designated hitter Joe Dambroski, .444 average; outfielder-designated hitter Todd Orlowski, .396 average; and third baseman Dustin Yenter.
Schweitzer said starting pitching should be set with Mehne and Aubut, but relief pitchers need to be identified, with Adam Kinney, Tony Packer, Neuville and Koback possible candidates.
Neuville will play first, Mehne and Aubut will alternate at shortstop, Koback will start in center and Hill will start in left.
Packer and Rory Quinn are battling for the starting catcher job, and the second and third base candidates are Kyle Trebe, Joe Blanke, Nick Cottrill and Kinney. One of the candidates will also play right field.
Last year the Falcons were 8-6 in conference play, and Schweitzer expects defending champion Bonduel will be tough.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood and Marion are always tough, he said, and Stevens Point Pacelli has a good baseball tradition. Menominee Indian has many players back from last year, he added, Weyauwega-Fremont is young and Shiocton has the return of a former head coach.