Tomahawk East League baseball kicks off this weekend
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NEW ULM -- The Tomahawk East League is set to get up and running on Sunday, May 15, with eight teams opening up league play.
First games scheduled that day with 2 p.m. first pitches have Stark at Fairfax, Gibbon at Courtland, Springfield at Sleepy Eye.
Lamberton will travel to Leavenworth for a 4 p.m. game.
Hanska will start its TEL season on Saturday, May 21, at Gibbon for a 2 p.m. contest, while the New Ulm Brewers begin their TEL season on Sunday, May 22, when they host Leavenworth at 5 p.m. at Johnson Park. Essig begins its league season on May 22 when it hosts Sleepy Eye, while Searles hosts Springfield on May 22.
Here are some thumbnail sketches of the teams in the TEL for the 2022 season.
NEW ULM BREWERS
The Brewers finished 27-10 last season and won the Region 2C championship.
The Brewers return all players from that team and will have three new players in Trevor Nissen, Adam Nilson and Dalton Deinhart. Nilson and Deinhart have previously played for the Brewers.
New Ulm manager Al Flor said that Stark, Hanska, Courtland and Springfield, along with the Brewers, will be the top teams in the league.
The Brewers' pitching staff should be solid with veteran arms in Wade French (6-0), Mitch Bockenstedt (8-2) and Adam Slander (6-1), along with the addition of left-hander Ethan Stade, who just finished his freshman season at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
At the plate, Hunter Ranweiler is back with his team-leading .491 batting average and 22 stolen bases, along with Judd Davis (.450 BA) and J.T. Hoffmann (.434 BA, 11 stolen bases). Davis and Hoffmann each hit five home runs.
As a team the Brewers hit .321.
HANSKA LAKERS
The Lakers posted a 19-7 mark last season and also return all of their key players. They will also see the return of Zach Fischer and Kyle Fischer from injuries.
Hanska manager Chris Koob looks to his team, along with the Brewers, Stark, Courtland and Springfield as the teams to beat.
STARK LONGHORNS
Stark ended its season last year at 12-4 and were the Region 2C runner-ups.
Key players who will wear Longhorns uniforms again this year are Mason Cox (Martin Luther College) and Zach Haala, who is pitching at Bethel. The Longhorns will have a new face in Avery Stevens (Southwest Minnesota State University). Stevens previously played for Essig.
Stark manager Dusty Mangen looks to New Ulm, along with Leavenworth, Hanska, Courtland and Springfield to be the top teams.
Mangen said that he would like to abolish the college wood summer bat league exemptions and make everyone get in their four league games to be eligible for postseason play.
SPRINGFIELD TIGERS
The Tigers went 19-6 last season and bring back their entire team from last year.
Tigers manager Steve Helget said that players Decker Scheffler and Mason Leonard will play in a college wood bat league but be back for league play.
Sam Baier returned to the Tigers at the end of last season and hit .440.
Ryan Sturm hit .425 and drove in a team-high 34 runs, while Mason Rummel hit .340 and drove in 24 runs.
Brandon Wilhelmi posted a 6-0 mark and an ERA of 0.87 last season, with Justin Haugo going 4-2 with a 1.76 ERA.
Helget has New Ulm, Stark and Hanska as the top teams in the TEL.
GIBBON REDS
Last season the Reds finished 1-15.
"One bright spot for us was the play of both Alex Berkner and Tyler Bleess," Reds manager Ryan Panning said. "I am hoping that the experience that they gained last year and will help them turn the corner this season.
"A healthy Devon Schwarzrock, who was not able to pitch last season because of shoulder surgery will help us."
Offensively, the Reds return Nolan Huiras, Justin Schwecke and Kyle Maurer. The Reds also see the addition of Josh Wosmund in the middle of their lineup.
Panning tabs New Ulm and Springfield as the teams to beat.
One thing that Gibbon has going is it has some of the most loyal baseball fans in the area.
LAMBERTON LONG SOX
Last season, the Long Sox finished with a 9-7 record. They return a solid base of veteran players, however, this season. Back are Tyler Renner, Neil Eichten, Holdan Salfer, Isaac Jenniges and Josh Altermatt.
They will mix in with younger players in Will Carlson, Carter Benz, Luke Willhite and Ty Altermatt.
Add in newcomers Eli Fesr, Colby Wall and Hudsen Jenniges and Lamberton will be a tough team.
Lamberton manager Derrick Jennige tabs New Ulm and Springfield as the top teams in the TEL.
SEARLES GRIZZLIES
The Grizzlies ended last year at 4-12 but are anticipating a bounce-back season under manager Steve Kloeckl.
The Grizzlies return the bulk of their players from last season and have added Anton Freiderich and Landon Barstad to the fold.
Early-on pitcher Mark Schommer will not be with the Grizzlies as he is pitching in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League through July.
With Schommer on temporary leave from Searles, the Grizzles will rely on pitchers Nick Dewanz and Mark Reiger, along with newcomer Caleb Carlovsky to the staff.
Justin Bruns also is back with the Grizzlies.
Kloeckl looks to New Ulm, Springfield and Hanska to be top teams in the league this season.
SLEEPY EYE INDIANS
The Indians return key players Carter Brinkman and Alan Woitas to the team. Brinkman hit .294 with three home runs last season, while Woitas batted .286 and led the Indians in stolen bases.
Back on the mound is Matt Sellner, who pitched 35 1/3 innings last year. Luke Mielke ended last year with 30 1/3 innings of work.
Newcomers to the Indians this season are Nolan Domeier, Caden Evers and Jonny Petermann.
Indians manager Brandon Streich sees New Ulm and Hanska as the top teams but sees Courtland as serious threat in the TEL as a young team.
FAIRFAX CARDINALS
The Cardinals will be an entirely new team, said manager Scott Black.
Gone from last year are four starters, including the top two pitchers and also the starting shortstop, catcher and first baseman.
This will be a young team that looks to improve from last seasons 4-16 mark.
"We are inexperienced and low on numbers but hope to get better by the end of the season," Black said.
Returning to the Cardinals are shortstop Cody Huiras, who bats leadoff. Also back is pitcher/catcher Tom Lokensgard, Ryan Grunke and Rafa Herera. Grunke is returning from an injury that sidelined him most of last season.
Newcomers include Tyler Fish and John McFarlane as pitchers.
ESSIG BLUEJAYS
The Bluejays hope to improve from last season's 6-15 mark.
Back in the nest for Essig are Erich Prokosch, Jay Helget (who is back after a year and a half recovering from shoulder surgery), Kyle Helget, Nick Stadick, Mason Sellner, Cotton Gimmell, Ben Wolf, Sam Hanson, Hunter Sehr and Eric Scheibel.
"We will be a very young team," Essig manager Terry Helget said. "We will struggle as we gain more experience. But our veterans are entering their prime years, which could help immensely. We are looking for more pitchers who can give us quality innings."
Terry Helget also is concerned that teams in the TEL are fighting for fewer players each year.
"And most players are not ready for this level of play and that can affect their confidence.
"And there are more things to do in the summer now and amateur baseball is a long season, especially if a player is also playing legion ball."
Terry Helget would also like to see less emphasis on college players playing in a wood bat league instead of amateur ball.
"But I think that it will only get worse," he said. "College summer leagues makes it tough on amateur baseball."
COURTLAND CUBS
The Cubs were the surprise of last season in the TEL and Region 2C, coming within one win from a state tournament berth.
The Cubs bring back their core of key players.
Back are Jackson Bode and Teddy Giefer from college baseball seasons. Courtland also added two key newcomers in Jaden and Nolan Drill to their arsenal.
Manager Chase Meyer said that as usual the TEL will be tough with New Ulm, Springfield, Hanska and Lamberton as top teams.
"Lamberton was almost unbeatable with Altermatt on the mound," Meyer said. "Hanska will also be tough with all of their returning players."
And do not forget the Cubs.
LEAVENWORTH
ORIOLES
Last season, the Orioles went 8-8 in TEL and 12-11 overall.
The Orioles bring back an offense led by Jevan Richert and his robust .461 average. Dylan Hillesheim (.398 BA), Zach Mickelson (.338 BA) and Spencer Hoffmann (.290 BA) lead the Leavenworth hitters.
Last season the mound staff was led by the trio of Matt Helget (four wins and an ERA of 3.46), Jevan Richert (three wins and an ERA of 4.60) and Alex Sellner, who had two wins and carried an 4.90 ERA.
Leavenworth also added new players Austin Uecker, Brandon Mehlhop and Brandon Tauer. Also retuning to the diamond is Jake Schwartz.
Schroepfer looks to New Ulm and Stark as the two top teams with Hanska and Springfield in the mix for the TEL crown.