Coach Jeremy Jirschele enters his fourth season with the UW-Stevens Point baseball program ready to take the season head-on. Jirschele is clear that his team demonstrates the strength and skill to build on their successful 24-win season a year ago. The Pointers return 23 players, including all-but-one on their defense, and bring in 12 newcomers.

RETURNING LEADERS
The Pointers return two All-WIAC selections to lead the team this season. Sophomore Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis./West) hit the ground running in his freshman campaign, earning All-WIAC honors in his premier season. The freshman center fielder batted .289 and started in all 38 games. He recorded team-highs with 10 doubles and six sacrifice flies. He also added 38 runs scored, 27 RBI and two home runs last season.

"He is a solid bat," said Jirschele. "Payton was one of our most consistent guys last year as a freshman which is saying a lot about the type of players he is. We will look to him to have a lot of contributions this year."

Senior catcher Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon) was selected to the All-WIAC team in the 2017 season, also collecting the honors of ABCA All-Midwest Region first team and D3Baseball.com All-Midwest Region third team in the same year. In all of his years on the Pointers squad, Mrozinski has taken the bulk of the innings catching. Last season, Mrozinski recorded a .271 batting average, tallying 19 runs, 38 hits, 10 doubles and 30 RBI. His role managing the pitching staff is instrumental to the Pointers' success.

 "All of his experience will carry over into this season both offensively and defensively" said Jirschele.

ON THE MOUND
Moving into the 2019 season, the Pointers lost their four regular starters, including three that collected a plethora of honors. Losing 2018 All-WIAC selections Ben Miller (Union Grove, Wis./Union Grove) and Nathan Mulzer (Neenah, Wis./Neenah), as well as, Cole Erickson (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield), an All-WIAC honoree in 2016 and 2017, leaves a big hole to fill for the new Pointers pitching staff. Jirschele, however, is not worried.

Senior Alex Stodola (Coleman, Wis./Coleman) returns to the mound for the Pointers. Last season, in his role as the primary reliever Stodola recorded eight saves, tied for second in school history. In 14 appearances and 15.1 innings pitched, Stodola struck out 20 batters and allowed eight runs. This season, the Pointers have transitioned Stodola into a different role on the mound.

"He will be our number one starter and he will be our horse. We will look to him to pitch a lot of those big-time games and I think he is ready for it after the season that he had last year in the WIAC and the summer he had with the Woodchucks in the Northwoods league," said Jirschele.

Also taking on a big role with be transfer Carter Daniels (Montello, Wis./Montello). The lefthanded senior from Notre Dame College has also taken a summer to improve his game in the Northwoods League. Jirschele expects him to take on a starting role right away at the beginning of the season and along with Stodola is expected to lead the pitching staff.

Also contending for starting spots are senior right handed pitcher Cale Cuddie (Loyal, Wis./Loyal), left handed senior Tristan Brewer (Grantsburg, Wis./Grantsburg) and freshman Max Herro (Dousman, Wis./Kettle Moraine). 

With Stodola and other former relievers stepping into starting roles, it leaves space for new players to shine in the bullpen. Jirschele has expanded his pitching staff with the intent to create competition amongst the Pointers bullpen to increase depth on the mound.  

 Traditionally playing as an infielder, senior Will Iloncaie (East Troy, Wis./East Troy) has taken to the mound. "He has been pitching well and he has earned more innings. He is one that is pushing the mold to contend for a starting spot," said Jirschele. The Pointers will have Iloncaie in both a pitching and infield role this season.

Also contending for relieving roles are transfer sophomore Zack Haupt (Carlsbad, Calif./San Dieguito Academy), senior Zach Miller, and another surprise, Weston Nelson (Sheboygan, Wis./North). Formerly a catcher, Nelson will be seen throwing underneath, and is really taking the new role as a pitcher and the new arm slot in stride. Nelson will be seen in both pitching and catching roles this season. 

BEHIND THE PLATE
Jirschele expects Mrozinski to take on his starting catching role again this season. Mrozinski has done a great job connecting with the pitching staff in the past three seasons and will use his experience behind the plate to help lead the Pointers.

Also contending for innings behind the plate are Nelson and junior Nolan Matson (Neillsville, Wis./Neillsville).

STRENGTH IN THE DIRT
The Pointers return every infielder, except for Christian Zamudio (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper), who will be taking on a student assistant coaching role this season. The Pointers' returners in combination with a variety of new faces provide a lot of depth to the infield positions and a flexibility that Jirschele is extremely excited about.

Returning to second base, Pointers fans can expect to see junior Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute) back in the dirt. Last season, Duddleston recorded a career high .333 batting average. He led the Pointers with 49 hits, including eight doubles and two triples. Duddleston's agility and quickness led him to add 83 putouts, 101 assists and limited himself to only four errors last season.

Iloncaie will maintain his role as the starting shortstop when he is not pitching. Last season, Iloncaie recorded a .228 batting average. He tallied 16 runs, 28 hits and 17 RBI. He also added a career-high eight doubles.

Contending for first base will be juniors Lucas Luedtke (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) and Jordan Carlson (Madison, Wis./Madison La Follette).  Luedtke maintained a .260 batting average for the Pointers and recorded 12 runs, 33 hits, six doubles and 19 RBI. Carlson recorded a team-high batting average last season at .375. As the first man off the bench, he maintained a career- and team-high .563 slugging percentage, recorded four runs, 12 hits, a home run and eight RBI.

Freshman Bradley Comer (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) has solidified his place as the starting third baseman. "He has been competing at a high level and showing that he belongs in that role," said Jirschele. Comer was an all-conference and all-state honorable mention selection in high school.

Also adding depth to the infield is sophomore Aaron Simmons (Franklin, Wis./Franklin). He will take on infield and outfield roles this season.

BACK IN THE OUTFIELD
Nelson will return to his role in center field this season. Jirschele commented that Nelson earns his role day in and day out and looks forward to seeing him out on the grass again this season.

Senior Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, Ill./Boylan Catholic) will return to the outfield as well this season. Stanicek has made waves both offensively and defensively for the Pointers. Last season, he maintained a .302 batting average and added a career-high 34 runs scored, 42 hits, 10 doubles and three triples. He also recorded a team- and career-high six home runs last season. "Ryan has been playing at a high level for us all four years that he has been here," said Jirschele.

Contending for the final outfield role will be junior Neal Matson (Neillsville, Wis./Neillsville) and sophomores Bradley Hansen (Racine, Wis./Union Grove) and Simmons.

OFFENSIVE ATTACK
With such flexibility in the defensive positions, the Pointers have a lot of options to load their batting order with offensive talent. Jirschele is excited to see Comer step into his new role offensively, stating that he sees Comer's bat as key in the lineup and expects him move up the order this season.

In addition to the expectations of Nelson and Mrozinski to lead the Pointers offensively, Jirschele expressed his excitement for Iloncaie's improvement in the summer and offseason.

COACHING STAFF
The Pointers have added new assistant Coach Doug Coe. Coe is a Pointers baseball alumni, playing from 2006-2008. He collected the accolades WIAC Position Player of the Year, First-Team All-Region, Second-Team D3Baseball.com All-American and First-Team ABCA All-American and holds the program record for most games played in a single-season (53) and career slugging percentage (.703). Coe was inducted into the UWSP Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. "Adding Coe definitely helps because now we have that catching coach and another baseball mind on the staff. He adds a lot to our team," said Jirschele.

PLAY BALL
The Pointers look forward to adding new team, Finlandia, to the WIAC. The Pointers will face Finlandia in a pair of doubleheaders on April 13 and 14.

The Pointers start their season on their Spring Trip to Auburndale, Florida. They kick off the season with a game against Amherst College on March 14. The first pitch is slated for 11:30 a.m. CT.

Once the Pointers return from Florida, they open with a non-conference doubleheader against St. Norbert College on March 26 and then open WIAC play with a weekend series at University Field against UW-La Crosse on March 30 and 31.