Despite the snowy start to spring, another baseball season is set to begin and the Lennox High School’s baseball team, under the guidance of seasoned head coach Drew Sweeter, prepares for what promises to be an exciting and competitive season.
Entering his seventh year as head coach at LHS, Sweeter is confident in his team’s abilities. Last year the team finished 11-5 overall and 7-4 in the region.
“We beat MCM in our first round playoff game 9-4 behind a fantastic outing by Conner Eich as he went six innings and struck out 10,” said Sweeter, “And then we lost in our region qualifying game to Dell Rapids 5-3.”
The team will be without Eich this season, along with Braedon Wulf and Sawyer Bowers, all of whom graduated last spring. Lennox does bring back a large proton of last year’s starters, however, including 1st team All-State senior Isaac Bambas and 2nd team All-State sophomore Talen Eich.
“We also return Seniors Braxton Musser, Ashton Bach, Triston Butler, Juniors Corban Hanneman, Jackson Anacker, Cullen Wright, Sophomores Cole Spieler, Mason Reischl, Jaxson Bittner, Gabe Veurink and Ramsey Williams.,” added Sweeter.
With a lineup boasting experienced seniors and juniors who have seen varsity playing time since their freshman years, alongside promising sophomores, the Orioles looks poised for success.
Experience will be the backbone of the team this season.
“We return and also add pitching depth that will keep us in a lot of ball games,” said Sweeter. “We’ll have a strong defense to back up our pitchers as well.”
However, Sweeter acknowledged a recurring concern from previous seasons.
“In years past it seems like maintaining leads and being able to put teams away seems to be our Achilles heal so were hoping with a tougher schedule this year our boys will be tested in many different ways to be ready for the end of our season,” said Sweeter.
The Orioles will once again have to contend with strong teams from Dell Rapids, West Central and Hanson, but Sweeter said this team is ready to compete with the best of them.
“With the returning players and the few players that have come out, we look to finally get over the hill of not making state. We’ve made the state qualifying game the past three years and our goal as a team once again is to make state,” said Sweeter. “We definitely will have the team to do so, now we just need to work to play our best baseball at the end of the season. Our region is always tough so we’ll definitely will be tested.”
Assisting Sweeter this season will be Nate Iversen, Grant Sweeter, and Chris Kropenske.
A complete roster this year includes: Seniors—Isaac Bambas, Braxton Musser, Ashton Bach, Triston Butler, Landon Atkins, Ethan Larson, Dayne Moeller; Juniors—Emory Lefers, Corban Hanneman, Cullen Wright, Jack Aasheim, Jackson Anacker, Tyler Strasser, Dane Winterboer, Sophomores—Talen Eich, Mason Reischl, Ramsey Williams, Preston Otte, Jaxson Bittner, Gabe Veurink, Cole Spieler, Alec Gates; and Freshman—Brennen Jeffer, Cade Aasheim, Evan Atkins, Jevyn Lefers, Madix Havern, and Sam Bambas.
The team was scheduled to begin their season this Thursday, March 28 but that has been pushed to Wednesday, Apr. 3 at home against Dell Rapids. They will be on the road at Brandon Valley on March 29 and will be out west on Apr. 6-7. A complete schedule is pictured below:
