Warriors say hello to Coach Carver
By Lenny Sementi
Tuscola’s baseball program welcomes a new skipper to the field this spring.
Adam Carver from Arthur knows his way around a diamond after pitching in college, but by no means is he new to the Warriors. Carver was the JV coach last season after returning to the area and also coached with the Douglas County Legion team based out of Tuscola throughout the last four or five seasons.
Carver, who returns a very strong core of players from last year’s team that took third in the state, replaces Coach Duff Hoel. Hoel tallied 187 wins in eight seasons with the Warriors collecting 20 wins or more five times, four Regional crowns and two state tournament appearances including a third place finish last year.
Seniors Brayden VonLanken, Cade Kresin, Will Little, Mike Ludwig, Dalton Grover, Cameron Ochs, and Hayden Cothron return from the 38-win season with hopes of a return trip to Peoria. VonLanken held down first base a year ago and brings power to the lineup. Kresin will be in the hot corner and adds some punch at the plate. Little, Ochs and Cothron will patrol the grass in the outfield while Ludwig gives the coach some options in the infield and should provide some innings on the mound.
Add to that a talented junior class highlighted by Logan Tabeling and Lucas Kresin allowing Carver to hit the ground running. Tabeling will be the staff ace after turning in a stellar outing in the state semi-final game last season. He broke the record for all four classes for strikeouts in a game fanning 14 in seven and two-thirds innings of work. L. Kresin will most likely be his battery mate after patrolling right field most of last season and will also be called on to pick up a few innings on the hill. A few other third-year players will look to crack the batting order before its all said and done. Ryan Bartley will eat up some innings pitching and has looked pretty good with the bat in early practices. Max Wyninger and Jonah Pierce are looking for time behind the dish. Wyninger could be a nice bat as a DH, as well.
A pair of sophomores Cole Cunningham and Nathan Koester add depth to the pitching staff and should also compete for time on the diamond. Cunningham is a solid middle infielder that could also play outfield. Newcomer freshman Jalen Quinn brings a smooth and calmness to the infield and should be in the opening day lineup somewhere.
The full story can be found in the Wednesday, March 13, 2019 edition of The Tuscola Journal.
