Picture Caption:Golden Eagle pitcher Ryan Light, catcher Landon Hamer and batter Landon Postreich, along with their teammates, take advantage of a rare warm day to practice on the home field.
Usually the crack of the baseball bat brings thoughts of spring and warm nights playing America’s favorite game. For the 2023 Tyrone High School Golden Eagle Baseball team it all begins in freezing temperatures and snow. Beginning in December players have been working to prepare for the season in whatever way possible from weight training at the High School facility to conditioning in the gym, but neither of those options include putting a bat to a real ball. Head coach Kevin Soellner was able to arrange for players to use the batting cages in both the Tyrone Youth Athletic Association facility downtown and the Armory. “Trying to prepare for a spring sport during the winter is challenging, but these players are determined to bring their best game to the field every day and want to practice,” Soellner explained. “With both Junior High and JV Varsity players needing space to bat we had to use all available facilities.”
Varsity Assistant Head Coach Dave Mease sees a clear path to success for the Eagles. “The goal is always the same: to win your League, then the Districts and ultimately win the States. With the core of players we have coming back from last year and some of these young ones having to be pressed into a starting role right out of the gate, I think we will have a solid baseball team. The potential is always there and if the kids continue to do what they are supposed to do we will have a very successful season.”
Registration for the new season began in December resulting in thirty-three Junior High players and twenty-seven on the JV/Varsity level including seven seniors. Returning from surgery, senior Caiden Bonsell is anxious to start. “I think defensively we are solid and trust in each other to be in the right position to make plays. I want us to win Districts and advance to States.” The other senior players include Ross Gampe, Zac LeGars, Austin McClellan, Joshua Patterson, Nathaniel Patterson, and Ryan Seeger.
In addition to Soellner and Mease, the 2023 Eagle coaching staff includes Varsity Assistant Coach Luke Hamer, Head JV Coach Marvin Murray and Assistant Coach Jerrod Prugar, and Junior High Head Coach Eric Wardrop and Assistant Coaches Jeremy LaRosa, Eric Stroup, and Mike Walk.
Coach Soellner added, “This is a very diversified team. We will only have a few players locked into a certain position which means the rest of the roster is fair game and the competition for spots should be at a premium. Having players able to perform at more than one position will give us a lot of options. These players will do whatever it takes to make a playoff run even if it means having to practice with snow on the sidelines and scrimmaging on a frozen field in 30 degree weather,” Soellner concluded. “It is such an honor to work with this group of driven and unselfish young men.”
Meet the Eagle is set for 4:00 on March 19 in the Middle School gym and the public is welcome to attend. The official season begins on Monday, March 27, against Bald Eagle Area with JV/Varsity away at 4:30 and Junior High home at 4:00. A full schedule of the Junior High and JV/Varsity Baseball season may be found on the Tyrone School District’s web site under Athletics and on the Baseball Booster site tyroneeaglesbaseball.com along with pictures and other team information.