By Morgan Rode sports@newmedia-wi.com
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode Bonduel’s Claire Gehm, center, makes a throw during the team’s outside practice on Tuesday. Gehm figures to serve as one of the team’s top pitchers in her freshman season.
Leader Photo by Morgan Rode Bonduel’s McKenzie Wollenberg makes a throw to first base during the team’s outside practice on Tuesday. Wollenberg is the lone returning all-conference selection from last year’s team.
Coming off a 5-14 season, the Bonduel High School softball team is eager to turn things around.
While looking at the record alone might make one think the Bears were not that competitive last season, that was far from the truth. Bonduel was the victim of several tight losses, with a few losses coming by just a run.
Bonduel, which went 2-10 in Central Wisconsin Conference-East division play last year, returns several experienced players this spring. Even so, there will still be an adjustment period.
“We will have a lot of players at new positions this year and getting those kinks worked out will take some time,” Bonduel coach Chris Reinke said.
As of Tuesday, when the team practiced outside for the first time, Reinke said the program would include just 14 players total. Six of those players are seniors, while four are freshmen. The Bears also have two sophomores and two juniors in the mix for playing time.
Senior McKenzie Wollenberg is the team’s lone returning all-conference selection. She was an honorable mention as a junior.
Wollenberg will serve as the team’s starting shortstop while also trying to serve a leadership role for the Bears.
“I think we just need to make sure that we are all there for each other,” Wollenberg said. “Even if we do have one bad game, just push it off to the side and keep going forward.”
Senior MacKenzie Moore will start at second base for Bonduel, while senior Grace Tubutis plays the outfield.
Also returning starting experience for the Bears are sophomores Joanie Wudtke (catcher) and Halea Sporisky (outfield) and junior Olivia Lorbiecki (third base).
Seniors Jordyn Pingel (first base), Jenna Godin (outfield) and Alison Renner (outfield) and junior Taylor Luepke (pitcher, first base) are also back.
Freshman Claire Gehm should play a role in the team’s pitching staff from the start of the season.
“First, we need to get familiar with each other, since I haven’t played with some of these other individuals ever,” said Moore, on what it will take to have a successful season. “We have to learn how we all play and then hopefully come out with a couple wins right away and get the season rolling.”
With many all-conference selections from last year having graduated, Reinke believes the CWC-East portion of the schedule should be pretty balanced and could make for an interesting race down the stretch.
Bonduel’s Monday home opener against CWC-East foe Wittenberg-Birnamwood was postponed due to lingering snow and water on the diamond, meaning the Bears first game is now scheduled to be at home against Coleman on Tuesday.
Should that game also get postponed, Bonduel is slated to play at Amherst on Thursday.
When postseason play rolls around, the Bears will try and work through a regional pod that includes Amherst, Gillett/Suring, Menominee Indian, Nekoosa, Northland Pines, Oconto, Peshtigo, Tomahawk and Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Regional games are scheduled to be played on May 16, 21 and 23, with sectionals on May 28 and 30.
The state tournament will run from June 5-8 at Goodman Diamond in Madison.