2023 RECAP: Altoona has dominated the conference since coming in, in 2022. They've lost just two league games in two seasons and won back-to-back conference titles. The Railroaders went 13-1 and finished two games ahead of Baldwin-Woodville and three ahead of Saint Croix Central. Altoona would go on to play in the Division 2 State Tournament, losing to eventual champion Saint Thomas More in the semifinals.

2023 SEASON INFO (Standings, All-Conference, Stats, etc.)

2024 FORECAST

Head Coach: Craig Walter (8th year at Altoona; 8th overall) 101-35 career record
2023 Record: 21-5
2023 JV Record: N/A
2023 Freshman Record: N/A

Returning Letter Winners: N/A
Returning Starters: Trent Cornell (sr), Bennett Stokee (jr), Kellen Smith (jr), Cameron St. John (jr), Keaton Camastral (sr), Mason Lange (sr) AJ Lenberg (sr)

Forecast: Altoona won its second straight conference title in 2023 and made the state tournament for the first time since 2010 and second time in program history. The Railroaders are loaded up to win a third straight after graduating just four seniors from last year's squad. San Francisco commit Trent Cornell headlines a batting order with five hitters who batted over .300 last season. Bennett Stokke was the Player of the Year in the conference last season going 7-1 with a 1.50 ERA and hitting .365 from the plate. Smith, Lange, and Camastral will be back in the rotation, giving the Railroaders a huge advantage nightly. Altoona is ranked seventh in the WBCA Division 2 Preseason Coaches Poll and has aspirations to return to Appleton for a second consecutive season.

Head Coach: Brad Sauve (3rd year at SCC; 34th overall) 343-256 career record
2023 Record: 14-7
2023 JV Record: 9-7
2023 Freshman Record: 5-6

Returning Letter Winners: 8
Returning Starters: Eli Bable (jr), Eli Ponath (sr), Mason Sullivan (sr), Noah Nusbaum (sr), Owen Talledge (sr), Caden Wester (sr), Brett Nelson (jr)

Forecast: The Saint Croix Central pitching staff is loaded coming into 2024, returning all five of the top pitchers and 94% of the innings pitched. Ponath, Babler, Nusbaum, and Nelson all pitched to sub-3.20 ERAs and combined for 13 of the 14 wins last season. Ponath and Babler were first team all-conference players and Mason Sullivan was second team. Coach Sauve will cross the 350 win mark in his career this season and has done a great job leading this Panthers program. Saint Croix Central will push Altoona at the top once again and figure to contend for the conference title.

Head Coach: Jeff Ryan (26th year at Prescott; 26th overall) 399-147 career record
2023 Record: 7-14
2023 JV Record: N/A
2023 Freshman Record: N/A

Returning Letter Winners: N/A
Returning Starters: Cullen Huppert (sr), Barrett Temmers (jr), Nolan Thomley (sr), Mason Schommer (sr), Cole Platson (jr), Dain Pechacek (jr)

Forecast: Prescott finished below .500 last season but return nearly the entire roster including top pitcher Cullen Huppert, who is heading to Southwest Minnesota State to pitch next year. The Cardinals have the advantage of being under the tutelage of WBCA Hall of Fame coach Jeff Ryan who surpassed 400 career wins earlier this season. Nine pitchers return who pitched varsity innings last season, which should bode well in comparison to other teams in the league. Both Barrett Temmers and Nolan Thomley were all-conference players last season and give the infield and outfield stability in the field. I expect Prescott to take a jump in the standings from last season and finish well above the .500 mark.

Head Coach: Wes Haney (9th year at BW; 9th overall) 97-60 career record
2023 Record: 15-5
2023 JV Record: N/A
2023 Freshman Record: N/A

Returning Letter Winners: N/A
Returning Starters: Cal Smith (sr), Garrett Guthrie (jr), Graiden Monicken (jr), Gavin Sell (jr), Colton Hish (sr), Jesse Gorman (sr)

Forecast: Baldwin-Woodville pushed Altoona at the top of the standings last season and will be one of the teams to do so once again in 2024. At the top of the rotation is two seniors who are committed to play at the next level and a junior who was outstanding as a sophomore. Seniors Cal Smith (Duluth commit) and Jesse Gorman (East Central College commit) along with junior Gavin Sell will give Coach Haney a fighting chance on any of their starts. The Blackhawks are 4-2 to start the season and 1-1 in conference. 

Head Coach: Brandon Voelker (3rd year at Ellsworth; 3rd year overall) 17-a 22 record
2023 Record: 11-10
2023 JV Record: N/A
2023 Freshman Record: N/A

Returning Letter Winners: N/A
Returning Starters: Derek Johnson (jr), Nolan Kummer (jr), Max Lange (sr), Nic Kemmerer (sr), George Rohl (soph), Omar Coulson (soph), Jack Stoltenberg (soph), Landon Lampman (sr), Carter Erickson (sr)

Forecast: Ellsworth had its first winning season in five years last year and return nearly the entire roster, including 98% of the innings pitched. Stoltenberg, Lampan, and Erickson will be asked to shoulder the load once again for the Panthers on the mound after combining for ten of the eleven wins last season. The lineup returns all-conference selection Derek Johnson as well as three other batters who hit over .300. Coach Voelker has the Ellsworth baseball team trajectory on the right path in his third season.

Head Coach: Zac Eichten (8th year at Somerset; 11th overall) 37-91 record
2023 Record: 7-16
2023 JV Record: N/A
2023 Freshman Record: N/A

Returning Letter Winners: N/A
Returning Starters: Mason Schmidt (soph), Kane Donnelly (jr), Nolan Teske (jr), Riley Perro (sr), Dane Gilewski (jr), Carson Belisel (soph), Calvin Julson (jr), Koen Ronning (soph)

Forecast: Somerset will field just one senior in 2024 as the Spartans are young. Sophomore Mason Schmidt was an all-conference pitcher as a freshman last season, pitching to a 2.76 ERA. Donnelly also was an all-conference pitcher as an underclassmen and will partner with Schmidt atop the Spartans rotation. Somerset scored the least amount of runs last season and will need to have taken that step forward if they hope to compete with the middle of the conference.

Head Coach: Matt Humpal (1st year at Amery; 11th overall) 123-92 career record
2023 Record: 3-16
2023 JV Record: N/A
2023 Freshman Record: N/A

Returning Letter Winners: N/A
Returning Starters: William Jensen (sr), Stuart Hellie (sr), Jacob Maxon (soph), Peter Markee (jr), Mike Kelly (jr) Michael Morrissey (soph)

Forecast: Amery will need to improve greatly on the mound to escape the cellar of the Middle Border conference. The Warriors pitching staff allowed over 15 runs per game in conference play last season. The offense does have two college committed players in William Jensen (UW-Eau Claire) and Stuart Hellie (Augsburg). Jensen hit nearly .540 last season and is one of the top batters in the entire conference. The Warriors seem to be on the right track as they're 4-2 already on the 2024 season.

Head Coach: Joe Rysdam (2nd year as head coach; 22nd year with Osceola) 7-12 record
2023 Record: 7-12
2023 JV Record: N/A
2023 Freshman Record: N/A

Returning Letter Winners: 4
Returning Starters: AJ Gross (sr), Graden Mork (sr), Tred Hiljus (jr), Carson Cole (jr)

Forecast: Osceola fielded an inexperienced team in 2023 and will do so once again in 2024. Seniors AJ Gross and Graden Mork will need to take on a leadership role for the Chieftains as Coach Rysdam's will struggle, especially early on, with the speed of the varsity game.

Conference Previews are based on information submitted by coaches, 2023 award info, statistics available to WSN, and other sources including the Baseball Wisconsin Yearbook. To purchase your copy of the Baseball Wisconsin Yearbook, click here.