West Central Tribune
2018 Prep Softball and Baseball Previews WILLMAR BASEBALL
Willmar ready for a challenge By Tom Larson tlarson@wctrib.com The Willmar Cardinals would like to be competing for a Central Lakes Conference championship this season but their initial goal will be of a more narrow scope. “I am excited about the depth that we have across the diamond this year,” said fourth-year head coach Tom DeBoer. “We will have players competing at every position and depth in our pitching staff.” The Cardinals lose all but two wins from last year but DeBoer and his staff — assistant coaches Tyler Steen, Jake Rambow, Darrin Ditterich, Patrick Courtney and Brad Dean — have had time to develop seniors such as Zak
BRIANA SANCHEZ / TRIBUNE
Catcher Drey Dirksen talks to pitcher Kaden Kessler-Gross on April 25 at Bill Taunton Stadium in Willmar. The game was suspended because of the rain at the bottom of the second with Fergus Falls leading 3-0.
Madsen, Jon Broman and Caleb Ditmarson and junior Drey Dirksen. All are back as starters this season. Dirksen, a 6-foot-4 catcher, was an All-CLC player in 2017, hitting .304 with four doubles, a triple, a home run and nine runs batted in. DeBoer is equally impressed with his work behind the plate. “Drey is a threat in the lineup and an even bigger threat defensively,” DeBoer said. Ditmarson was impressive in his six starts last year. He worked 34.2 innings and while he won just one of his four decisions, he finished the year with a 3.23 earned-run average and 25 strike
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JAKE SCHULTZ / TRIBUNE
Willmar’s baseball team takes on St. Cloud Apollo in a Section 5AAA tournament match at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud on June 1, 2017.
We wish all area teams the best of luck and much success this season! WWW.CHRISTIANSONCPA.COM Willmar · 320.235.5937 | Litchfield · 320.693.7918 | Paynesville · 320.235.5937 001663566r1