John Raffel
Sports Scene
Mount Pleasant’s baseball team came one win away from a Division 2 state title last season.
It won’t be easy going for a title this spring, considering the Oilers have moved up to Division 1. But coach Luke Epple might have the talent to give it a good shot.
The Oilers lost 4-1 to Orchard Lake St. Mary in the 2015 title game.
“We have pretty much everybody back,” Epple said. “We lose a couple of players, one was a DH and another one played mostly defensively. Pretty much all of the eight or nine starters are back.”
The Oilers also appear to be healthier this season.
“We’re noticeably stronger physically,” Epple said. “We’re pretty optimistic of our chances, including in the league, which we haven’t won in a couple of years. It’s a good league. You have Bay City Western and Midland, Heritage, Bay City Central and Midland Dow, to name a few in the league. That’s one of our goals, to compete and win in that league.”
Being in Division I will be a huge postseason challenge, Epple admits.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us in the district where you have to play some of those same Saginaw Valley teams from the north,” he said. “Nothing’s for sure at all. But we have a team that if we play well….”
Seniors include third baseman Zach Heeke, who has committed to Central Michigan University.
“He’s one of our leaders and is vocal,” Epple said.
Senior Hunter Buczkowski returns as a pitcher and leftfielder. He pitched in the title game last season.
Senior center fielder Connor Fiolek also returns as a starter, along with catcher Dan Keller, who is back and healthy this year after missing some of the 2015 season.
“He’s a good one, and he’s college bound somewhere,” Epple said. “Some schools are trying to get him.”’
Max Trucks, a first baseman/pitcher, has committed to Davenport University in Grand Rapids.
“He’s been hitting for us very well,” Epple said. “He’s going on three years with us now. He was with our championship teams.”
Seniors Bennett Raymond and Cole Skowronski are left and righthanded designated hitters for Mount Pleasant.
Junior Logan Buczkowski, Hunter’s brother, is an outfielder, who is being recruited by Cincinnati and Central Michigan.
“We’re pretty deep in the pitching with both Buczkowskis, and also junior Cameron Mitchell, plus Trucks,” Epple said. “They’re our top four pitchers.”
Everyone on the infield is college bound, he noted.
That includes junior second baseman Noah Ingram, and junior shortstop Obie Ricumstrict, committed to Cincinnati.
“We have a real good infield,” Epple said. “We’re pretty sound defensively. We’re healthy and we’re strong offensively. We just have to play well the days you have to play well on to be able to beat good teams.”