The North Butler baseball team will take the field for a game for the first time this week when they take on Central Springs on Friday. A game that will air on 99 The Wave.
North Butler (4-8, 2-6 TIC-East), after having Monday’s doubleheader against Northwood-Kensett postponed, will play its first game since a 3-2 loss to Hampton-Dumont-CAL on June 12. Brody Wangsness, as the Bearcats’ ace. has a 1.08 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 26 innings. Head Coach Chase Stohr on Wangsness’s presence on the hill and the team’s needed mindset at the plate.
“He has an interesting arm slot, arm angle, he has a lot of movement on his off-speed pitches. When he’s feeling it, he’s one of the better pitchers in our conference,” says Stohr. “The kids are learning a lot, every time that they step into that batter’s box. A thing we’ve really been trying to push is just their mentality when they step into that box and to not be so reactive based off of the pitcher. Just go in there, be aggressive and attack it. Have a mentality that you’re going in there and you’re the hitter, not the ump. Don’t worry if it’s a ball or a strike. Get in there and hit the ball.”
Wrigley Endelman is one of three Bearcats batting over .300 (.314) and leads the team with nine RBIs.
Central Springs (4-6, 4-3 TIC-East) has lost three straight, including a 4-1 loss to Osage on Wednesday. The Panthers have two players batting over .400, led by Lincoln Levan at .467 with four RBIs.
The Panthers won the first meeting this season 11-9 on May 30. The Bearcats will be on the hunt for first win in the series in 2023.
Pregame coverage will begin at 7:15 p.m. followed by the first pitch at 7:30 p.m. in Manly.
The North Butler softball team fell 7-1 at #10 (2A) Central Springs on Thursday. The Panthers never trailed, scoring two runs in the first, four in the third and a run in the sixth. The Bearcats scored their only run in the third. The Bearcats (8-8) will return to the diamond at Belmond-Klemme quad on Saturday.
