SOLON — Four returning starters will lead the Solon Spartans on the baseball diamonds this season.
Senior Kinnick Pusteoska, junior Blake Timmons, and sophomores Brett White and Gehrig Turner spearhead the varsity squad. Pusteoska, a first baseman, earned 1st Team All-Conference and 2nd Team All-State honors last year with a .423 batting average, six homeruns, and 51 RBIs. Timmons, a second baseman and pitcher, earned 2nd Team All-Conference and 1st Team All-State recognition with a .439 batting average, 50 hits including a dozen doubles, a 5-2 record on the mound with 50 strikeouts, and a 2.05 ERA. White, a shortstop and pitcher, picked up 1st Team All-Conference and 2nd Team All-State honors as a freshman. He hit .356 with 18 doubles and 56 RBIs. Turner, catcher and pitcher, received an All-Conference Honorable Mention with a .323 batting average, 42 hits, a dozen doubles, and 38 RBIs.
Five seniors – Parker Pentico, Michael Pipolo, Logan Gruchow, Colin Werner, and Jacob Timmons, bring valuable experience to the Spartan line-up. Pentico, a pitcher, went 3-0 last season with a 3.15 ERA in 14 innings on the mound. Pipolo is an outfielder, as is Werner. Gruchow is a utility player while Timmons is an infielder.
New to the squad are junior Austin Bell (utility) and sophomore Vince Steinbrech (pitcher).
“We return four big bats (Pusteoska, Blake Timmons, White, and Turner) from last year and we’re excited to see how our returning players and newcomers will round-out our lineup,” said Coach Keith McSweeney, in his 23rd season at Solon (560-293). “Our guys have worked very hard this winter/spring and our goal is to compete for, and win, a State Championship. In order for us to accomplish this, we’ll need our leaders to help us run the marathon, and our inexperienced pitchers need to step up, throw strikes, and provide us with consistent outings each week.”
The Spartans ended 2021 with a 29-12 record overall and 20-4 showing in the WaMaC East, good for second place behind conference champion Marion (37-6/22-2). Cade Chapman, Westen Stiegelmeyer, Brady Jeworrek, Ben Cusick, Carson Shive, Brayden Rickertson, Will Noonan, Bo Janssen, Jacob Smith, Drew Turner, Jackson Ryan, Mario Villegas, and Isaac Milliman were lost to graduation.
McSweeney sees Marion as the “clear favorite in the East” with everyone else trying to keep pace with the Wolves. “It’s a very tough league, but we feel we’ll be able to compete with everyone.”
Solon has had a long-standing rivalry with Mount Vernon (13-19/11-13 last year), and WaMaC West foe Clear Creek Amana (16-17/12-12). However, “Marion has become a main rival given the success of the two programs and the number of close/important games we’ve played over the last 15 years. CCA has emerged as a consistent contender and our games have been ultra-competitive. Mount Vernon has been our rival forever and we’re looking forward to hosting them this year for the first time in a few years (Thursday, June 23).”
The season opened Monday, May 16 with a doubleheader at Vinton-Shellsburg after scrimmage games against Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Prairie High School. “We’re excited to host the “Fight With Flash” games (held in memory of Austin “Flash” Schroeder and benefiting University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital through the Fight With Flash Foundation in their battle to defeat pediatric cancer) Saturday, June 11 at the Solon Nature and Recreation Area including youth games on the adjacent fields. Solon will play the opening game against City High at 11:00 a.m.
“The guys are very excited for the season to get going as they know our journey will be fun.”
Maquoketa visits Monday, May 23 for a 5;00 p.m. doubleheader, Central DeWitt visits Tuesday, May 24 for a Level 2 and varsity pair starting at 5:00 p.m. (Level 2). Solon travels to Independence Thursday, May 26 for a doubleheader starting at 5:00 p.m.
Drew Wilcox delivers a pitch Wednesday, May 11 in a scrimmage against Prairie, Cedar Rapids.