This story is sponsored by: Chili Implement
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Marshfield Columbus Catholic senior infielder Bryce Fuerlinger and Spencer sophomore pitcher/infielder Chase Higgins were among the 10 players selected to the first team of the 2019 All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division Baseball Team, as voted on by eight conference coaches following the season.
Fuerlinger hit .400 this season with 26 hits, 20 RBIs, 16 runs scored and seven stolen bases for Columbus Catholic, which finished 7-11 overall and 6-7 in the Cloverbelt East.
Higgins hit .368 with 21 hits and 16 RBIs for the Rockets, who ended up 9-7 overall and 8-5 in conference play. He also was Spencer’s top pitcher, finishing with a 3.70 earned-run average in 41 2/3 innings.
Gilman’s Brayden Boie and Dallas Skabroud, Greenwood’s Tragen Bogdonovich, Jaeger Johnson and Cooper Bredlau, Loyal’s Maverick Roehl, and Neillsville’s Cole Hediger and Luke Mayer round out the first team.
Johnson was named Cloverbelt East Player of the Year as he helped Greenwood win the conference title with a 13-1 record.
Columbus Catholic sophomore Jadon Nienast was a second-team selection. Nienast hit .362 with 17 hits, 13 runs, scored, 12 walks, eight RBIs and four stolen bases for the Dons.
Spencer junior Austin Bacon was second-team pick and sophomore Dominic Post was an honorable mention choice.
Bacon hit .322 with 19 hits, 21 runs scored, 14 steals, and had an ERA of 3.32, pitching 19 innings. At shortstop, Bacon had a fielding percentage of 87 percent.
Post hit .357 with an on-base percentage of .491 for the Rockets.
2019 All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division Baseball Team
First team: Bryce Fuerlinger, sr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Brayden Boie, so., Gilman; Dallas Skabroud, sr., Gilman; Tragen Bogdonovich, sr., Greenwood; Jaeger Johnson, jr., Greenwood; Cooper Bredlau, jr., Greenwood; Maverick Roehl, sr., Loyal; Luke Mayer, sr., Neillsville; Cole Hediger, sr., Neillsville; Chase Higgins, so., Spencer.
Second team: Jadon Nienast, so., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Maverick Birkenholz, sr., Gilman; Kade Kroeplin, so., Gilman; Johan Hinker, so., Greenwood; Xander Hinker, fr., Greenwood; Ethan Weinfurtner, sr., Loyal; Trevyn Wilke, jr., Loyal; Luke Erickson, jr., Neillsville; Andrew Petke, sr., Owen-Withee; Austin Bacon, jr., Spencer.
Honorable mention: Gabe Gunderson, jr., Gilman; Jonah Zoschke, so., Neillsville; Braden Trunkel, so., Neillsville; Carson Opelt, so., Neillsville; Aaron Ovyn, so., Owen-Withee; Dominic Post, so., Spencer.
Player of the Year: Jaeger Johnson, Greenwood.