New weather brings a new season and the Cotter  baseball team has been hard at work in the gym, ready to get outside after the long winter and dreary spring.

 The baseball team has high expectations for this year after finishing 3rd in the section, losing to eventual state champion Kasson-Mantorville. This year won’t come without obstacles for a young team who has lost its three all-conference members Owen Burnikel, John Demarais, and Roger Brosnahan.

Yet, the team is returning key members from last year’s section team which includes Zack Hefel, Joe Tlougan, and Josh Forst.

  Zack Hefel is a familiar face in the lineup, receiving his first call up at the end of his freshman year. Zack is a strong bat in the middle of the lineup, hitting .450 last season, barely missing all conference honors.  Zack’s experience will be put to the test to guide this young, and revamped team.

“ We expect to come out and win right away. Coach O’Brien has done a great job setting the tone early with this year’s team. We are going to outwork teams this year in the field and run the bases with extreme confidence” Hefel declared.

 Joe Tlougan has been a teammate of Zack’s going back to grade school days at the Ridgeway baseball club. Tlougan offers a strong arm on the mound and a sure handed first baseman mitt when needed. The team will look for Tlougan’s arm to carry the Ramblers deep into the playoffs.

  Junior  Josh Forst is the returning shortstop from last year’s section team. Forst is known for his big arm that is necessary to makes plays deep in the hole. Forst will have to step up at the plate this year to fill the holes left from last years seniors.

 Other players including  senior Nick Hohensee-Burbach, coming off a knee injury, juniors Sam French, Matt Masyga, and sophomores Andy Tofstad and Jonah Spiten will also be key contributors to this year’s team.

Coach Matt O’Brien is heading into his third season at the helm of the Cotter program, spending previous years as the pitching coach within the program under the direction of Nick Whaley. O’Brien’s teams have grown stronger over the three years he has been here ending up  last season with a 12-10 record.

The Ramblers hope to continue their success as they enter their first season in the Three Rivers Conference. The Ramblers will be put to the test early as they face up with the Lewiston-Altura Cardinals, one of the Conference favorites.