Owatonna High School's baseball season will start (almost) as scheduled. The school announced that Thursday's season-opener against Rochester Mayo will be moved back one day to Friday, April 5. Game time is 5 pm at Fuller Field at Dartt's Park in Owatonna with coverage on Kat Kountry 105FM. Friday's forecast is for sunshine with highs in the low 60's. Last season's opener was delayed nearly three weeks due to snow and winter weather.

The Huskies (18-5, 10-1) won the Big Nine Conference title in 2018 with the Spartans (10-13, 8-3) finishing second. OHS swept a doubleheader from Mayo 7-2 and 16-15 last season. Only one head-to-head counts in the conference standings. This Friday's game is the non-conference game. The teams will play again April 24 at Mayo Field in Rochester.

Owatonna graduated a large number of players off their team from last season. Coach Tate Cummins says there are still some players back with varsity experience, "Jake Miller in centerfield, he had a great Big Nine year last year...Ben Zappa out in leftfield, an outfielder that did well for us, Jon Klecker is a returner from the Legion squad, he was probably our best hitter last year, he'll play some third base, short stop when needed...Ethan Walter, he was that utility player for us."

Regarding pitching, Cummins said, "Sol Havelka, he threw exceptionally well for us last year as a sophomore. He looks really good once again...He's an attack type pitcher...Matt Segler, he did a lot of relief work for us last year." Seniors Klecker and Zappa along with a number of juniors and sophomores will also get innings.

Cummins said the team worked on the mental part of the game during the early weeks of practice while they were still confined to the indoors, "We have some leadership and mental training we go through, program expectations."

After the opener Friday versus Mayo, OHS plays John Marshall Tuesday, April 9 at John Adams Middle School in Rochester. The Huskies are back home Thursday, April 11 against Century, then plays a doubleheader at Mankato East Saturday, April 13 at noon.

 

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