Consistency will be the Wauwatosa East baseball team's big focus this year, as second-year head coach Brian Karas returns eight letter-winners.
The Red Raiders look to improve on a 9-20 overall record and a 6-14 Greater Metro Conference mark.
'Our main focus is to be consistent in every aspect of the game,' Karas said. 'Especially (with our) hitting and pitching, day in and day out.
'Our batters need to put the ball in play more often and our pitchers need to be more consistent around the strike zone.'
Karas has two major concerns.
'Pitching depth and hitting consistently will be a concern,' he said. 'But knowledge of the game and situations will be our biggest strength along with speed on the base paths.'
Leading the way will be four-year veteran Ben Carpenter, one of six seniors among the returnees.
Carpenter is a three-time all-GMC athlete (2010-11 honorable mention infield, 2012 second-team infield). He was also an honorable mention 2012 CNI All-Suburban selection. He will be playing baseball at St. Thomas University in Minnesota next year.
Outfielder Steffen Uhrich was a second-team all-conference selection last year and junior outfielder Jonah Meidl was an honorable mention all-conference choice.
Outfielders Jacob Martin and Derek Wulff return, as well as utility players Ben Joyce, who catches and plays the infield, Harrison Klein, who plays the infield and the outfield, and junior Ben Plaisted, who plays first base.
Among this group, Meidl, Joyce and Plaisted can also pitch.
'We will feature plenty of veteran players and senior leadership,' Karas said. 'As far as the newcomers we have four coming up from junior varsity, one freshman and one who hasn't played baseball in high school.
'For the six newcomers, they all have the tools and skills needed to be successful. How quickly they can get adjusted to the varsity level will determine just how successful they will be this year.'
Rounding out the roster are senior catcher/outfielder Kyle Gottwein, outfielders senior Ryan Yahn and juniors Brady Hughes and Mitch Wagner, junior infielder Jonny Vannucci and sophomore Ian Quast, a firstbaseman/outfielder.
Karas has 10 pitchers listed on the roster: Plaistad, Martin, Joyce and Meidl from last year and newcomers Yahn, Hughes, Vannucci, Wagner, Quast and Gottwein.
Karas has two captains, Carpenter and Meidl.
His coaching staff consists of varsity assistants Nick Blanchet and Pete Schwichtenberg, Ray Miller (JV head coach), Josh Hornung (JV assistant), Andy Mann (freshman head coach) and Steve Radomski (freshman assistant). Natalie Klein returns as manager.
The Red Raiders host Pius XI at 5:30 p.m. May 23 at Breitlow Field in their opener. They travel to Oak Creek at Abenschein Park at 5:30 p.m. May 24 for their GMC opener and then host Waukesha North at 11 a.m. May 25.