It’s springtime, or nearly so, and with that in mind we have an important announcement to make: softball and baseball seasons are starting soon!

Kicking off Saturday April 2 with a varsity invitational features multiple schools at Poy- nette High down by Madison, the Lady Orioles play Regis High somewhat closer to home on Friday April 8, with Coach Tyler Wagner having a heads up on players to watch this season.

“Players to watch are Emily Brenner, Emme Felmlee, Tina Benson, and Sierra Close,” Coach Wagner shared of what to expect this season. With the last regular game of the season against Osseo-Fairchild at 5 p.m. on May 13, there should be plenty to watch in terms of softball play this year. What about baseball?

“We will be a very young team with only two seniors,” team coach Ryan Sturm said of the Oriole baseball tea. “I think we will be competitive in a very tough conference. We have the talent to win games but we will need to hit better than we did last year.” Singling out Brett Kroeplin, Logan Burzynski and Tyler Reynolds as players to watch this year, Sturm pointed to Burzynski's batting average of .329 as leading the returning starters. “He is going to be a starting pitcher and center field," Sturm said of Burzynski.

As to Kroeplin, Sturm predicted that, “in my opinion he will be the best defensive short stop in the conference,” while for Reynolds Coach Sturm shared that he would be a starting first baseman and relief pitcher.

“Team leader, great role model,” Sturm said of Reynolds. With varsity baseball game play starting April 5 with a game against Eleva- Strum at Stanley’s Oriole Park, the possibilities are many on what can be accomplished this season by Stanley-Boyd.

The Lady Orioles bat in runs last year against the Gilman Pirates. Photo by Joseph Back.

The Oriole boys compete in a home game at Oriole Park last year. Photo by Joseph Back.