Experienced Mustang Baseball Team Looks to Make Noise in BRC

Photo courtesy of Siri Benrud Photography

By Chad Zutter, Sports Reporter

Fourth-year head coach Zach Slowiak will lead his most experienced Menomonie baseball team with hopes to surprise teams in the Big Rivers Conference. Only one starter, Kayne Johnson, and one pitcher, Tyler Legge, was lost from last year while nearly 90% of innings pitched return to the bump. 

Slowiak said this about his veteran led squad, “Any time you have a lot of experience on a team, you get excited. Having a nine man senior class brings a lot of experience and leadership with it. I expect these young men to be great role models for the rest of the team and program, but also the upperclassmen have a lot of talent. I am excited to see these guys build on past years' success and come out ready to compete.” 

The large senior class will walk onto the diamond loaded with varsity experience. Four seniors have seen varsity action since their freshman season – A.J. Zydowsky, Owen Welch, James Hoff and Cage Sorensen, who missed last season due to injury. 

Infielder Welch, a second team All-BRC selection a season ago, led the team in hits (25), doubles (6) and RBI’s (12) and posted a .329 batting average. The other plus .300 returning hitters are junior Landon Mittlestadt, another second team All-BRC selection, and Charlie Mikesell, who played the last 13 games of the season as the starting shortstop. 

Zydowsky logged 63 innings on the bump and posted an impressive 1.78 ERA with 68 strikeouts. However, those numbers led to just three wins while being tagged with six losses. Junior Max Erickson logged 40.2 innings and Rex Drout tossed 23.1 during the 2024 campaign. All of these are expected to log large amounts of innings again this season, in addition to Zach Miller, Luke Bystol and Bailey Casey. 

The Mustangs finished 10-15 overall and 4-10 in the ultra competitive Big Rivers Conference a season ago. They open their 2025 season on the road with an optimistically scheduled April 5th double header in Superior. The Mustangs begin BRC play on April 15th at home against the defending BRC champion Hudson Raiders. 

Slowiak added, “The program has shown growth in the past years, and we cannot wait to add another year of growth on top of the past few year's groups.”

Varsity assistant coaches include Chad Zutter, Jeff Abbott, Steve Lecheler and Luke Welch. 

NOTES:

• Head Coach: Zach Slowiak 4th Season: 4th Year at Menomonie (Overall Record: 19-53)

• Menomonie’s last BRC title was 2006 when it was shared with Eau Claire North. They won the BRC outright in 2003.

• Menomonie has won five BRC titles, three outright: 2003, 1999 and 1972