Baseball Begins Season Ranked 12th
The Kellogg Community College Baseball team took advantage of unseasonably warm temperatures earlier this month to start their 2024 season. The Bruins began the season 2-0 before heading to Louisiana for their annual spring trip.
They return for a full schedule in March before the first home games against Ancilla College at MCCU Field at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek. The team will play around 16 home games at C.O. Brown this season – all with free admission – before postseason play begins in early May.
Key returners for the Bruins include sophomore infielder Aaron Piasecki (Muskegon/Mona Shores) who cleaned up in post-season awards last year notching All-Region XII, All-MCCAA, Western Conference First Team, Western Conference All-Freshman Team, and Western Conference Freshman of the Year. Piaskecki will be heading to Central Michigan University next year. Other returning award winners are pitcher Gavin Beuter (Three Rivers/IMG Academy) who received All-MCCAA, Western Conference First Team and Freshman Team, and catcher Diego Pena (Muskegon/Mona Shores) who was named honorable mention. Beuter will be attending Purdue University in the fall, and Pena will be heading to Western Michigan University.
Other returners to look out for this spring are pitcher Jake Ickes (Dowagiac/Coloma) who is alrady commited to Northwood University for next year, and D1 transfer outfielder Cody Hultink (Battle Creek/Pennfield) who is committed to Davenport for next year. More returning contributors for the Bruins include short stop Cole Mason (Portage/Portage), infielder Jacob Martin (Portage/Portage Northern), outfielder Kooper Etheridge (Battle Creek/Lakeview), and infielder Donovan Thompson (Ann Arbor/Pioneer).
Leading the incoming players is freshman pitcher Joshua Midbo (Chesterfield/L'Anse Creuse North) who is committed to the University of Louisville for next year. Other freshman to look out for are infielder Hayden Winger (Jenison/Jenison), who has seen considerable time at 3rd base already for the Bruins this spring and freshman catcher/utility player Adam Thuss (Strathoy, ON/Holy Cross).
Head KCC Baseball Coach Eric Laskovy is entering his 25th year with the program and 18th as head coach. The Bruins are opening the season this year ranked 12th in the nation in the latest 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Baseball Preseason Rankings, which were released in January. The next set of rankings will be posted in early March.
For more information about KCC's baseball team, including a full schedule, roster, season preview and other information, visit kelloggbruins.com. Head KCC Baseball Coach Eric Laskovy can be reached at laskovye@kellogg.edu.