Hauser’s Holden Pittman smacks a hit to left field against South Decatur at Hauser High School in Hope.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
Hauser will have a young baseball team with only one senior this spring, but that doesn’t mean the Jets will be inexperienced.
Several underclassmen who saw action as sophomores and freshmen return from a team that went 14-14-1 and tied with South Decatur for the Mid-Hoosier Conference title.
“When you have six guys returning with big-game experience, that’s always going to help you out,” Hauser coach Nate Long said. “It’s always nice to roll guys out there that you know you’re going to have for two years or sometimes three years and get them that experience.”
Long was pleased with what he saw in Tuesday’s scrimmage against East Central.
“I thought we played really well,” Long said. “Our main arms did really well. We had five guys that threw really well. Our first six batters hit the ball. I thought we hit the ball very well against their pitching.”
Junior Holden Pittman was the Jets’ top hitter and pitcher last season. Pittman went 2-2 with a 2.01 ERA and batted .378 with 14 doubles, a home run and 27 RBIs.
Hauser’s Simeon Wasil looks to tag South Decatur’s Austin Boilanger during a pickoff attempt at first base at Hauser High School in Hope.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
Pittman will be joined on the mound this year by Sam Louden, along with junior Simeon Wasil and sophomores Kam Blair, Stryker Gill and RJ Foster.
Louden, the team’s lone senior, is recovering from a broken finger.
“When Sam is back, we’re going to have six guys that I can roll out there or bring out of the bullpen at any time,” Long said. “It’s always beneficial when you play the schedule that we do.”
Gill, who batted .350 with 23 RBIs, will move from catcher to second base or shortstop. Foster returns at short, and will play second if Gill is at short.
Wasil is back at first base, and Pittman and sophomore Kam Blair return at third. Junior Karson Stuckey takes over behind the plate, and freshman Joel Bechtel will play first base when Wasil is pitching.
Louden returns in center, and Bechtel or Blair will play there until Louden returns or is on the mound. Juniors Kase Meister and junior Lucas Christian take over in left and right. Junior Nathan Linke could play designated hitter.
Hauser is in its second year of a two-year cycle in Class 2A before a likely return to Class A next year. The Jets will play in a tough South Ripley Sectional this season.
“There’s eight teams in that sectional, so the chance of running into somebody that’s playing good baseball is pretty high,” Long said. “Southwestern (Hanover) always has a good baseball team. Austin always has a good team. Switzerland County is good. Brownstown Central only lost two guys from their semistate run last year. You’re going to have to beat three pretty good teams to win that sectional.”
The 2024 Hauser baseball schedule:
Wednesday at Shelbyville, 5 p.m.
Saturday vs. Bishop Chatard, 1 p.m.
April 1 vs. Southwestern (Hanover), 5:30 p.m.
April 4 at Edinburgh, 5 p.m.
April 5 vs. Edinburgh, 5 p.m.
April 6 at South Ripley, 11 a.m.
April 11 at North Decatur, 5 p.m.
April 12 vs. North Decatur, 5 p.m.
April 13 at Lawrenceburg, TBA
April 13 vs. Brownstown Central at Lawrenceburg, TBA
April 16 at Greensburg, 5 p.m.
April 18 at Waldron, 5 p.m.
April 19 vs. Waldron, 5 p.m.
April 20 vs. Switzerland County, 11 a.m.
April 23 at Rising Sun, 6 p.m.
April 24 at Southwestern (Shelby), 5 p.m.
April 25 vs. Southwestern (Shelby), 5 p.m.
April 27 vs. Jac-Cen-Del, 11 a.m.
May 4 vs. Jennings County, 11 a.m.
May 9 vs. South Decatur, 5 p.m.
May 10 at South Decatur, 5 p.m.
May 11 at Charlestown Tournament, 9 a.m.
May 13 at Morristown, 5 p.m.
May 14 vs. Morristown, 5 p.m.
May 18 at North Daviess, 4 p.m.
May 20 vs. Indianapolis Lutheran, 5 p.m.
May 21 vs. Eastern Hancock, 5 p.m.
