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Posen Vikings have big hopes with small ball

Senior Jared Sharpe preparing to swing in a soft toss drill.

Posen, Mich — Head Coach Pat Kowalski has been leading the Vikings for 30 years. One of the staples of the Posen baseball program over that time has been “small ball.”

“Small ball” is best defined as a style of play where bunting, stealing, and sacrificing have a bigger impact than extra base hits and home runs. That philosophy was on display in 2018 when Posen defeated Rogers City in pre-districts by bunting 5 straight times to score  the go ahead and winning runs in the game.

The Vikings emphasized pitching in their off season preparations. There are 12 players on the team this season and 11 can be used on the mound. The team also has four seniors and eight returning lettermen.

Posen plays their home opener on Friday, April 12th against Mackinaw City

Players to Watch
Jared Sharpe
: Senior Pitcher/Infeilder
Sharpe boasted a .400 batting average last season and is expected to play college ball next year, though he’s still deciding where. Sharpe will be a catalyst on offense and an anchor on defense when he’s not on the mound. Expect Sharpe to play outside the small ball philosophy, but don’t be surprised if he still lays down a sacrifice bunt here and there.

Mark Wisniewski: Senior Catcher
Wisniewski was a captain for the Vikings last season and has also served as a captain on the football and basketball teams this season. In addition to his leadership skills, Wisniewski batted .500 last season. It’s rare to see a catcher with that kind of contact ability and speed on the basepaths, and the Vikings will likely rely on him to get the tough jobs done.