Pierz Baseball Finding Success Through Pitching Prowess

Pierz baseball has opened their season on quite the heater.

After falling to crosstown rival Little Falls in their first game, the Pioneers responded, winning 13 of their last 14 games, earning a number seven ranking in Class AA. Now just under a week away from the section playoffs, the Pioneers believe their best baseball still lies ahead.

For Pierz baseball, their exceptional performance on the field starts with their work off the field.

“I think it gets us a little physically stronger, but also mentally tougher, you know?” said captain Joey Stuckmayer. “You know, you’re in the weight room, you’re working harder than the guys in the other dugout. So it kind of gets you in the mindset of, ‘We’re doing more than you so we can beat you.'”

And they’ve translated that mindset from the gym to the baseball diamond.

“Just to no quit. We’ve had games not been going our way. Fifth, sixth inning, all of a sudden we spark and we win,” said captain Max Barclay. “So like, to not give up when the game’s not going our way and just keep grinding.”

And it’s easier to orchestrate comebacks when your pitching staff keeps you in the game, allowing only 2.4 runs a game thus far.

“It’s nice to have good depth in pitching ’cause, if one guy’s off, you throw another guy in there and he can go do the same thing,” Stuckmayer added. “Everyone’s throwing great this year. It takes a lot of pressure off our hitting. And you know, when you’re holding teams [to] two or three runs a game then hitting, it’s a lot easier when you only got to score a few.”

While pitching is helping power Pierz baseball to new heights, the squad knows success requires a collective effort in every phase of the game. And the Pioneers know their performance in the batter’s box will be vital towards making a deep run in the Section 6AA playoffs.

“No flyouts, no pop ups, no strikeouts looking,” explained captain Chase Becker. “Hitting needs to be better, it needs to be a lot better. I think we’re we’re watching too many pitches, we’re being too picky, and that causes for a lot of strikeouts looking. So we’ve got to stop being as picky and jump on that first one right away.”

And if they can put it all together, the Pioneers believe there’s no ceiling which they cannot reach.

“We’ll have to bring it every inning and every pitch, and throw well, hit well,” Barclay said. “But I think we got ‘er. Just come with the mentality to win. No one’s better than us.”

While their winning streak ended Tuesday night against St. Cloud Cathedral, the Pioneers’ 13-game winning streak was the longest in school history since 2019. They play Osakis on Friday.