Shadow

First-year coach Rob Ramseyer will lead a young squad through the 2012 spring season in what promises to be an exciting year for Hesston College Baseball. On the heels of three consecutive winning seasons, Ramseyer is focused on guiding the program to more success in 2012.

The schedule is a challenging one, with the Larks welcoming NJCAA Division I programs Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, Colby (Kan.) Community College and Barton Community College (Great Bend, Kan.) to Oswald Field. Hesston will take on several NJCAA Division II opponents as well, including Region VI rivals Dodge City (Kan.) Community College and Brown Mackie College (Salina, Kan.). In early March, the Larks will head to Arizona for spring break where they play six games in the Phoenix area.

Coming off a freshman season in which he hit .355 with 38 runs batted in, sophomore third-baseman Joe Smith (Hartville, Ohio) will be a mainstay in the Hesston lineup. On the mound, sophomore Nolan Huelsmann (Goddard, Kan.) returns after posting a 7-2 record and 2.37 earned run average in 62 innings in 2011.

“We are excited to get the season going and get out on the field and compete,” Ramseyer said. “Our guys have worked very hard and have bought in to what we are trying to do as a program.”

The Larks get started with a home double-header on Saturday, Feb. 11 against Kansas State University – Salina, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.