Better numbers give Barker ‘9’ boost

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 28 March 2019 at 9:20 am

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Leading Barker into the upcoming baseball season will be these five seniors. In font are Nick Brandt and Zach Richbart. In back are Daniel Ober, Preston Harris and Cole Hanssen.

Last spring with a squad which numbered just nine players, Barker struggled through an 0-12 Niagara-Orleans League baseball season.

Now with numbers improved the Raiders are taking aim at moving up in the N-O standings.

The Raiders lineup includes the veteran quintet of seniors Preston Harris (shortstop/pitcher), Daniel Ober (outfield) and Nick Brandy (third base/pitcher) and sophomores Logan Harris (second base) and Shane Gerhardt (first base/shortstop/pitcher) along with seniors Zach Richbart (outfield/pitcher) and Cole Hanssen (pitcher/first base), junior David Class (DH/outfield), sophomore Nate Heidemann (catcher) and freshmen Jaret Black (utility) and Aiden Voss (utility).

“We’ve got better numbers and we look to be better in all three phases of the game pitching, defense and hitting,” said Coach Rob Mucha.

The Raiders are scheduled to begin N-O competition at home against Albion on April 8.

Schedule
(Games at 4:45 unless noted)
March: 29 – CSAT, 4:30 p.m.
April: 2 – at Lyndonville, 4:30 p.m.; 3 – Alexander, 4:30 p.m.; 5 – Holley, 4:30 p.m.; 6 – at Byron-Bergen, 12 p.m.; 8 – Albion; 10 – Akron; 11 – at Kendall, 4:30 p.m.; 12 – at Wilson; 17 – at Newfane; 29 – at Medina.
May: 1 – Roy-Hart; 3 – at Albion; 6 – at Akron; 8 – Wilson; 9 – at Pembroke, 4:30 p.m.; 13 – Newfane; 15 – Medina; 17 – at Roy-Hart; 21 – at Holley, 4:30 p.m.