Chris J.

REO — Hopes are high for South Spencer’s baseball team this season, as the Rebels graduated just one player from last year’s 17-10 PAC runner-up squad.

“We have the talent this year to be as good as we want,” said Coach Brian Kuester. “Between the lines on the field we are fine.”

Last season Mater Dei beat South Spencer in the sectional finals. The Rebels lost four of their last six games.

“Our dedication wasn’t there off the field,” said Kuester. “That’s my main focus this year.”

The experienced Rebels will need Kuester’s guidance in what is expected to be a competitive PAC race.

Champion Heritage Hills will also return most of its starters. Kuester added that he expects Forest Park, Tell City and North Posey to also be teams that could compete for the conference championship.

The Rebels’ first day of practice was Monday, but they’d already been throwing.

While a true pitching rotation is difficult, because of scheduling, five Rebels will make up their core pitching staff — Jordan Meece, Nathan Hall, Michael Philipps, Walker Franklin and Jared Lauer.

Meece went 5-2 last year with 52 strikeouts and 25 walks in 47 2/3 innings. Franklin led in ERA at 2.60.

Kuester said, “We’ll barely have two weeks of practice before our scrimmage. I think it can almost be dangerous how little time the IHSAA gives us to get the pitchers’ arms ready. We’ll use that first part of the season to see who fits where.”

Lauer caught most of last year for the Rebels but was moved to shortstop in the American Legion season, when now-freshman Nathan Kuester shared catching responsibilities with Heritage Hills’ Matt Price.

Tyler Herrmann, Aaron Seiler and Jordan Meece may also catch.

Much of the Rebel infield will be determined by who is pitching. Philipps, Justin Wead and Shelby Lashley could see time at first and third bases, while Meece, Lauer, Charleston Roberts and Franklin may be middle infielders.

“We also have some kids from that Junior Legion team who will push the older kids,” said Brian Kuester.

Hall, Zeke Harmon and Seiler anchor a solid outfield, but “we have a lot of options,” Kuester said.

Offensively the Rebels have the speed to steal bases with Lauer, Harmon and others but may be hesitant to gamble away outs with Wead, Meece, Hall and Lashley in the middle of the Rebel lineup.

Wead hit .429 last year and had a .679 slugging percentage. Lashley slugged at .507, Hall .494 and Meece .482 during the regular season.

The Rebels host Mater Dei for a scrimmage 1 p.m. Saturday, March 26.

“Everyone wants to win the conference and a sectional—those are everybody’s goals,” said Kuester.

“Our goal is to just get better every game so we’re playing our best baseball at the end of the season."