Prep Baseball Report

Preseason Preview: Roncalli HS



By Thad Satre
Prep Baseball Report, Indiana 

Coach Keith Hatfield and the Roncalli Rebels enter 2013 looking to build off of one the most successful seasons in school history and a class 4A State Runner-Up finish. The Rebels reached the 4A State Championship game for only the second time and finished the season with an overall record of 23-8. Coach Hatfield returns only two starters and will need the underclassmen to mature quickly. 

The lone returning senior starter is Drew Biddle. Biddle, a starting outfielder, is the top returning hitter after finishing 2012 with a .316 batting average and 18 RBI’s. Biddle was also 1-1 on the mound last season. The other returning starter is junior right-hander Aaron Schnell. Schnell will be the workhorse on the mound for the Rebels and build off of his impressive 2012 campaign. He was 6-1 record with a 1.64 ERA.  Schnell was a member of Team Indiana this past summer at the Under Armour Midwest Future Games. 

The Rebels will have many players looking to step into starting roles this spring. Nick Kuntz is a senior who will assume the catching duties. Dan Harris is another senior who will see time in the outfield. With the entire infield lost to graduation, sophomores Paul Milto (1B), Christian Beard, and Tyler Schoettle will settle into starting roles as the season progresses. Also in the mix is promising freshman Jake Franklin.