(Avoca, IA) – The AHSTW baseball team had their struggles at the beginning of the season, but things turned in a different direction to finish off the season. While the Vikings went on a seven-game losing streak in the beginning of the year, turned things around to pick up some major conference wins against both Treynor and Missouri Valley. Head Coach Trey Brix knows that the defensive struggles at the beginning of the season was the main aspect of the Vikings’ losing streak, but the defense started to play tough and the Vikings picked up some big wins along the way.
One element of success this season for AHSTW came in the pitching game. As a team, the Vikings earned a 2.24-team ERA and forced teams to a .205 overall batting average while earning 125 strikeouts on the season. They were led by aces Nick Denning and Aiden Akers who helped to lead the team in the right direction. Denning had a 1.34 ERA with 38 strikeouts while forcing batters to a .187 average. Akers led the team in both strikeouts and ERA with 42 strikeouts and a 1.28 ERA this season.
AHSTW graduated four seniors who will now move on from their baseball experience. The Vikings graduate Bryan Mertz who helped to develop the underclassmen and Evan Wendt who worked hard through his high school career to earn himself a starting spot in the outfield. Both Nick Denning and Caleb Hatch will also not be returning next season after setting an example for their teammates both on the stat sheet and off the ballfield.
Coach Brix knows that those two veteran players were the core of the team by setting high standards for both themselves and the team. They were impactful leaders throughout their high school careers and will leave a lasting impact on Viking baseball.
AHSTW finished off the 2023-24 season with a 9-15 overall record with a 5-11 record in Western Iowa Conference play.
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