SEASON PREVIEW: Beatrice baseball aims to continue recent success in 2023

BEATRICE -  One of the most successful high school baseball programs of recent years, is beginning preparation to continue that success this spring.

The sights and sounds of baseball are back at Christenson Field in Beatrice as the Orangemen get ready for another season. Senior Tucker Timmerman says he’s ready for opening day.

“I’m really excited,” Timmerman said. “We’ve got some young pups, some returners, I think we’re going to be really good this year I believe.”

The last two seasons of Orangemen baseball have yielded a state championship in 2021, and a semifinal appearance last year. First year head coach Zach Decker tells NCN the pressure of Beatrice’s recent success isn’t a negative, but something he believes the team has earned, but things may be different this year with some new pieces. 

“They’ve earned it to be at that pedestal,” Decker said.  “We lost a big senior class that won a lot of games for Beatrice, so there will be a bit of a learning curve, but hopefully by mid-April we’re playing at the high level we need to be at to compete.”

Part of that senior class that moved on included some of the items best middle rotation pitchers. Tucker Timmerman is poised to be the teams ace after a record-setting 2022 where he set a school record with a .341 ERA en route to a 6-0 record. Decker said the key to managing this years staff is monitoring pitch count.

“Last year, and previous years, we’ve had guys who could go +90 pitches,” Decker said. “This year, we’ve got one guy who can do that and that’s Tuck [Tucker Timmerman] and the other guys, we’ll mix up seeds, maybe we’ll find a diamond in the rough here or there and if we do, we’ll be really happy about it.”

With a number of new pieces on the team this year, Timmerman talked about his plans to be a leader in 2023.

“Sometimes they aren’t always focused, so we try to stay focused with them during practice and during the game,” Timmerman said.

Senior infielder Jaxson Blackburn says one thing motivating this group is how last season ended: a walk off loss to Omaha Skutt in the state semifinal.

“That loss hurt a lot,” Blackburn said. “Last game with those seniors, they were a good squad so it’ll motivate us a lot this year.”

Coach Decker says the key to the Orangemen having a successful season is one motto — win the day.

“We want to win the day. That’s our goal,” Decker said. “We don’t care who we’re playing. We’re going to put out the best pitchers and hitters we have each day and we’re going to go compete.”

Tucker Timmerman has been a triathlete as long since he began attending Beatrice High School. Now, he gets set to embark on his final journey on a high school varsity sport before he continues his baseball career with the Huskers. He talked about his legacy and goals heading into the year.

“I want to be remembered as a leader. Someone who works hard. Someone who comes everyday ready to go and never give up on anything I do,” Timmerman said. “Obviously I want to make it back to state, and do everything we can to play to the best of our ability.”