Marshfield’s Krueger, Coffren earn unanimous first-team honors on 2019 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Baseball Team

By Paul Lecker
For OnFocus

Marshfield had two unanimous first-team selections and four other picks on the 2019 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Baseball Team, which was voted on by the seven conference coaches following the season.

Marshfield senior shortstop Ryan Krueger and senior first baseman Mason Coffren were two of the six unanimous first-team selections.

Coffren led the WVC in batting average, hitting an even .500 (17-for-34) in conference play. He had 10 runs scored, 10 RBIs, and 11 walks which led to a .622 on-base percentage.

Krueger hit .475 (19-for-40), which was second in the conference with 10 RBIs, four doubles and three triples. His 13 runs scored were tied for first in the Valley.

Junior catcher/designated hitter Ben Gust, centerfielder Brant Bohman and pitcher Will Voss, both seniors, were second-team selections for Marshfield.

Gust finished tied for second in the conference with 13 RBIs and batted .366 (15-for-41).

Bohman hit. 270 (10-for-37) with 10 runs scored and four RBIs.

Senior pitcher Preston Wagner was the Tigers’ lone honorable mention choice.

Gust and Wagner each finished 4-1 for Marshfield. Gust had a 1.52 earned-run average and Wagner finished with a 1.54 ERA.

Wisconsin Rapids senior Donovan Brandl, a unanimous first-team selection as both an infielder and a pitcher, was named the Wisconsin Valley Conference Player of the Year.

Brandl struck out 44 batters in 24 2/3 innings pitched, finishing 2-1 with a 1.42 ERA. He also finished fifth in the conference in batting average, hitting .400 (16-for-40) with 13 runs and six RBIs.

Catcher Josh Zwicke also was a first-team selection for Wisconsin Rapids. He hit .423, which was fourth in the conference, with six RBIs.

Stevens Point had four first-team picks. Centerfielder Brady Franz and pitcher Logan Schulfer were unanimous selections, and third baseman Austin Beyer and first baseman Jack Kelly were also named to the first team.

Franz was third in the conference in batting (.435) and first in on-base percentage (.643), and Schulfer went 3-0 with a save and a miniscule 0.54 ERA, allowing just two earned runs and 13 hits in 26 innings.

Beyer hit .379 with a conference-best 14 RBIs and Kelly batted .306 with eight runs and five RBIs.

2019 All-Wisconsin Valley Conference Baseball Team
*Unanimous selection
First team: *Brady Franz, sr., outfield, Stevens Point; *Ryan Krueger, sr., shortstop, Marshfield; *Donovan Brandl, sr., infield/pitcher, Wisconsin Rapids; *Mason Coffren, sr., first base, Marshfield; Josh Zwicke, sr., catcher, Wisconsin Rapids; Brady Sendelbach, sr., infield, D.C. Everest; Ausitn Beyer, jr., third base, Stevens Point; Cade Sivertson, outfield, jr., D.C. Everest; Jack Kelly, sr., first base, Stevens Point; *Logan Schulfer, so., pitcher, Stevens Point.
Second team: Brett Her, sr., shortstop, Stevens Point; Nathan Krommenakker, jr., outfield, Wisconsin Rapids; Jacob Thome, jr., infield, Wausau East; Ben Gust, jr., catcher/designated hitter, Marshfield; Tyler Beyer, jr., infield, Wisconsin Rapids; Chase Bonnell, sr., third base, Merrill; Jackson Miles, sr., infield, D.C. Everest; Justin Morton, sr., second base, Stevens Point; Brant Bohman, sr., outfield, Marshfield; Reese Gaber, sr., pitcher, Stevens Point; Will Voss, sr., pitcher, Marshfield.
Honorable mention: Sam Schubring, sr., designated hitter, Wausau East; Andrew Heinzen, jr., utility, Wausau East; Forrest Kronberger, sr., infield, Wausau East; Peyton Becker, so., shortstop, Merrill; Tristan Aldrich, sr., outfield, Stevens Point; Ty Bailey, jr., second base, Wausau West; Hunter Gipp, sr., infield, D.C. Everest; Erik Steinhilber, jr., pitcher, Wisconsin Rapids; Preston Wagner, sr., pitcher, Marshfield; Mitchell Zahurones, jr., pitcher, Wausau West.
Player of the Year: Donovan Brandl, infield/pitcher, Wisconsin Rapids.

Paul Lecker is publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com, a contributor to OnFocus Sports.