Willis, Hunt back for 2012
Posted: April 15, 2012
Colin Willis, one of only two regular players to hit over .300 last year for the Sheboygan A’s, has returned for the 2012 season.
Willis, a standout player for Sheboygan North and Legion teams, hit .304 last season for the A’s. Only his outfield mate, all-leaguer Tim Patzman at .313 hit higher.
Willis is currently tearing up at Purdue North Central. Going into the weekend, he was hitting .479 batting average and a .543 on base percentage going through 40 games. As freshman last year, he hit .399 and made the all-conference team.
Also returning is catcher Justin Hunt, who also played at North Central, hit .216 in 34 games for the A’s last season. Hunt will be starting his fourth season with the A’s.
The A’s have added two first year pitchers to the club as well, righthander Ian Malmstadt and lefthander Brandon Winfield.
Malmstadt pitched for the 2-timestate champion Franklin High School Sabers, where he went 11-0 as a senior and was named to the first team all Milwaukee Suburban Team. Seasoned by the Racine Hitters, Malmstadt is currently pitching for the UW-Madison Club Team with A’s pitcher Jake Ristow.
Winfield also possesses two state high school state championship medals. His Ripon High School team won titles in 2009 and again in 2011. Winfield is currently pitching at Marian College, where he is the team’s top reliever with a 2-0 record and three saves. He has yet to give up an earned run in 10 innings of work.
The A’s will open their 50th season on Saturday May 26 when the Manistee, MI., Saints will invade for a 4 p.m. doubleheader, but fans are reminded that the Opening Day Festivities will get under way right after noon with a brat fry and entertainment by Buffalo Joe.
The Sheboygan Athletic Club, sponsor of the A’s, will hold its monthly meeting Monday night, April 16. Anyone interested in volunteering to work with the organization is encouraged to attend the meeting or contact the club at 920-458-6388.
The club is still accepting resumes and inquiries regarding the field manager position for this season. It is still open, according to club general manager Denny Moyer.
Season tickets orders are being taken and will be filled in a couple weeks as final proofs of the tickets have been approved.
The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
