Blake Kratzer made a lot of friends growing up and playing with the Little League All-Stars, the Milwaukee Bombers select team and the Jr. Raiders. Those friends were the reason Kratzer ended up on the Red Raiders baseball team.

"I was debating on playing baseball my freshman year and focus on basketball more," said Kratzer, who also played volleyball. "I was into AAU basketball and there were a lot of conflicts. I was actually thinking of it. But all my friends that I grew up playing baseball with got me to stay and play."

Growing up, Blake and his buddies played in the North Central Little League (NCLL) and then the best of those teams played on the Little League All-Stars. Many of his teammates made the All-Star team every year and were successful.

"All-Stars with our Little League, which was probably the most fun I had," Kratzer said. "The best players around your little league would get on one team which were basically the players on our Milwaukee Bombers traveling team.

"We had success at the All-Star Tournaments. We even made it to state two out of three years. The last year on the small diamond was the year we could advance to the Midwest and the Little League World Series. We were very close to advancing, losing in the semis at state. Those were the most fun years I had playing baseball. getting to the state tournament and representing our district. Getting to the semis was pretty cool. We won a lot of games that year.

"Between the All-Stars and the Bombers we almost had the exact same team. Our whole team was pretty close because of how much baseball we played together."

Tosa East Coach Pete Schwichtenberg, who was a varsity assistant at the time, rememberS Kratzer catching his eye at freshman tryouts.

"He was willing to work anywhere, even catching at that point," he recalled. "Being able to play anywhere is something that stood out for us. That and his hustle."

So Schwichtenberg kept his eye on Blake during the off-season and noticed his improvement in the tryouts that season.

"Seeing that jump in the tryouts - he looked very good like someone who could help us out," Schwichtenberg said. "That off-season, seeing him putting in work in open gyms, and willing to play anywhere he could to get on the field kind of really stood out. Then midway through that year he was up (on the varsity). That tryout he really showed me he was ready to be with us at that time."

Schwichtenberg talked about Kratzer's role this season.

"He's one of our three captains, so he is a guy we look to take charge and be a leader on the field," he said. "He's our shortstop and We have some young infielders, so he is pretty much in charge of helping them out.

"He hits in the middle of the lineup our 3 hitter, so he is pretty much in a big spot. We have a lot of young guys in the top of the order, but he's a guy who has been there. He's a guy we are really confident in. We know he is going to attack and drive in runs. He can show those young guys what we're going to be looking for - just having that leadership on all parts of the field."

Kratzer talked about his role on defense and considers it a strength.

"My defensive ability, it's like little things, like common baseball," he said. "Being vocal on the field, staying positive. I think being a shortstop I'm pretty well rounded at that defensively. I think shortstop is one of the most important positions in baseball. I like having a big role on the team."

He also talked about his approach at the plate.

"I'm a solid hitter," he said. "I like to attack the first pitch. I go up there looking to hit. I'm not up there looking to walk. If I see a first pitch that I like, I like to hop on it.

"I've always had a good approach at the plate. My whole life growing up I hardly ever strike out. With two strikes I have the mentally to put it in play at the minimum."

Schwichtenberg also feels Kratzer brings an important role to the team on the field and at the plate.

"He's one of our three captains, so he is a guy we look to take charge and be a leader on the field," he said. "He's our shortstop and We have some young infielders, so he is pretty much in charge of helping them out.

"He hits in the middle of the lineup our 3 hitter, so he is pretty much in a big spot. We have a lot of young guys in the top of the order, but he's a guy who has been there. He's a guy we are really confident in. We know he is going to attack and drive in runs. He can show those young guys what we're going to be looking for - just having that leadership on all parts of the field."

Kratzer talked about his role on defense and considers it a strength.

"My defensive ability, it's like little things, like common baseball," he said. "Being vocal on the field, staying positive. I think being a shortstop I'm pretty well rounded at that defensively. I think shortstop is one of the most important positions in baseball. I like having a big role on the team."

He also talked about his approach at the plate.

"I've always had a good approach at the plate. My whole life growing up I hardly ever strike out. With two strikes I have the mentally to put it in play at the minimum."

Schwichtenberg also feels Kratzer brings an important role to the team on the field and at the plate.

"He has a passion for the game. He wants to win. He wants to put us in spots to compete. He's a big time competitor."

Photo by Tom "Sky" Skibosh --- Shortstop Blake Kratzer anchors the infield for the Red Raiders.

​

Kratzer is one of three captains, along with Aaron Plaisted and Ricky Serrano. It's a title he is happy to hold.

"I think it's really important," he said. "I saw that last year. We had really good captains and we improved last year and I think a big part of that was the captains being a leader and getting everyone to buy into the same thing.

"We have a good number of young guys on our team and they all have stuff to contribute too. If they make a mistake and get their head down, you have to remind them to just forget about it and move on. This is not a sport where you can hang your head.

"Baseball is a game you fail a lot at - whatever you're doing. You're probably going to fail 7 out of 10 times at the plate and it's OK. They have to realize you have to be ready the next at bat or the next play in the field. You have to make sure everyone is staying positive."

Schwichtenberg is happy with the way Kratzer has taken on the leadership role.

"He's a good example; he hustles everywhere on the field," he said. He's a real competitor. He leads that way. When we need somebody to step up and say something he is someone who is able to step up and take care of it. He's been a guy who is able to talk to the younger guys.

"He's been through a lot in the program so he's taken that next step to help guys out in anyway. He has done an outstanding job being a captain and leading.

"He's a guy that like jokes around, a great kid overall. He has that personality. Just like a leader in all he does."