Coming off a breakthrough 2025 season that saw the program win its first WIAA state title in Division 2, New Berlin Eisenhower baseball is ready to show that it is here to stay among top state title contenders.
“I hope it’s not just catching lightning in a bottle. I hope that all the hard work that these boys have put in in the offseason, and then making sure at practice we’re laser-focused, making sure we’re doing the little things right and continue to just build and elevate our game,” second-year coach Joe Dathe said.
Left-handed ace Cal Schneider returns to anchor a rotation that pitched to a 1.93 team ERA last year with a .165 batting average against. The Louisville verbal commit, who tallied an 11-0 record, 92 strikeouts and an ERA of just 0.33 last year while earning a Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association all-district second-team nod, is seeking to improve even more on already stellar numbers in 2026.
“This year I’m trying to give up no runs basically, help my team get up in ballgames that really could be crucial for the end of the season when we get a little hot streak going on,” Schneider said.
The full arsenal was on display in an 8-0 April 28 win over Greendale, as Schneider mixed a mid-80s fastball with his changeup and sweeper to secure strikeouts for all 15 outs in his five innings pitched. Junior right-hander Max Nemoir was someone Schneider highlighted as having taken a leap in the rotation this year as well.
“He has really taken that starter role as maybe the two or three in our rotation. We’ve got a lot of guys that are definitely doing the job. Whatever they’re told to do, they’re definitely getting the job done,” Schneider said.
On the offensive end, senior and Rock Valley College commit Caleb Johns leads an offense looking to come through with key hits at the right times in Ike’s title defense. After a season hitting .344 that earned him an all-Woodland Conference honorable mention, Johns has raked in nine games in 2026. A .533 average, 1.638 OPS, 20 RBIs and seven doubles are just a few of the highlights of his senior season thus far.
“Just trying to hit fastballs early in counts, and being aggressive up there. We wanna hit the ball and we’re not trying to walk, so trying to hit early in counts,” Johns said of the approach he shares with his teammates.
Two middle of the lineup vacancies have been felt at times for Dathe and the Lions, but the next class has steadily risen into those roles as the year has gone on.
“Right now we’re missing Sam [Hirthe] and Carter [Hollenbeck], our shortstop and our center fielder from last year, with just their demeanor, their leadership. So really that’s the piece we’re still developing, guys [are] stepping up, but right now we have some guys [Schneider and Johns] included that are really stepping up and driving and elevating everybody’s game,” Dathe said.
Dathe added that junior right fielder Alex Michna has been “pounding the baseball” in the early going this year while playing instinctive defense at a critical position. Senior Collin Harrington, a primary left fielder a season ago, has made the shift over to center to productive returns as well.
The retention and steady improvement of key pieces from a season ago has been a key component to a competitive 8-4 start to the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Eisenhower baseball aims to prove 2025 state title was no fluke
Reporting by Zac Bellman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
