After just one varsity game, the Prescott Cardinals’ newcomers became grizzled veterans, at least in the eyes of long-time head coach Jeff Ryan.

While competing in the strong Middle Border Conference, there isn’t much time to learn the ropes. Players are expected to step in and perform on the varsity field, and that’s exactly what Prescott’s now-grizzled veterans did in the season-opening 8-2 victory at home against Somerset on Tuesday, April 11.

Two days later, the Cardinals went on the road and secured an 8-6 win in extra innings to complete the season sweep of Somerset. With the victory, Prescott improved to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play.

Prescott joins Baldwin-Woodville, Saint Croix Central and No. 5-ranked Altoona as the only teams in the Middle Border Conference without a loss through the first week of league play.

“The kids played well and they did a good job today,” Ryan said after the season-opening 8-2 win over Somerset. “We had four or five guys play their first varsity innings, so I’m sure there were jitters. But just like I’m going to tell them, they’re all grizzled veterans now.”

While Prescott currently has various levels of veteran status, junior pitcher Cullen Huppert is among the most experienced on the roster. Huppert, a three-year varsity starter, took the mound in the season opener against Somerset and pitched a gem.

Huppert allowed just two hits and struck out seven batters in his six innings of work on Tuesday night. Coach Ryan spoke about Huppert’s first performance of the 2023 season.

“I’m really happy with Cullen Huppert’s five no-hit innings,” Ryan said. “There were a couple of weak hits in the sixth, but he did well. You can’t say too many bad things when a kid throws five innings of no-hit ball. I’m proud of him.”

Notable players making their varsity debut on Tuesday afternoon included senior Tucker Lansing behind the dish, junior Mason Schommer at second base, and sophomores Dain Pechacek and Cole Platson in the outfield.

“Mason played really well in his first varsity game with a couple of hits and a nice job at second base,” Ryan said. “Tucker Lansing did a nice job behind the plate and Dane and Cole got their first varsity innings today too.”

In the early goings of Tuesday’s game against Somerset, it appeared as if the Cardinals and Spartans were in the midst of a pitchers’ duel. Huppert was on the mound for Prescott while Somerset threw its promising freshman ace.

Through the first two innings, neither team could touch the opposing pitcher. It wasn’t until the third and fourth innings – Prescott’s second time through the lineup – that the Cardinals started hitting Somerset’s freshman.

Prescott scored one run in the bottom of the third, three in the fourth, and two in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead going into the sixth inning. Coach Ryan spoke about his team’s offensive performance against Somerset’s rising star on the mound.

“First time through the order we weren’t very good, but the kids did a nice job the second time through,” Ryan said. “I thought we swung the bat pretty well and I think we’ll be a pretty good offensive team once we get our legs underneath us.”

Prescott’s offensive success in the middle innings culminated in an 8-2 victory in the first game of the season. While the Cardinals ultimately got the best of Somerset’s young pitcher, coach Ryan believes the Spartans’ young ace is going to be around for years to come.

“Their starter threw really well, and he’s only a freshman,” Ryan said. “I think Somerset is better this year and with their freshmen, I think they can beat anybody in the conference. It helps when you have a pitcher like that. They’re going to win some games this year.”

After the victory at home on Tuesday, Prescott went to Somerset and won an extra-inning thriller to improve to 2-0. In that game, the Cardinals built an early 4-0 lead which evaporated in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings as Somerset tied the game 4-4.

After a scoreless seventh frame, Prescott and Somerset went to extra innings. The Cardinals scored four runs in the top of the eighth, which proved to be too much for the Spartans to overcome. Prescott secured an 8-6 victory and completed the season sweep of Somerset.

The Cardinals were back in action less than 24 hours later at home in a non-conference matchup against Eau Claire Regis, the defending Division 4 state champions and No. 1-ranked team in the latest Wissports.com coaches’ poll.

Prescott struggled to keep up with Regis’ top-end pitching, which allowed just three hits to Cardinal batters all afternoon. Eau Claire Regis scored runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings en route to a 6-3 victory over Prescott.

With the loss, Prescott slipped to 2-1 overall for the year. The Cardinals will be back in action in a doubleheader at home against Saint Croix Central on Tuesday, April 18. The first pitch for that game is slated for 3 p.m.