Everest junior a fixture at shortstop

WESTON – Austin Gilge got his shot as the D.C. Everest shortstop  earlier than expected last year. He was moved into the lineup as the player initially targeted as the starting shortstop was sidelined for a portion of the season.

Gilge never relinquished the role, as he posted a .294 batting average in Wisconsin Valley Conference play and capped his sophomore season by earning a honorable mention all-conference nod.

"He is only 5-foot-6 or 5-7, but he is a solid, tough-nosed kid," D.C. Everest baseball coach Dave Langbehn said. "He is going to give you what he's got every single day. He kind of got thrown into the role last year and jumped at the opportunity. We couldn't take him out because he played so well for us defensively."

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Gilge, who has been a shortstop since his youth baseball days, is one of 14 juniors for an Evergreens squad that entered Thursday with a 5-3 mark overall and a share of the WVC lead with Wausau West. Both teams are 3-0 in conference play.

Eight of Everest's starters to open the season were juniors and Gilge's offensive role has increased this year to go along with being a key player for the Evergreens' infield.

"His hitting was a plus for us last year and this year we've moved him from the nine spot (in the lineup) to (batting) leadoff. He has about a .750 on-base percentage for us right now," Langbehn said of the left-handed hitting shortstop.

Gilge recently sat down with USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin to talk about last year's success and the outlook for the Evergreens season this spring.

SPASH and West are the teams that everyone is hunting (in the WVC) but conference coaches thought Everest is a team that could contend this spring as well. What is your feeling about this team’s potential? I think we have a lot of potential. Seven of our (starting) nine are juniors, which means next year definitely could be (special), but this year we have a chance also. We expect to win every game. We can fight with SPASH and West. Those are going to be our tougher games, but we definitely think we have a chance.

The makeup of this team seems to be that the strength is going to be pitching and defense this year. Do you feel that is the case? Our (home) field is huge and we’re not scoring 10 runs a game. We’re probably scoring three or four and hoping our pitchers are not walking a lot of batters. Our defense is very solid. We’ve all grown up playing together and we have a lot of confidence in one another. When the ball gets hit, we expect to make plays.

You were one of five players who received all-WVC honors last year as a sophomore. Did the season go beyond even your expectations? Being it was my first year on varsity, I didn’t know how it would go, but I definitely expected to play well. I have a high standard to meet and I just went out and gave it 100 percent.

You have been batting leadoff this season. Do you like that role of being the player to get the offense started?  I love batting leadoff. I feel if I can get on base somehow, it sparks something in our dugout and gets everyone going. The first guy gets on and a lot can happen. (Last week against Eau Claire Memorial) I walked, they tried to pick me off at first and I ended up at third (on an error). A walk turned into a triple.

Are you generally someone who is pretty selective at the plate and will work the count against a pitcher? Early in the count, I’m not swinging unless it’s a perfect pitch. Once it gets to two strikes, then I have to fight for it. I feel I have a good eye so if it’s not there, I’m not swinging at it.

Do you have any individual stats you are trying to achieve this year or don’t you even think about that? I always want to bat over .300 because I feel I have the ability to do that. But other than that I just want to go out and give it 100 percent. Whatever happens from there, happens.

Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or twjohnson@gannett.com; on Twitter @timmyjo11

AUSTIN GILGE

School: D.C. Everest

Year: Junior

Sport: Baseball

Family: Father, Chris; mother, Ericka; brothers, Connor and Chase; sister, Kylee. 

Favorite movie: "The Sandlot"

Favorite shortstop: Derek Jeter.

Favorite team: Milwaukee Brewers

Favorite opponent: I like playing (Wausau) West. We lost to them last year but it's that crosstown rivalry that gets everyone fired up. 

Best part of baseball: I just love the atmosphere.