Trio of Burlington High School baseball players sign to play for Southeastern Community College
Justin Schulte has built one of the top junior college baseball programs in the country in his 16 years at Southeastern Community College.
Schulte, whose teams have won 612 games since he took over the program, took a big step toward continuing that success on Monday when he signed three Burlington High School seniors for the 2022-23 season.
Signing on the dotted line were centerfielder/pitcher Brock Dengler, pitcher Zach Leuschen and catcher/pitcher Jacob Zahner.
Schulte is trying to keep the community in SCC, and he took a big step toward that end on Monday.
"We're excited to have all three joining us," Schulte said. "They all three bring something a little different to the table which is always a good thing. We want to keep the top local players here in southeast Iowa. It's important to us and the community. It's nice that we have a high caliber program and the facilities to make it hard for them to leave."
As for the three Grayhounds, they are excited to have the chance to play for the Blackhawks and play in front of their hometown fans.
“I’m very excited to play this summer and then continue to play baseball in the future. It’s a dream come true, almost," said Leuschen, a lanky left-hander who was 2-1 with a 3.90 earned run average last season, striking out 24 batters in 23 1/3 innings. “It will be a challenge, but I’m excited for it.”
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“It feels pretty good, knowing that you are going to go on to the next level and play, that’s pretty good," said Dengler. "It kind of takes a little stress off of the next high school season. You’re playing for more. You’re playing to go on to college. That really gets me going. That gets me excited. I can’t wait for this summer and then going into that next semester with SCC. It will be a great experience, for sure.”
“It’s amazing. It’s what I’ve wanted since I was a little kid. I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity that Coach Schultz has given me," Zahner said. “It’s rare enough that you get more than one guy from one high school team to go play college baseball. We have three and maybe some other guys who are going to go on to play college baseball. It’s amazing.”
Dengler hit .282 with seven doubles and two home runs, scored 24 runs and drove in 34 runs last summer for the Grayhounds. On the mound, he was 3-2 with a 2.22 ERA. In 28 1/3 innings, he struck out 31 batters.
Zahner hit .310 with five home runs, one triple and two doubles, scored 25 runs and drove in 24 runs. On the hill he was 6-2 with a 2.56 ERA. In 41 innings, he fanned 58 batters.
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The local trio are looking forward to the next phase of their careers.
“(Schulte) will challenge me. He will demand everything out of me. That’s how it should be. I’ll really enjoy that," Dengler said. "Mainly the development of their players. Like, for example, Reese Wissinger. I played with him my freshman year of high school. Where he was his senior year to where he is now, they’ve taken him a long way. I see that and I think it will be good for me.”
“Just working every day to get better and get yourself ready for when you go out there," Zahner said. “It’s amazing. I can’t wait for this summer and the following two years I’m going to have with these guys and some other guys I know are going to SCC. It’s going It’s been the most fun than I have had in baseball before.”
‘I need to get bigger, get faster, get stronger, throw a little bit harder," Leuschen said. “My coaches have helped a lot, and then having people who have pushed me, players around me and coaches. That helps a lot.”
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While Monday was a big step forward for SCC, it was also a banner day for the Grayhounds, who went 27-7 last season, including 18-1 in the Southeast Conference.
Dengler, Leuschen and Zahner are just three of numerous players BHS head coach Brock Schneden expects to go on to play at the college level.
“It’s always exciting when you see these guys get an opportunity to play at the next level. To have three going to the same school is pretty rare. Staying home is pretty cool, too. I’m extremely happy for these guys," Schneden said. “That’s what it’s all about. This is something these guys absolutely want to do. Just answering any questions if they’ve got any. But then doing what we can within our power to help them to continue to develop a love for the game and a joy playing it to where they want to continue to do that at the next level. If there are things that we can give them along the way to prepare them a little bit, that’s always a positive, too.”
This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Brock Dengler, Zach Leuschen, Jacob Zahner will play for SCC in 2022
