2008 Season: 19-10 (4-8 NEMC); district champions

Coach: Lindsey Bielby

Returning players: Justin Bielby, sr.; River Peludat, sr.; D.J. Decker, jr.;

New to varsity: Andy Fowler, sr.; Joe Laidlaw, sr.; Tyler Reed, sr.; Kurtis Branham, jr.; Matt Compau, jr.; Nick Hulea, jr.; Dylan Loga, jr.; Matt Nunn, jr.; Tim Schmidt, jr.; Seth Thomas, jr.

Outlook: Tawas Area's baseball team returns a total of five years of varsity experience for the 2009 season. Since three of those years belong to senior Justin Bielby, saying that the Braves are young and inexperienced is a bit of an understatement.

"This will be a challenging year for us at Tawas due to our youth and inexperience," says first-year Tawas coach Lindsey Bielby, who has worked as an assistant coach and youth baseball coach for years.

Justin Bielby, senior River Peludat and junior D.J. Decker are the only returning varsity players.

Bielby, who made varsity as a freshman, was an all-NEMC performer in 2008 and will anchor the infield when he's not pitching.

"He's hit for a high average ... and is fundamentally sound defensively," Lindsey Bielby says. "His leadership skills will be very important because of our youth at the varsity level."

Peludat returns behind the plate, and Bielby says his leadership skills will also be key as with a young pitching staff.

"He can hit the ball with power as well," he says.

Decker will also be a mainstay of the infield and as a pitcher.

"He's and excellent pitcher and can play any defensive position," Bielby says. "D.J. will be on the mound for a number of innings."

Juniors Kurtis Branham, Seth Thomas, Matt Nunn, Tim Schmidt and Matt Compau all move up from the JV squad. They'll be joined by five who didn't play last season: seniors. Andy Fowler, Joe Laidlaw and Tyler Reed and juniors Dylan Loga and Nick Hulea.

The Braves have a big challenge ahead if they want to compete with the top level of the North East Michigan Conference, which regularly features one or two teams that make deep post-season runs. Bielby hopes that the ability he sees on his squad will come to the forefront once his squad gains some experience.

"We have a very good group of talented kids," he says. "If we work hard and play smart baseball, we will surprise some teams, (but) the NEMC is and extremely competitive conference."