All season long, Whitehall head baseball coach Eric Schmitt was confident his team could have a very productive season.

The Zephyrs did just that.

They won their first Class 5A district title since 2017, catapulting themselves into the postseason after winning seven of their final regular-season games. They downed Pocono Mountain East, 6-2, in the district final.

From there, the Zephyrs downed Radnor, 5-1, in their state opener before their season ended in a 10-0 loss to Gov. Mifflin in a state quarterfinal game. Whitehall finished with an overall 14-10 record, during a season that was filled with plenty of challenges.

Baseball again has bright future on Mechanicsville Road, where the Zephyrs had just two seniors in their starting lineup this season.

“We played well all year,” beamed Schmitt, who finished his second year at the helm. “We had an extremely tough regular-season schedule, and it had us battle tested for the postseason. We knew we could compete with anyone when we played well.”

Junior Ryan Lindenmuth, who had a 6-2 record with a 1.34 ERA and 45 strikeouts, adjusted well to the series of hills and valleys along the way with himself and his team. Lindenmuth credited team captains Evan Kovalcik and Robert Yankowy, along with teammate Seth “Sudge” Hoderewski, who led the team in several offensive categories.

“This season was nothing but great,” said Lindenmuth. “We had our ups and downs and went into every game battling. We accomplished a lot this season when a lot of teams counted us out. Through my ups and downs on the mound, I still had an amazing coaching staff and a group of kids to be a part of every single day.

“For me, at the beginning of the year, I recognized that I could be a key pitcher this year. With hard work and perseverance, I found myself as a good, quality pitcher. With the dedication and determination of my teammates behind me, they got me to realize that we had a special group.”

Hoderewski, who led the team in hitting (.390), RBIs (26), and runs (15), echoed Lindemuth’s thoughts. He also cited Kovalcik and Yankowy for their leadership.

“This season was unforgettable on so many levels,” he stressed. “We had guys who had little experience such as Lindenmuth, who took charge in playing a key role in our pitching staff. We had a young squad, but that did not make us back down.

“For me, I realized we needed a spark in our offense, and I worked every day to be the best hitter I can. It all kind of just sank in. I did not really change much in my offensive game. A deep breath stepping into the box is how I fell I became better.”

Hoderewski and his teammates didn’t forget the preseason thoughts about them, and how they would work to change Whitehall’s culture and reignite their past success.

“This year overall has been a success knowing all the doubts people had about us,” added Hoderewski. “Being projected as the last rank team (in our division) did not sit well with us.

“We changed the perspective on Whitehall baseball, and put our names out there again. We have many key players and starters coming back next year. The job is still not done, and we will be back next year.”