HANCOCK — While 3-7 might not seem like a good start to a baseball season, it was for the Finlandia Lions who opened uptheir 2022 campaign earlier this month on their annual spring break trip to Florida.

On the trip, the Lions swept Martin Luther College in a double header. With those two wins, Finlandia ended a 63-game losing streak that began on April 15, 2019. They would take one more win back home with a 13-5 win over Gordon the next day.

“Winning the (first) Martin Luther game was good for the boys,” said Lions’ head coach Evan Brandt. “I’ve had a group of guys with me that have been through some tough times on the field but dragged through it and stuck it out. They deserved those wins, and it was something special for them as they do a great job of embodying what Finlandia baseball is all about.”

With some confidence under their belts, the Lions will head south to La Crosse, Wisconsin to face the UW-La Crosse Eagles this weekend to open conference play. For the past several years, Finlandia has competed in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The WIAC routinely has teams ranked in the NCAA Division III’s top-25 teams and has had quite a few players go on to play Major League baseball. In short, the Lions have their work cut out and Brandt knows that.

“We try and prepare as best we can,” said Brandt. “The team has done a good job at training and getting in the reps that they need, and they know what they are facing each weekend.”

He added that he has high hopes in stealing a win when his ace pitcher Jake Mead is on the mound. Mead is a sophomore from Montgomery, Texas who was on the winning pitcher in the Lions’ first victory against Martin Luther.

“Jake throws in the low 90s and has a deadly breaking ball,” Brandt said. “Guys swing right through it.”

Mead, a lefty, was looked at by a few Major League scouts on the Florida trip because of his velocity and command, Brandt said.

Cale Fransen will be another force to reckon with on the mound. He throws in the mid-80s with strong control according to Brandt.

He said, ” I think Jake and Cale will win some games for us on the front ends of our weekend doubleheaders.”

At the plate, Brandt related that a number of Lions showed big bats during the Florida trip.

Among them was Jordon D’Angelo. The second-year shortstop from West Bend, Wisconsin is hitting .400 headed into conference play.

“He is a sparkplug in our line up hitting third in the lineup,” Brandt said. He’s got a cannon for an arm and is fast and athletic.

Also having a big Florida trip was Josh Merced and Mead. Merced hit .370 and plays a mean outfield according to his coach. Mead not only brings it on the mound but at the plate as well as he posted a .353 mainly in the designated hitter role.

As the Lions anticipate opening day at La Crosse, Brandt said that the squad is excited.

“We have a closer group of guys and a good team chemistry,” he said. “That’s helped us turn a corner, and we are ready to play.”