Warriors Athlete of Week: Brecht had crazy day vs. Alexandria

It was a day unsurpassed in Lowell Scearcy's 44 years as the Brainerd Warriors head baseball coach and a day that Tristan Brecht will never forget.

The senior shortstop was locked in against the Alexandria Cardinals going 5-for-5. He cranked two 2-run homers, doubled, walked, drove in a school-record eight runs and scored four runs at Alexandria's Knute Nelson Field.

In an 18-17 Warrior victory, the teams combined for 34 hits and 11 errors.

"It was pretty crazy," Brecht said. "I wasn't expecting a whole lot of runs scored because we knew they had some pretty good pitchers and we had Chris (Pederson) on the mound, and he's one of our better pitchers. It was just a weird day."

Brecht tied former Warrior Mitch McLain (2011) for most hits in one game and tied several former Warriors with two home runs in a game.

Scearcy couldn't recall a better single game at the plate during his more than four decades in Brainerd. Brecht's eight RBIs broke the previous record set by Kyle Berg (1999) and tied by Blake Eller (2003).

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Tristan Brecht

Sport: Baseball

Position: Shortstop

Year: Senior

Age: 17

Height: 5-7

Career highlight: Going 5-for-5 with two home runs and eight RBIs vs. Alexandria

Other sports: Football

Grade-point average: 3.92

Favorite class: Physics

Favorite food: Anything my mom cooks

Favorite movie: "Remember the Titans"

Favorite TV show: "The Office"

Hobbies: Fishing, weightlifting

Future plans: Attend University of North Dakota, major in unmanned aircraft systems

Favorite baseball player: Miguel Sano

Parents: Gail and Blaine Brecht

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"He was pretty much hitting everything they threw, and hitting it hard," Scearcy said. "His last time up was an intentional walk which I would have done too at that point. I guess you would say he was locked in that day. Everything he hit he hit hard-two home runs, a double, his two base hits were hit hard to the left side of the field. I don't remember him swinging and not hitting the ball hard that day.

"During my tenure here, I don't remember anybody having a better offensive day than he had there. And it was against some pretty decent pitching. It wasn't that the pitching was bad. It was just a bad day to be a pitcher for both teams."

Brecht smacked 2-run homers in the first and fifth innings.

"The first one I just thought it was a big fly ball and it just kept carrying and carrying," he said. "The wind helped a little bit. The second one I squared up a little better."

The Warriors have high expectations for Brecht this spring. Last year, he batted .284 with 12 RBIs, nine extra-base hits and walked 15 times.

"He batted cleanup for us last year, and had a good year," Scearcy said. "He batted around .300 with some power. This year we put him in the No. 3 slot. We have high expectations of his offensive contributions. We expect big things out of him."

This spring he's the starting shortstop after spending last season playing short or third base-depending on who was pitching-and designated hitter. He prefers playing one position.

"I like shortstop a lot more," he said. "At third base, there's not much time to react. It's good to just focus on one thing instead of switching back and forth."

Against Bemidji in the home opener April 8, Brecht suffered a scary injury. With two out in the third inning, a ground ball was hit to third baseman Hanson Devine who dove to his left and the ball glanced off his glove toward Brecht. In the process of trying to field the deflection, Brecht twisted and injured an ankle.

"I'm feeling a lot better," he said. "I (injured) a tendon in my ankle. I went and got an X-ray and nothing bad there. I tried to pivot, stepped weird with my foot. I heard a snap in my ankle. I thought I broke my leg. It hurt really bad, but it turned out not too bad so I'm pretty happy about that."

The Warriors also expect big things from Brecht as a captain along with Pederson and Jake Meyer.

"I feel like I have to be a leader, go out and perform every game," Brecht said. "They expect me to perform. We're all pretty close, good friends. We're all good leaders, good buddies."

Other notable efforts:

• Joe Foley, boys golf, was medalist in the CLC meet at Wapicada Golf Club in St. Cloud.

• Jeff Spieker, boys track, won the 60 hurdles at the CLC indoor meet.

• Emma Smith, girls track, won triple jump at the CLC indoor meet.

• Jack Evans, boys golf, was medalist in the season-opening CLC meet at Rocori.

• Jack Geraets, baseball, had three hits vs. Alexandria and vs. Bemidji.

MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5861. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bertsballpark .