BLANCHARDVILLE - Scott Kleppe, an assistant baseball coach at Pecatonica High School, made a surprise online purchase last year for his son - a batting cage. And for senior Kyle Kleppe, it was like Christmas in July.
When the batting cage arrived, Kyle put it to good use. He and his father would often go out to their backyard in the summer and work on his swing mechanics and balance at the plate. Kyle and Scott would pull up a car in the fall and turn on the lights just enough so they could have some hitting sessions after dark.
"All summer long I was out there," Kyle Kleppe said. "I would go out there and hit a couple of rounds. It makes a huge difference when it gets too dark."
Kleppe is hitting .500 with 19 RBI and 18 runs scored this year. He has a .622 on-base percentage. He is second on the team in batting average and on-base percentage to senior Brooks Chandler, who is hitting .648 with a .717 OBP.
"Kyle has a passion for playing baseball," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "He has put in a lot of time. To be a good hitter you have to put the time in and hit. He has done that in the summer and at home. His dad is an assistant coach and a former player of mine. He's been around the game his whole life."
The Pecatonica baseball team is 10-1 overall and 6-0 in the Six Rivers East. The Vikings are looking to repeat as conference champions.
"I'm pleased with the start we have had," Kleppe said. "I wish it would be 11-0. I would love to repeat as conference champions. There is no better feeling than being on top with all of your teammates."
Kleppe has played baseball year round. He played for the Madison Impact traveling team in the summer. Kleppe has played Home Talent League baseball, and he played fall baseball on a Stateliners team with several players from Pecatonica and Janesville who didn't play football.
"I feel like playing for the Impact made me a better hitter and taught me how to work the count so I can get a better pitch to hit," Kleppe said.
Kleppe plays third base and the experience traveling to some top tournaments over the summer paid dividends. He focused on improving his footwork and defense.
"The main thing I learned is you have to always be ready if the ball is hit to you," he said. "You have to think ahead of where you will go with the ball. If you don't start thinking ahead the ball will get hit to you, and you will make a mistake."
Baseball is a game rife with opportunities for failure, and when players get a hit four times out of every 10 at-bats they are considered elite. Kleppe like many strong hitters has a short memory when it comes to those times when he doesn't knock in a key run.
"I try not to get in my head," Kleppe said. "A big part of having success is being able to move on. I really try to forget what happened before and try to get some redemption when I come up the next time."
Kleppe wanted to play baseball at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and was also considering UW-Whitewater. However, he made a visit to Marian University in Fond du Lac and in January chose to play baseball there next season.
"I fell in love with Marian," Kleppe said. "I really like the campus and the smaller class sizes. I come from a small school, and I really like the small class sizes and the one-on-one with the teachers. I love the indoor facility and like the coaches."
When the batting cage arrived, Kyle put it to good use. He and his father would often go out to their backyard in the summer and work on his swing mechanics and balance at the plate. Kyle and Scott would pull up a car in the fall and turn on the lights just enough so they could have some hitting sessions after dark.
"All summer long I was out there," Kyle Kleppe said. "I would go out there and hit a couple of rounds. It makes a huge difference when it gets too dark."
Kleppe is hitting .500 with 19 RBI and 18 runs scored this year. He has a .622 on-base percentage. He is second on the team in batting average and on-base percentage to senior Brooks Chandler, who is hitting .648 with a .717 OBP.
"Kyle has a passion for playing baseball," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "He has put in a lot of time. To be a good hitter you have to put the time in and hit. He has done that in the summer and at home. His dad is an assistant coach and a former player of mine. He's been around the game his whole life."
The Pecatonica baseball team is 10-1 overall and 6-0 in the Six Rivers East. The Vikings are looking to repeat as conference champions.
"I'm pleased with the start we have had," Kleppe said. "I wish it would be 11-0. I would love to repeat as conference champions. There is no better feeling than being on top with all of your teammates."
Kleppe has played baseball year round. He played for the Madison Impact traveling team in the summer. Kleppe has played Home Talent League baseball, and he played fall baseball on a Stateliners team with several players from Pecatonica and Janesville who didn't play football.
"I feel like playing for the Impact made me a better hitter and taught me how to work the count so I can get a better pitch to hit," Kleppe said.
Kleppe plays third base and the experience traveling to some top tournaments over the summer paid dividends. He focused on improving his footwork and defense.
"The main thing I learned is you have to always be ready if the ball is hit to you," he said. "You have to think ahead of where you will go with the ball. If you don't start thinking ahead the ball will get hit to you, and you will make a mistake."
Baseball is a game rife with opportunities for failure, and when players get a hit four times out of every 10 at-bats they are considered elite. Kleppe like many strong hitters has a short memory when it comes to those times when he doesn't knock in a key run.
"I try not to get in my head," Kleppe said. "A big part of having success is being able to move on. I really try to forget what happened before and try to get some redemption when I come up the next time."
Kleppe wanted to play baseball at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and was also considering UW-Whitewater. However, he made a visit to Marian University in Fond du Lac and in January chose to play baseball there next season.
"I fell in love with Marian," Kleppe said. "I really like the campus and the smaller class sizes. I come from a small school, and I really like the small class sizes and the one-on-one with the teachers. I love the indoor facility and like the coaches."
