EAU CLAIRE – There was a bit of a new feel around the Eau Claire Memorial intersquad scrimmage Thursday as first-year coach Dave Sparger takes on a young team coming off a 23-1 season and a state tournament appearance in 2008.

The Old Abes have a cupboard filled with fresh groceries they know are good, but are just seeking to see how they pan out at the varsity level.

That starts on the mound where just 12 innings pitched from last year and Sparger looks to fill the void of six offensive starters lost to graduation.

“We didn’t lose a little, we lost a lot,” Sparger said before the intersquad game Thursday. “We have talented kids, but they’ll have to come form the junior varsity level. I’d call this team talented, but inexperienced at this level.”

Sarger takes over himself as varsity head coach after serving as the assistant coach to Casey Eckhardt the last couple of years. Eckhardt had been searching for an administration job and found it as the athletic director at New Richmond High School.

The transition so far has been easy for Sparger, having been an assistant coach for years while also working with the kids throughout middle school and junior high.

“One-half to three-fourths of these kids have all played for me at some point growing up,” Sparger said. “It has helped make the transition a smooth one.”

With a young pitching staff, Sparger will turn to senior and three-year starting catcher Will Fadness, could help make that even smoother.

Senior Adam Winistorfer sits as the Old Abes’ ace with juniors Tyler Sparger and Jake Peterson falling in behind. They will seek the tutelage of Fadness who was a first-team all-conference pick in the Big Rivers.

“I can’t imagine putting a rookie catcher out there with the young pitching staff we have,” Starger said of Fadness. “It’s almost like having another pitching coach out there. He’s going to be crucial for us having a guy like him behind the plate.”

Fadness will also be the key to Memorial’s batting order as he led the team last year, hitting .456 with seven home runs.

Where he will hit this season and who hits in front of and behind him will be found out over the four nonconference games the Old Abes have before starting conference play.

“We’re going to take our time to figure out where Will hits and who hits in front of him,” Starger said. “We need to find the right guys to hit behind him to give him that protection in the lineup.”

The offense for the team ranked fifth in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Division 1 preseason poll will likely come from a list of seniors seeing their first time.

“We certainly have the talent,” Starger said. “We’re going to have to stretch for that extra base when we can and move the ball around to make things happen for us.”