BARNEVELD – The cream of the early season Wisconsin Baseball Coaches polls is rising to the top entering the third full week of the season and there is no clearer example of that than Barneveld.

The Golden Eagles (8-0) have ascended to the top of the WBCA Division 4 poll – the first Barneveld sports team of any kind to be ranked No. 1 in a respective sports poll – and have done so with solid performances in all three phases of the game.

The biggest reason for the success for the reigning Six Rivers Conference East champs has been the offense which has not scored less than six runs in a game in the eight victories and is averaging 12 runs per by outscoring opponents 96-37.

“In the past we’ve had teams where we score more than four runs per game and we know it’ over,” Barneveld coach Lance Schmitz said. “We’re putting a lot of runs on the board this year and are doing so without that dominant guy on the mound, which makes it that much more comforting.”

That’s not to say the team doesn’t have solid pitching, the Golden Eagles just have a bit of a different look about it as Schmitz turns to a three-headed monster o f Patrick Clerkin, Shawn Monson and Weston Peterson.

Clerkin is Barneveld’s only returning all-conference player from a season ago and was a first-team pick. The 6-2, 215-pounder is the closer that Schmitz turns to at the end of games to slam the door on opponents.

“I like to try to get to Clerkin in the fifth or sixth inning,” Schmitz said. “He’s not the type of guy that pitches to bottom feeders. He’s averaging two strikeouts per inning and throws in the mid-80s against the top of opposing lineups.”

Clerkin makes sure to help his own cause while coming through at the plate for the Golden Eagles where he is hitting over .750 this season and has a slugging percentage over 1.1.

“Teams within the conference aren’t even pitching to him anymore,” Schmitz said. “When I figured out his slugging percentage in my computer program, I had to go back and refigure it out to make sure it was right.”

It was correct and while it is likely to not stay at that point for the rest of the season, the Golden Eagles are awaiting the return to the lineup of two starters later this week that could provide more of an offensive spark to the batting order.

Sophomore left-handed batters Brad Zander (1B/DH) and Jeremy Kitelinger (LF) will only give what has already been shown as a dynamite lineup even more depth.

“The guys at the bottom of the order or just finding ways to get on board,” Schmitz said of his No. 7, 8 and 9 hitters that had a combined four sacrifices Monday night. “We keep moving guys around and we’ve learned that’s the way to win a lot of ball games.”

That education on winning has come from Schmitz since 2000. The Golden Eagles had just two conference titles before then and have won one four of the last six years.

That success has led to the 150th victory for the head coach Monday, giving him a record of 150-57.

“When I started 10 years ago it was feast or famine,” Schmitz said. “Over the years the kids have bought in and learned from that first group. They’ve been great to coach and the parents have been great.”