STEVENS POINT – The Steven Point Pacelli baseball team started the season with two goals it could achieve in the regular season.

The Cardinals are two-for-two in achieving their goals after reclaiming the Central Wisconsin Conference-Eight title for itself and earning a No. 1 seed in their regional, and coach Wayne Sankey believes they are close to playing their best at the right time.

“It’s nice to know we have what it takes to play our best ball of the season when it matters most,” Sankey said. “We’re not quite there yet. There are always things you can improve on.”

The conference title was one that was especially highlighted for the Cardinals after seeing their three-year reign in the conference come to an end last year.

“We were disappointed a bit in our play last year,” Sankey said. “We wanted to get that back.”

Not much needs to improve on the offensive front for Pacelli (13-1, 19-3), ranked No. 3 in this week’s Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Division 3 poll, which could have batters hitting .400 in the No. 8 and No. 9 slots of the lineup on some days.

“This year it’s not just the top and middle of the order, but the bottom, too,” Sankey said. “It’s nice as a coach  to see which guy is going to step up on a given night.”

Senior catcher Michael Jurgella and senior outfielder Kyle Gramowski lead that charge along with junior first baseman Andy Rice.

“What happens is the guys compliment each other so well,” Sankey said of his offense which is averaging over 10.5 runs per game. “They guys have shown they are capable up and down the lineup.

“When you’re winning, I don’t have to do much as far as setting the lineup. Each of the guys compliment the next guy.”

That type of production has made life easy on Pacelli pitchers, which is led by junior lefty Kelvin Stroik (7-0) and senior right hander Kevin Malnory (5-1).

“I’m not sure one is the ace over the other, but I do know they give us a very good 1-2 punch,” Sankey said. “We stress scoring as early as we can to make the pitchers not feel so much pressure and the pitchers have not given up many of the big innings.”

The Cardinals will likely get tested of Marathon, the No. 2 seed in their Division 3 regional and No. 2 ranked team in the WBCA Division 3 poll, and Pacelli win their regional semifinal games on June 1.

“It’s come down to the two us the last couple years in regional finals or sectionals,” Sankey said. “We got a little bit lucky in that we won a coin flip to get the No. 1 seed, but at least we know if it does come to the two of us, we will be playing at home.”

First things first, Pacelli awaits the winner of No. 4 Amherst and No. 5 Auburndale which play May 28.