Following the graduation of Evan Bihlman in the Class of 2023, Woodland Christian High School varsity baseball coach John Rodegerdts began searching for the team’s new leader and he has certainly found him in Wyatt Bickel.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior plays three positions: right-handed pitcher and first and third base. After losing the first two games of the 2024 season, Bickel has led the Cardinals (16-3, 5-0 Central Valley California League) to 10 consecutive victories and wins in 16-of-17 contests.
At the plate through 19 games, Bickel has a .365 batting average, 19 hits, 18 runs batted in, 12 runs scored, 7 stolen bases, 6 doubles, 1 home run, 6 walks and 3 hit by pitch.
“I’m just keeping the right mentality and not getting down,” Bickel said Monday. “The team’s hopes are up, energy is up and we’re just keeping the train rolling by being consistent about everything.”
Woodland Christian tallied its seventh shutout of the year on Monday afternoon at Encina Prep, prevailing 15-0. Regardless of the opponent, “The Machine” remains locked in.
“You just can’t play down to their level,” Bickel said. “Keeping the right mindset that no matter who it is, or who we’re going against, I keep the same mentality throwing to pitch strikes and get contact no matter what.”
On Thursday during a 16-1 victory versus Delta in CVCL action, Bickel lived up to his self-proclaimed nickname. He led the way offensively, going 2-for-3 with a game-high 6 RBI, 1 double, 1 run, 1 swiped bag and 1 sacrifice fly. On the bump, Bickel pitched 5.0 innings and allowed 2 hits, 1 unearned run, 3 walks, 1 wild pitch and 1 steal with 11 strikeouts on 81 pitches.
“We just hit the ball great today and Bickel did a great job pitching,” senior outfielder Gabriel Sanchez said last week. “Without Bickel, we wouldn’t have gotten this win.”
In 9 appearances on the mound, Bickel has a 3-1 overall record. He has racked up 35 frames pitched and allowed 22 hits, 8 runs (3 earned), 17 walks, 9 stolen bases, 2 hit by pitch and 1 wild pitch with 54 Ks on 573 pitches.
“He’s stepped up big time. He was the leader in the beginning but he’s taken that to a different level now,” Rodegerdts proclaimed Monday. “He is talking with the guys all the way through the games and situations. We had a bizarre game up in Clear Lake and it was his voice that kept the team together. We fell behind by four runs to a team that we shouldn’t have and could’ve lost it but he kept the team together. He led us through that game. He’s showing not just with his pitching or hitting that leading with his voice every game is big for us. He’s taken that leadership role over, for sure.”
The Cardinals host a rematch against Encina Prep on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. to conclude the CVCL schedule. On Saturday at 11 a.m., Woodland Christian welcomes Vacaville Christian to Joseph Trafican Memorial Field in a battle for the Crusader’s Cup.
“I’m pretty confident about it. They have an easy schedule so far so I don’t think they’re ready,” Bickel foreshadowed. “We don’t really focus on the (trophy) that much because that way we don’t get in the wrong mindset, keep it focused on winning and nothing else. That way we’re not worried about anything, just play free out there and have energy.”
Bickel was a key piece of last season’s Cardinals team that was eliminated in the semifinals of the Division VII Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs. Woodland Christian was five innings away from advancing to the section championship game. With this being Rodegerdts’ last year at the helm, Bickel hopes to lead the Cardinals to their first section title in program history. The D7 postseason starts on May 8.
“We need to keep our energy high, the mindset right and don’t get down. We came out hot and we lost the second game. I feel like that ruined our motivation,” Bickel recalled. “Even if we lose, no matter what, we need to keep our motivation up and want to win.”
