For Eric Stein, the feeling of losing out on last season is still a tough pill to swallow.

But Stein and the Iowa Central baseball team are moving forward in hopes of making the most of the opportunity presented before them.

Last year, the Tritons were 7-1 when the season was canceled due to COVID-19. While they continue to navigate through the pandemic, Stein believes it is "just another layer" to a complex time.

"It's what we have to deal with to have a season," Stein said. "It's ever-changing stuff at the school, around the state, around the country, but you just figure it out, push through and get to have a season.

"That is what it is about."

Iowa Central is 7-4 through 11 games, competing in Kansas, Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri ahead of the home opener on Saturday vs. Dakota County at Ed Barbour Field. 

Typically, the Tritons would have over 20 games played by this point, but several scheduled trips were scrapped or altered. 

"It's fun to get back on the field," Stein said. "Last year was bizarre, and this year still is a little bit too, but to get out and play baseball games again, that's what it's all about."

Newcomers such as Max Holy, Jalen Martinez, Brock Johnson, Isaac Becker and Keaton Hartman have joined returning players Gavin Baker, Ben DeTaeye, Nathin Mortimer, Ryan Wickman, Derek Kay, Jack Sievers, Ben Gallaher, Jeff Lamp, Devin Hurdle, Travis Rittenhouse and Noah Susong in the lineup. 

Mortimer, Wickman, Kay and Sievers are all sophomores while Baker, DeTaeye, Gallaher, Lamp, Hurdle, Reed, Rittenhouse and Susong are freshmen who were on the roster last year. 

"We've got a good blend of power and speed," Stein said. "I feel like our lineup can be versatile and give us multiple ways to score."

While the offense has been strong so far, the pitching staff has turned in high-level efforts game after game with Devon Schewe and John Klein each earning national pitcher of the week honors. 

"Those guys have just been great," Stein said. "And we are going to need those kinds of outings from them all year. They have great potential and can really dominate games, and our bullpen is something we can use with different options when we need to."

Schewe and Klein are joined by former Pocahontas Area all-stater Jace Davidson and Easton Dermody at the front-end with Kai Reum, Payton Leonard, Matthew Wilkinson, Baker, Nathan Zavalney and several others having logged innings this season. 

The ICCAC will feature a "super-conference" with the Div. I programs joining the Div. II teams throughout the regular season. Along with the Tritons being ranked in Div. II at No. 20, Southeastern (No. 10) and Northeast (No. 14) are ranked while Iowa Western is 10th in Div. I.

"It is going to be as tough as it has ever been," Stein said. "But just like any year in this conference, you are going to have ups and downs. How you deal with those is going to make or break you."

-By Dana Becker