Nick Winter: A Look Back at State Champ’s Remarkable Postseason

GRAND CHUTE, Wis.–

If you asked me who Nick Winter (Milwaukee Lutheran junior) was at the start of this baseball season, I honestly would tell you, “I don’t have any idea.” That’s (unfortunately) the truth, because I didn’t know who Winter was until toward the end of the regular season, partially because I hadn’t covered high school and college baseball until this season and he hadn’t done anything unbelievable this past season quite yet. I was scrolling through scores and updates from around the state, and read that he had gotten a win. Being based in the Green Bay area, I know most of the players around here and not a ton from southern Wisconsin.

Once regionals rolled around, my craving for baseball boosted about 700%, because playoff baseball is an absolute thrill. I covered a no-hitter by Green Bay East/West’s Jake Watzka the opening round of regionals. Two days later, that performance was matched by Winter, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit, in my opinion, who threw a 10 inning, 162 pitch,13 strikeout performance in Milwaukee Lutheran’s 3-1 win over Wisconsin Lutheran. That was the first time the Red Knights had beaten Wisco. Lutheran in three attempts this season.

“Once we beat Wisco we knew since they were a really good team, we could beat almost anybody, so I feel we just came in confident, played well, and got W’s.”

That’s when Winter knew behind him, that Milwaukee Lutheran team could do anything.

“I think that Wisco game really set it off. I think our team, we were all so hot then, so other than that.”

Co-head coach Bob Heinkel knows how special Winter is and how special what he has done is. It’d be unfair to say Winter single-handedly led the Red Knights to a state title, but he’s the largest reason a 13 loss team has a large trophy in their school’s lobby.

“He’s just gifted, but those gifts would be set aside if he didn’t have the competitive instincts, the concentration, the dedication,” the 41-year head coach Heinkel said, following Winter’s 2-for-3 appearance, “He’s put in a lot of time and really learned the game, but he’s just a great competitor.”

A great competitor Winter was all season indeed–throwing 88 1/3 innings with an ERA of only 1.32 in 14 games.

With Winter leading the way in 2016, it’d be shocking not to see the Red Knights back in Appleton, but for now, they can enjoy what they accomplished last week before thinking about next season.

~Alex Strouf (@LetsGoAlex)