The Hillsboro baseball and softball teams are chomping at the bit to begin the 2016 season, after weeks of practice.

The baseball team’s season opener has been postponed twice due to poor weather.

Saturday’s non-conference home game with New Glarus was rained out and will be made up at a later date.

Monday’s Scenic Bluffs Conference opener at New Lisbon was also postponed due to snow flurries and frigid temperatures and will be made up at a later date.

Hillsboro will attempt to finally open the season Thursday at home against Necedah.

The Tigers went 8–14 overall and 6–8 in the SBC a year ago under first-year head coach Ryan Budnik and were knocked out of the WIAA Division 4 playoffs with a 5–2 first round loss to conference foe Royall.

Budnik returns seven starters from last year’s team, including standout pitcher Tyler Crandall and outfielder Max Stockwell, who both missed most of last season with injuries.

The Tigers will unfortunately be without senior shortstop/pitcher Joe Helgerson, who had season-ending surgery on his left wrist following basketball season. Helgerson sustained the injury last fall playing football, but played through the pain during the winter while leading the Tigers’ basketball team to a 24–2 record and the number one ranking in Division 5.

Softball set to host Necedah on Thursday

The softball team began practice Monday, March 14 under first-year head coach Bruce Borchardt.

The Lady Tigers season opener at New Lisbon was postponed Monday due to frigid temperatures.

Hillsboro will try a second time to play its season opener Thursday at home against Necedah.

The Hillsboro softball team went 10–9 overall and 7–7 in the Scenic Bluffs Conference to finish fifth a year ago under Mike Burch.

The Tigers season ended with a 7–6 regional quarterfinal loss to SBC rival Bangor.

Hillsboro returns five starters from last year’s team, including a pair of senior pitchers in Alexis Mathis (first-team All-SBC) and Brittany Borchardt, a first-team all-conference outfielder in senior Mackenzie Sullivan, honorable mention all-conference choice Lexi Seeley and starting first baseman Morgan Huntley.

The Tigers will be without honorable mention all-league second baseman Sydney Johnson, who had foot surgery prior to the season, and three-year starting shortstop Destiny Shore, who opted to go out for track and field this season.

Track and field set to open Tuesday at North Crawford

Speaking of track and field, Hillsboro hopes to begin the track season Tuesday at the North Crawford Invitational, weather permitting.

Heath Revels, a 2006 graduate of Hillsboro High School, takes over the Tigers’ program this season, replacing Chad Schmidt, who was Hillsboro’s head coach for eight years.