In memory of their motivational leader

Some have a little more facial hair and they’ve all got a lot more life experience, but there’s one unique similarity members of the 2010 Grafton High School baseball maintain.

It’s their support for each other, including their fallen teammate.

Several players got out their old high school jerseys to attend the Matthew Malkowski Memorial Baseball Field dedication. They served as teammates once more in a softball game against the Grafton Fire Department.

Malkowski was to be a senior outfielder for the Black Hawks and had already joined the fire department, but he was hit by a drunken driver on March 12, 2010, and died on April 30 of that year.

The Hawks, inspired by Malkowski, advanced to the state tournament in Stevens Point for the first time since 1983.

Senior teammate Skyler Bohn remembers Malkowski always giving “all-out effort.

“He would even try to make all the plays you didn’t expect,” he said.

“That definitely played into the motivation for our final year. We didn’t want to disrespect him.”

Alex Nennig had an emotional role. He played right field — where Malkowski would have patrolled. He gave a “good tap” to a sign dedicated to Malkowski before each game.

“It was like he was there guiding us,” he said.

“It definitely brought us together. There’s no doubt about that,” teammate C.J. Koehler said. “It’s why we’re all back, and it’s good to see everyone.”

Coach Brian Durst, who grew up a 3-wood away from the new Little League Field and whose parents still live in the same house, agreed that Malkowski drove the Hawks.

“We rallied around his memory. The players pulled together to dedicate the season to him,” he said. “We took it all the way to Stevens Point.”

The Hawks were led by Conor Fisk, a right-handed hurler who was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 34th round. Fisk pitched all seven innings in the sectional final, shutting out Nicolet in a 1-0 win. He allowed two hits while striking out nine and walking two.

The Hawks scored their run in the fourth inning. Robbie Doring singled and moved to second on a Dylan Mayer sacrifice bunt. Nennig walked and, after Fisk struck out, Koehler came through with an RBI single that deflected off of the shortstop’s glove.

Malkowski’s mother Jan attended each game and each player gave her a hug after the victory. Players and fans donned shirts that read, “I hit for Matt.”

In the first game at state, the Hawks faced powerful West Bend West. Fisk again went the distance, allowing nine runs on six hits, whiffing 11 and walking seven. West scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to escape with a 9-7 win.

Mayer had three hits and two RBI. Doring had a single, double and RBI, and Kevin Scholz had two hits and two RBI.

The Hawks finished the season 21-10 overall. Many of them still stay in touch with each other.

“It was a pretty special team,” Scholz said. “We had pitching. We had hitting. We just had everything.”

Durst said, “We were stacked.”

Now, they’re stacked with memories that get sweeter with time.