RTC Senior Trio Leading Cubs to Another Great Season

The Round Top-Carmine baseball team went four rounds deep in the playoffs last year and is heading into a third round match-up this week.

A big reason for that success has been the play of the team’s three seniors – left fielder Cody Wunderlich, catcher Kash Wessels and first baseman/pitcher Carter Marburger.

“Last year they were juniors my first year here and you could tell right away those three were the leaders of this bunch,” said RTC head coach Ben Ahrens. “What you see here at the field, the way the boys play, the way these guys act in the community, it’s because of those three. They set that bar.”

We’re proud to honor these three RTC seniors as this week’s Fayette County Athletes of the Week.

We caught up with all three at practice earlier this week as the Cubs were getting ready for their regional semifinal playoff series against Medina. Here are some highlights from our interview with them: “We’re like a family out here,” said Marburger, who is literally family (cousins) with Wessels.

Wessels said the words “fight’ and “friendship” best describe this year’s Cubs team.

“Everyone gets along and that really helps us when we get into close games,” Wessels said.

No game has been closer for the Cubs than in their playoff opener against Hull-Daisetta when they went down 7-4 going into the final inning.

The fight RTC showed that day impressed Wunderlich.

“We had to score four to win and we fought back and won and then took care of business the next day (in Game 2 of the series),” Wunderlich said.

Marburger was the winning pitcher in that game and drove in the game tying and game winning runs.

The next week, a onegame 5-0 area round win over Menard, the seniors came up big again.

Wessels caught Will Neese’s complete game onehitter. Wunderlich had two big hits and Wessels doubled.

“There’s no feeling like winning or going home,” Wessels said of that playoff atmosphere.

The success these seniors have tasted the last two seasons has been made all the sweeter because it hasn’t always been like this.

“Freshmen year, we had a little bit of success but then sophomore year we won two games,” Wunderlich said. “Going from winning two games to going to the regional finals last year and hoping to get back there this year – it’s been a lot of fun.”

“It’s nice to win, nice to see what all our hard work has done for us,” Marburger said.

None of the three seniors said they want to think too much about the end of their high school baseball careers, whenever that might be.

“Fight and advance, don’t worry about what’s ahead of us,” Marburger said.

But one thing that is coming quickly for these three is graduation. All three will get their diplomas next week – and they all have big plans for after high school.

Wunderlich plans to go to Blinn, and then Texas A&M to study meteorology.

Wessels plans to go to Blinn and then Texas A&M to study architecture.

Marburger plans to go to Blinn and then Texas A&M to study geology. Then he plans to get a Masters in petroleum geology.

But first they have some unfinished business on the baseball field. They will keep playing as long as they can keep winning.

“Carter, Cody and Kash, we’re going to miss them,” Coach Ahrens said. “Hopefully it’s not this week.”