The Starbuck Stars finished the 2022 season with an 18-8 overall record, which is the best record for the team ever, percentage-wise.  The team was 10-4 through the regular season before going 8-4 in the playoffs.  Starbuck won the County Line playoff title and then went 2-2 in the Region 4C Tourney to place fourth, ending the season with a 3-2 loss to Willmar.

Willmar fell to Raymond in the next round, and the Rockets lost to Bird Island in the Region 4C Tourney, but all three of those teams earned State Class C Tournament berths.  There are 218 teams in Class C and 48 advanced to the state tourney, which is set for Aug. 19-21, Aug. 26-28 and Sept. 2-5 at various locations.

The 1984 Starbuck amateur team went 20-11 for the most wins in one season and fourth-best record, percentage-wise, while the 2018 team was 18-9 and the 1986 team was 19-10 for the second and third-best record, percentage-wise, respectively.  

The Starbuck town team has made it to state 14 times, including 1932, 1983-86, 1989-95, 1999 and 2020.  In 1990 and 1993, the Stars went 2-1 at the state tourney for their best showing.  The Glenwood amateur baseball team also has earned three state berths in 1952, 1953 and 1978.

•  Members of the Starbuck Stars amateur baseball team were Mitchell Gruber, Alex Panitzke, Mike Andreas, Andy Toop, Blake Andreas, Torii Johnson, Jackson Hendrickson, Darion Alexander, Luke Barkeim, Matt Gruber, Dylan Alexander, Aaron Ver Steeg, Drew Olsonawski, Michael Gruber, Austin Ver Steeg, Colin Richards, Jared Freese, Noah Jenson and Bob Hendrickson. 

Individual Starbuck Stars stats

Matt Gruber led the Stars in batting with a .404 batting average and .495 on-base percentage.  Gruber also led the team with 36 hits, seven doubles, four homeruns, 25 RBI, 27 runs and 14 stolen bases.  As a team, the Stars hit .256 with an on-base percentage of .357.

Darion Alexander was next with a .337 average while also registering an on-base percentage of .437, while Mike Andreas batted .309 with an on-base percentage of .365 and Andrew Toop batted .292 with an on-base average of .361.  Michael Gruber was third on the team with an on-base percentage of .404, while also recording an OBP of .300 or higher for the season were Drew Olsonawski (.386), Jackson Hendrickson (.361), Luke Barkeim (.333), Jared Freese (.327) and Austin VerSteeg (.313).

Mitchell Gruber had a team-high 106 plate appearances and 95 official at-bats this season and also was the only player to appear in all 26 games, while Darion Alexander led the Stars with two doubles and Michael Gruber had a team-best 19 walks/hbp. 

The main pitchers for the Stars this season were Matt Gruber, Austin VerSteeg, Drew Olsonawski and Aaron VerSteeg, although 10 different pitchers saw action on the mound for Starbuck this summer.

Matt Gruber was 5-2 in 72 innings pitched with a 2.13 ERA and 58 strikeouts, while Austin VerSteeg was 2-2 in 37 innings pitched with an ERA of 2.68 with 61 strikeouts, Olsonawski was 1-2 in 30 innings with an ERA of 2.1 and 43 strikeouts and Aaron VerSteeg was 0-0 in 20 innings pitched with a 2.7 ERA and 20 strikeouts.  Also pitching were Darion Alexander (1-0, 17 innings and 20 strikeouts), Andrew Toop (3-1, 16 innings, 2.25 ERA and 14 strikeouts), Mitchel Gruber (1-1, 15 innings, 3.0 ERA and 15 strikeouts), Michael Gruber (2-0, 11 innings and 16 strikeouts), Luke Barkeim (1-0 in 3 innings) and Colin Richards (1-0 in 1 2/3 innings).

Overall, Starbuck pitchers struck out 255 batters this summer in 223 2/3 innings with 112 walks/hit-by-pitch and a team ERA of 2.575.