Northern Athletics Conference 2013 Baseball Preview

Aurora University baseball is picked to finish 1st in the 2013 preseason coaches poll in the Northern Athletic Conference.  The Spartans won last years NAC conference title and the last three Northern Athletic Conference tournaments.

Returning for Aurora is D3Baseball.com's preseason All-American pitcher Drew Gay who went 8-0 with a 1.68 ERA last season.  Aurora also returns pitchers Eric Palmer 8-0, 2.54 ERA, Brad Warnecke 8-0, 1.19 ERA, DH Cory Walden .352  , 57 RBI's, and catcher Ryan McMahon, .322, 17 RBI's.

Concordia, IL returns All-American third baseman Anthony Even who hit .400 with 38 RBI's and 22 doubles last season.

Benedictine has NAC Freshman All-Star Tim Hendricks coming back.  Tim hit .269 with 23 RBI's and scored 20 runs last season for the Eagles.

Rockford's top returning pitcher is Kaleb Rich, who went 3-4 with a 4.82 ERA last year.

Dominican University only returns 10 letter winners from their 2012 squad right fielder Adam Quinn leads the way hitting .267 with 22 rbi's last season.

Top Returning NJCAA Pitchers from Illinois Junior Colleges

Below are the top returning pitchers from Illinois junior colleges posted in the National Junior College Athletic Association preseason media guides.

Division I:
Northern District, Regions 4, 11 and 24:

Luke Hayes, Kishwaukee College, RHP, 1.46 ERA
Derek Thompson, John A. Logan, LHP, 1.49 ERA
Nick Andros, Rend Lake, LHP, 1.65 ERA
Tait Rauen, Kishwakee College, LHP, 1.83 ERA
Brandon George, Rend Lake, RHP, 1.90 ERA
Brandon Allen, Wabash Valley, RHP, 2.18 ERA
A.J. Crutchfield, Southwestern Illinois, LHP, 2.20 ERA
Ryan Wells, Lincoln Trail, RHP, 2.91 ERA
Clay Wallace, Wabash Valley, RHP, 4.26 ERA
Eben Brooks, John A. Logan, RHP, 4.05 ERA
Ben Allison, Kishwaukee College, RHP, 4.43 ERA
Chris Hunt, John A. Logan, RHP, 4.43 ERA

Division II:
Midwest District:
Matt Lambert, Heartland, RHP, 1.70 ERA
Ryan Byrne, Heartland, RHP, 2.60 ERA
David Stagg, Heartland, LHP, 3.00 ERA
Dylan Van Fleet, Illinois Central, RHP, 3.21 ERA
Cale George, Illinois Central, RHP, 3.52 ERA
Clint Sestak, Lincoln Land, RHP, 3.71 ERA
Dan Reiser, Lincoln Land, LHP, 4.44 ERA
Jason Condit, Illinois Central, RHP, 4.72 ERA
A.J. Vasquez, Danville Area, LHP, 4.88 ERA

North Central District:
Caleb Haley, Lake County, RHP, 2.01 ERA
Eann Cox, Blackhawk, RHP, 2.37 ERA
Bobby Thorson, Elgin, RHP, 2.40 ERA
Sam Cok, Prairie State, RHP, 2.44 ERA
Dominic Talone, Elgin, RHP, 2.45 ERA
Jim Miller, Prairie State, RHP, 2.83 ERA
Kenny Lowden, Oakton, RHP, 2.87 ERA
Tyler Hurst, Oakton, LHP, 3.27 ERA
Jake Sharp, Blackhawk, RHP, 3.35 ERA
Eddie Nelson, Prairie State, RHP, 3.48 ERA
Matt Schwitz, Kankakee, RHP, 3.53 ERA
Joe Ross, McHenry County, LHP, 3.75 ERA