Lyons Township wins 2012 Summer Championship

Lyons Township's Max Larsen threw six innings and drove in three runs as Lyons defeated Joliet Catholic 7-3 to win the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association 2012 Phil Lawler Summer Championship.


Lyons has won the summer tournament four times since 2002.  


Mike Lorenz and Tom Prescott both had two hits for LT.  Lorenz was named the tournament MVP.

Oak Park River Forest Wins Illinois 4A Baseball Championship

It was an all West Suburban final in the Illinois High School Association class 4A baseball final as Oak Park River Forest one upped conference rival Lyons Township 4-3 Saturday at Silver Cross Field in Joliet.


With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Oak Park's Jack Picchiotti tripled to lead off the inning.  Lyons intentionally walked the next to batters to get to Mike Brennan who singled in the winning run.  Zachary Weigel got the victory on the mound giving up three runs on seven hits and striking out four.

Lyons Township Baseball Ranked #7 in USA Regional Poll

Lyons Township High School baseball finishes the season as the #7 ranked team in the Midwest Regional Rankings by the USA Today.  Lyons Township, IHSA Class 4A State Champions (37-4),  is the only team from Illinois in the final rankings.

1. Broken Arrow OK 36-2
2. Owasso OK 37-2
3. Maize KS 25-0
4. Lakota East OH 24-7
5. Francis Howell MO 32-3
6. Carrol IN 32-2
7. Lyons Township 37-4
8. Rockford MI 32-6
9. Burnsville MN 21-3
10. St. Louis University 24-1

Lyons Township Takes Down Providence Catholic To Win Illinois High School State Baseball Championship

Lyons Township High School flexed their own muscle and defeat the Providence Catholic Celtics 8-3 to win their third the Illinois High School Baseball State Championship.

Conner Cuff threw all seven innings for Lyons giving up 3 runs on 5 hits while striking out six.  Cuff also drove in four runs on the evening and 2B Steve Hellenbach went 3-4, SS Spencer Mahoney 2-2, and 1B Brian Rodemoyer was also 2-2 with an rbi.  Lyons pounded out 11 hits off of Brandon Magallones, Dan Wetzel and Matt Throwbridge. 

Illinois High School Baseball 3A and 4A Finals Set

The Illinois high school baseball finals are set in class 3A and class 4A.

Class 3A:

In game one Oak Forest pitcher Cody Funkhouser went all 7 innings giving up one run (a homer by Nazareth catcher Justin Gonzalez) on three hits as Oak Forest defeats Nazareth Academy 3-1. Oak Forest scored all three runs in the fourth inning on a walk, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.

In game two Kaneland defeated Waterloo 8-2 as Bobby Thorson threw a complete game allowing four hits and strking out 5.  First baseman Sam Komel went 3-4 with 2 rbi's.  Waterloo shortstop/second baseman Alex Wittenaur went 2-3 with an rbi.

Finals Saturday at 11:00 am  Oak Forest vs. Kaneland
Class 4A:

In game one Providence topped Prospect 9-1.  Matt Throwbridge went the distance allowing one run on four hits.  Providence center fielder Brady Wilkin went 2-3 with an rbi, catcher Dan Potempa was 2-4 with an rbi.  For Prospect Pete Bonahoom was 2-3 and scored a run.

In game two Lyons defeated Mt. Carmel 4-1 Zach Remijas threw six innings allowing one run on five hits.  Keith Lehmann threw a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts.  Lyons 1B Brian Rodemoyer was 2-3 with an rbi and Mt. Carmel DH/C Tom Hayes went 2-3.

Finals Saturday at 5:00 pm Providence Catholic vs Lyons

Illinois State High School BaseballClass 3A and 4A Final Four Set

The Illinois State High School Association Baseball Classes 3A and 4A final four are set for this Friday and Saturday at Silver Cross Field in Joliet.

Class 3A:

Friday:

Oak Forest takes on Nazareth at 10:00 am and Kaneland battles Waterloo at 12:00 pm.

Class 4A:

Friday:

Prospect takes on Providence at 3:00 pm and following that game Mt. Carmel will play Lyons Township. 

Valpo Baseball Signs Seven Players From Illinois

Valparaiso University Head Baseball Coach Tracy Woodson announced the signing of 7 Illinois baseball players to National Letters of Intent.

Infielder Andy Burns is from Edwardsville, IL and is a transfer from Heartland Community College.  The left handed hitting middle infielder hit .336 in 42 games at Heartland last spring.

Outfielder Mark Johnson is from Evanston Township High School with "tremendous speed and athleticisim" stated by coach Woodson.  Johnson has been timed at 6.7 in the 60.

Ryan Kennedy, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL, is a 6' 160 lb right handed pitcher who has "three pitches and a projectable body" according to coach Woodson.

Right handed pitcher Ben Mahar, Mundelein High School, was rated as the 50th best player in Illinois by the PrepBaseballReport.  Ben is 6'4" and 210 lbs with a power arm.

Spencer Mahoney, Lyons Township High School, La Grange Park, is a 6'4" 180 left handed hitting shortstop and ranked as one of the top ten shortstops of the 2011 recruiting class and #48 overall by the PrepBaseballReport.

Left handed pitcher Devin Picknell, St. Patrick High School, Chicago, IL.  "Devin can be one of the biggest surprises of this recruiting class" according to Woodson.

Catcher Rob Rabakozi, Reavis High School, Burbank, IL, is ranked as the 5th best catcher and 44th overall player by the PrepBaseballReport.  "Rob has a strong arm, a projectable pro-type body and very athletic" said coach Woodson.

 

James Murrey Named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Pitcher of the Week

Baseball in Illinois News

Macalester College senior James Murrey was named pitcher of the week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for striking out 18 batters in eight innings in a 1-0 victory over Johns Hopkins.  James tied a 73 year old school record with his 18 strikeouts.

Murrey, a 6-4 220 lb senior is from Western Springs, Illinois and attended Lyons Township High School.

Anthony Genna From Webster Baseball Named Player of the Week

Baseball in Illinois News

Webster University's Anthony Genna, a junior from Willow Springs, Ill. (Lyons Township), has been named the Diamond Sports SLIAC Baseball Hitter of the Week for the week of March 22-28.


Genna, a third baseman, posted a .625 batting average in four games played last week. He went 10-for-16 at the plate with seven runs scored, four RBI and two doubles, while helping the Gorloks to a 4-0 record on the week.