Illinois Baseball Players on the 2014 Missouri Valley Preseason All-Conference Team

Illinois baseball players who are named to the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference preseason All-Conference Team.


Chris Godinez, Bradley, hit .320 in 2012, injured in 2013, Chris lives in Lake Bluff, Illinois.

Brock Stewart, Illinois State, hit .330 in 2013, Brock lives in Normal, Illinois.

Greg Partyka, Bradley, hit .309 in 2013, Greg lives in Bartlett, Illinois.

Kevin Kaczmarski, Evansville, hit .339 with 3 triples and 6 home runs, Kevin lives in Cary, Illinois.

Dan Savas, Illinois State, went 10-0 with a 1.79 ERA and 98 strikeouts, Dan is also a Louisville Slugger preseason All-American, Dan lives in Rosemont, Illinois.

Jeremy Rhoades, Illinois State, 6 saves in 2013, Jeremy lives in Wheaton, Illinois.

Forsythe, Wiesemeyer Earn Missouri Valley Baseball Players of the Week

Southern Illinois Cody Forsythe and Illinois State's Ty Wiesemeyer earn the Missouri Valley Baseball Players of the week awards for the week ending April 22nd.

Senior outfielder Ty Wiesemeyer earned the Player of the Week award by hitting .471 and slugging .824 along with an on base percentage of .526 last week.  Ty had 10 rbi's and three extra base hits, including a grand slam, a triple and a double.  Wiesemeyer is a senior at Illinois State University, a transfer from Heartland Community College and lives in Troy, Illinois.

Southern Illinois Carbondale junior Cody Forsythe won the Pitcher of the Week award by throwing a complete game shutout against Creighton last week.  Cody gave up only four singles and a double while striking out five in the Saluki's 4-0 win.

Cody is from Calvert City, Kentucky.   

Top Performances by Illinois Players in the Missouri Valley Conference Last Week

Top performances from Illinois baseball players last week in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Illinois State senior outfielder Ty Wiesemeyer had nine hits in a three game series against Southeast Missouri State last week.  Ty had three doubles and six rbi's along with scoring four times.  Wiesmeyer is from Troy Illinois.

Sophomore infielder Donny Duschinsky from Southern Illinois Carbondale went 8-16 at the plate last week.  Duschinsky drove in eight runs, hit a grand slam, a double and a triple.  Donny is from Elk Grove Illinois.

LHP Joe Bircher from Bradley University in Peoria Illinois earned a 6-2 win last week going seven innings and striking out 10. 

Junior RHP Chris Razo from Illinois State got his first Division I victory last week throwin five innings allowing one run on 3 hits with six K's.

Missouri State RHP Clay Murphy threw 6 2/3rd's innings striking out four and not allowing an earned in MSU's victory over Oklahoma State last week.  Murphy is from Wolf Lake Illinois. 

ISU Baseball's Dakota Bakus Named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week

Indiana State University's Dakota Bakus was named the Missouri Valley Conference baseball Pitcher of the week.

Bakus earned Indiana State it's first win of the season by throwing a complete game shutout against Western Illinois last Friday.  Dakota had a no-no into the fifth inning, struck out nine and allowed only two infield singles.

Dakota is a transfer from Southeastern Illinois Community College and lives in Moline Illinois.

Illinois State Baseball Picked to Finish 5th in the MVC

In the annual poll by Missouri Valley coaches Illinois State is picked to finish 5th in 2012.  Missouri State who returns seven position players and seven pitchers from last years squad.

Coaches Preseason Poll:
1. Missouri State
2. Creighton
3. Wichita State
4. Indiana State
5. Illinois State
6. Southern Illinois
7. Bradley
8. Evansville

Illinois State returns five starters which include Kevin Tokarski who was an honorable mention All-MVC last year.  On the mound closer Kenny Long will also be back for 2012.

Southern Illinois Carbondale has eight position players and two starting pitchers returning for 2012.  Also back is slugger Chris Serritella who was injured in 2011.

Bradley brings back seven position players and eight pitchers including starter Joe Bircher.

Players from Illinois on The 2012 All-MVC Preseason Team:
Chris Serritella, Southern Illinois
Mike Hollenbeck, Illinois State
Mike Gerber, Creighton
Jordan Sivertsen, Southern Illinois
Mike Tauchman, Bradley
Kenny Long, Illinois State

2012 Top Illinois Baseball Players To Watch in the Missouri Valley Conference

Here is the list of the top baseball players to watch from Illinois for 2012 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Projected Relief Pitcher of the Year:
Kenny Long, Illinois State, Kenny is from Dundee Crown HS and lives in Fox River Grove Illinois.  Long set the ISU record with 15 career saves, went 4-1 with a .092 ERA last season.

Projected Player of the Year:
1B Chris Serritella, Southern Illinois Carbondale, Chris attended Loyola Academy and lives in Glenview Illinois.  Chris redshirted in 2011 but was drafted anyway by the Royals in the 31st round.

Top Players to Watch:
OF Kevin Hall, Wichita State, Kevin is from Glenwood HS and lives in Springfield Illinois.  Kevin hit .254 with 3 homers, 13 doubles and stole 24 bases last season.

SS Alex Staehely, Creighton, Alex attended Benet Academy and lives in Sugar Grove Illinois.  Staehley hit .285 with 3 homers, 23 doubles and 36 rbi's in 2011.

2B Kevin Tokarski, Illinois State, Kevin went to Downers Grove North HS and lives in Downers Grove Illinois.  Tokarski hit .282 with 3 homers, 30 rbi's and stole 25 bases last season.

Catcher Matt Mirabal, Illinois State, Matt is from Mount Carmel HS and lives in Chicago Illinois.  Mirabal hit .247 with 6 doubles and 25 rbi's last season.

Pitcher Chris Razo, Illinois State, Razo is a transfer from Heartland and lives in Chillicothe Ilinois.  Chris was the pitcher of the year at Heartland.

Pitcher Otto Roberts, Illinois State, Otto is a transfer from Southwestern Illinois and lives in Belleville Illinois.

Outfielder Jordan Siversten, Southern Illinois, Jordan is from Carmel Catholic and lives in Richmond Illinois.  Siversten hit .297 with 9 homers, 16 doubles and 48 rbi's in 2011.

Outfielder Nick Johnson, Southern Illinois, Nick attended O'Fallon HS and lives in O'Fallon Illinois.  Johnson hit .271 with 4 homers, 8 doubles and 38 rbi's last season.

LHP Cody Forsythe, Southern Illinois, Cody is from Calvert City KY.

LHP Nathan Dorris, Southern Illinois, Nathan is a transfer from Rend Lake CC and lives in Marion Illinois.

RHP Dakota Bacus, Indiana State, Dakota is a transfer from Southeastern CC, attended Moline HS and lives in Moline Illinois.

RHP Sam Johns, Evansville, Sam attended Civic Memorial HS and lives in Bethalto Illinois.  Sam was injured in 2011.

SS Jason Leblebijian, Bradley, Jason is from Prospect HS and lives in Arlington Hts. Illinois.  Jason Hit .315 with 14 doubles last season.

2B Rob Elliott, Bradley, Rob attended Nequa Valley HS and lives in Naperville Illinois.  Elliott hit .276 with 4 homers, 21 rbi's and stole 28 bags last year.

LHP Joe Bircher, Bradley, Joe is from Omaha NE.

RHP John Nasshan, Bradley, John is from Niles West HS and lives in Niles Illinois.  Nasshan went 3-8 with a 4.55 ERA last season.

Clay Murphy Named MVC Baseball Pitcher of the Week

Missouri State senior RHP Clay Murphy was named the Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week on Sunday.

Murphy struck out 10 in 8 innings, did not allow a run, struck out 10 and only let up 3 hits in the Bears 4-3 win over 22nd ranked Oklahoma State last week.  Murphy took a no hitter into the fifth and did not allow a base runner past first until the seventh.

Clay is from Shawnee High and lives in Wolf Lake Illinois.

Chris Murphy from Southern Illinois Carbondale Named Missouri Valley Player of the Week

Senior outfielder Chris Murphy from Southern Illinois University Baseball was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week ending February 21st.

Chris went 7-13 for the Salukis in their opening weekend in the Louisana Tech Classic.  Murphy had at least two hits in all three games as Southern Illinois posted a 2-1 record over the weekend.  Chris also tied his career high with four rbi's and three hits against Nicholls State on Sunday.

Illinois State Baseball's Kevin Tokarski Named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week

Baseball in Illinois News
courtesy of the Missouri Valley Conference

Kevin Tokarski, So. 2B, Illinois State



Tokarski tripled on the first pitch of the 2010 season and scored after a hit by Chad Hinshaw on the second, to key an offensive outburst for the Redbirds at the Riverview Inn Classic. Tokarski had a team-best seven hits, including four for extra-bases as the team hit .336 over the season's first three games. In addition to the triple, Tokarksi stole three bases and belted three doubles, including one with the bases loaded to push across the tying runs in the ninth inning of Sunday's win over Austin Peay. Tokarksi was 3-for-4 in the 15-8 win with a pair of runs scored and reached base six times. The redshirt sophomore, who garnered Valley Freshman of the Year and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honorable mention honors in 2008, missed the majority of last season while recovering from wrist surgery.