Baseball in Illinois News
courtesy of the Kane County Chronicle
TEAMS TO WATCH
Geneva
A big season is expected from the Vikings, who return 17 of their 20 pitching wins from last season. The returning one-two punch of Riley Perry and Alex Sroka provides a strong foundation, and Sroka is also a beast at the plate. Senior Jack Delabar could also have a dual role for the Vikings, who eagerly welcome a strong junior class that includes Chris Hipchen, Michael Monaghan and Kyle Bender. Other key returnees include senior catcher Eric Renner, senior shortshtop Jason Adams, senior second baseman Brian Cornick and senior center fielder Jerrod Campbell.
Kaneland
The Knights finished tied for second in the WSC last year but have several holes to plug. Coach Brian Aversa expects second baseman Jake Fiedler, Ty Hamer and Bobby Thorson to lead the way for the Knights. Hamer and Thorson will be joined by senior Steve Colombe as the team’s primary starting pitchers, while Thorson, who had an impressive offseason, also figures to supply a big bat. Junior Joe Camilere gives Kaneland speed in center field, while senior Jake Tickle and junior Kyle Davidson will likely share duties at shortstop.
Marmion
Coach Dave Rakow has toughened up the Cadets’ non-conference schedule, one year after Marmion flamed out quickly in the postseason despite finishing 22-4 overall. Marmion will be senior-dominated after losing seven starters from last year’s starting lineup. Big lefty Mark Peters gives Marmion a likely ace, while Chris Tydd and Will Sterne are proven bats. Newcomers Tim Tarter, Tyler Friel and Travis Siwiec – all juniors – should bolster a team that Rakow expects to be deep in pitching and in contention for a conference title.
St. Charles East
East again is blessed with a glut of left-handed pitching. Junior Wes Benjamin is drawing Division I recruiting interest, while fellow lefties Tom Konrad and Tommy Laudadio also bring varsity experience. First-year East coach Dave Haskins expects East to be strong up the middle with catcher T.J. Travis, shortstop Ryan Sotern and second baseman Johnathan Erickson. Third baseman Ryan O’Dell and outfielder/pitcher Robert Wendt also should shine for the Saints, who must adapt to Haskins’ preference for playing small-ball.
St. Charles North
Speedsters David Gow and Jake Bergren help set the table for a potentially thunderous lineup that will include menacing bats Ryan Richardson, Matt Stevens, Mike Budka and Chase Williams. “I think our lineup is just going to be absolutely threatening, depth-wise,” Richardson said. Lefty Ryan Hudspeth, Jared Shurtleff and hard-throwing Kevin Borst should gobble up most of the starts for what shapes up to be a solid pitching rotation.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wes Benjamin, St. Charles East, Jr., P
The junior left-hander has been clocked as fast as 88 mph, according to coach Dave Haskins. His live arm is drawing interest from several Division I college programs.
Riley Perry, Geneva, Sr., P
Perry (8-2, 1.67 ERA as a junior) finishes what he starts; the hard-throwing, Oakton Community College recruit completed all 10 of his starts last season.
Mark Peters, Marmion, Sr., P
The 6-foot-6 left-hander enjoyed a strong basketball season, but colleges are also interested in Peters on the mound, where he went 6-1 as a junior.
Ryan Richardson, St. Charles North, Sr., SS
Much will be expected from the Nebraska recruit, who batted .459 and drove home 40 runs last season. Richardson said he’s feeling even stronger and more comfortable at the plate this season than he did a year ago.
Matt Stevens, St. Charles North, Sr., C
Stevens brings a dependable catcher’s mitt, plenty of power and three years of varsity experience to coach Todd Genke’s lineup.
Alex Sroka, Geneva, Sr., 3B/P
The DePauw recruit is hoping to improve upon an excellent junior season in which he hit .486 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs. He’s also the Vikings’ No. 2 pitcher.
Matt Taylor, Batavia, Sr., P
Taylor saw varsity time each of the last two years, though hip trouble dampened his junior season. Now healthier, Taylor and fellow senior Kevin Flinn should anchor a Batavia pitching staff that will again be difficult to handle.
Bobby Thorson, Kaneland, Jr., 3B/P
Thorson is primed to emerge in a big way after playing on Kaneland’s sophomore team last year. The power pitcher should also be a big factor offensively. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what Bobby can do for us,” Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said.
Chris Tydd, Marmion, Sr., OF/P
Tydd hit .380 last season and drove in 31 runs for the Cadets. Tydd and Will Sterne figure to be the offensive leaders for a Marmion team coming off a 22-4 season.
Robert Wendt, St. Charles East, Sr. OF/P
Coming off a strong junior season, Wendt continued to swing a hot bat in the summer, when he belted seven homers. He’ll also be given a chance on the mound, where he made major strides this offseason.
