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The prep baseball season has begun, as teams begin their quest toward the state finals at the Joliet Slammers Stadium in Joliet. Here is a preview of area teams:
GLENBARD SOUTH RAIDERS
Coach: Marco Eufrasio
2018 record: 19-15
TOP PLAYERS
NAME YEAR POS
Logan Barnick Sr. P/IF
Mason Barnick Sr. P/1B
Jack Dupuis Jr. P/IF
John McMahon Sr. IF
Drew Vozza Sr. OF
Cooper Wilson Jr. C
Outlook: The Raiders will benefit from welcoming back most of the top players from last season's 19-win team, giving coach Marco Eufrasio plenty of depth and options to use on the mound.
“We’re an experienced, senior-dominant team that finished the season strong last year,” Eufrasio said. “We’re eager to get on the field to build on a successful season last year. If the pitchers throw strikes and play well defensively, the sky is the limit in [Class] 3A.”
GLENBARD WEST HILLTOPPERS
Coach: Andrew Schultz
2018 record: 18-11
TOP PLAYERS
NAME YEAR POS
Joey Ciero Sr. P/3B
Logan Ryan Sr. P/IF
Tommy Bleker Sr. OF
David Dillman Sr. C
Joe Peraino Sr. 1B
Trevor King Jr. P/3B
Matt Shellady Sr. P/OF
Outlook: The Hilltoppers will rely on senior pitchers Joey Ciero and Logan Ryan to handle the bulk of the innings. The Hilltoppers will miss the big bat of graduated first baseman Grant Lalla, who batted .419 and drove in 26 RBIs last season. Senior Tommy Bleker is the only returnee in the outfield.
“Joey and Logan are both excellent pitchers who have worked extremely hard to improve on last year’s success,” Schultz said. “Tommy will lead the outfield. His experience and leadership will make our team better. David Dillman handles our pitching staff very well. His energy is contagious, and Joe Peraino didn’t get a lot of time last year with Lalla ahead of him, but he’s primed for a strong offensive season.”
ST. FRANCIS SPARTANS
Coach: Nick Hall
2018 record: 13-14
TOP PLAYERS
NAME YEAR POS
Nino Christopher Sr. P/3B
Nick Kosmetatos Sr. P/SS
Bennett Eltoft Sr. 1B
Ryan Siurek Sr. OF
Zach Radel Sr. 2B
Tom Siurek Sr. UT
Trevor Hicks Sr. C
Ben Radel Jr. P/OF
Jeff Clark Soph. P/1B
Outlook: Playing in their first season in the Chicago Catholic League, the Spartans enter the spring with optimism for a winning season. With seven starters returning and all three starting pitchers, St. Francis is loaded with experience and talent. Three players have already committed to college, including Bennett Eltoft (Scottsdale Community College), Nino Christopher (Tampa) and Trevor Hicks (Benedictine). Senior Nick Kosmetatos led the Spartans last season with a .444 average to go with three homers and 23 RBIs, while posting a 5-0 record with a 2.35 ERA.
WHEATON ACADEMY WARRIORS
Coach: Justin Swider
2018 record: 15-16
TOP PLAYERS
NAME YEAR POS
Max Martin Sr. 2B
Luke Roman Jr. SS
Shane Baumgarten Soph. IF
Michael Cortez Sr. C/OF
J.D. Rienow Jr. OF/DH
Outlook: The Warriors welcome back five key players from last season's team that will blend with a solid group of newcomers. Senior Max Martin was all-conference at second base last year, and Luke Roman started at shortstop in his sophomore season. J.D. Rienow is another player coming off a big sophomore season.
“I would say the strength of our team would be our defense,” Hall said. “We have several returning players that have several years of varsity experience. We have some good depth this year, but are young. There’s a lot of potential because of that, but we need to make sure that we earn everything.”
WHEATON NORTH FALCONS
Coach: Dan Schoessling
2018 record: 23-12
TOP PLAYERS
NAME YEAR POS
Andy Nelson Jr. SS
Tyler Woltman Jr. C
Joe Klein Sr. OF
Jay Gail Sr. OF
Mike Sullivan Sr. P/C
Outlook: The Falcons have a gaping hole in their lineup and rotation to fill following the graduation of Jackson Gray, the 2018 Suburban Life Baseball Player of the Year, and Joe Vesevick. But Schoessling expects the experience of juniors Tyler Woltman, Andy Nelson and senior Joe Klein to be a key factor toward another solid season.
“We have experience at the top of the lineup with Woltman, Nelson and Klein,” he said. “We should be strong defensively, but we don’t have much experience back on the mound. We have no one with more than 20 innings coming back.”
WHEATON WARRENVILLE SOUTH TIGERS
Coach: John Scherrman
2018 record: 13-20
TOP PLAYERS
NAME YEAR POS
Joe Adamek Sr. OF
Matt Scherrman Sr. P/IF
Mike Kowalczyk Sr. C
Matt Brennan Sr. OF
Bradley Novak Sr. P/IF
Ryan Obrist Sr. IF
Mike Duttlinger Sr. P/IF
Brett Sanders Sr. C
Matt Zablock Sr IF
Mike Meissner Sr. P
Ryan Keeley Sr. P
Ray Nepras Jr. P/IF
Outlook: The Tigers have several players with the ability to step up and lift the program to a winning season. Their experience is a plus, according to coach John Scherrman. Senior pitcher Matt Scherrman, Mike Meissner and Ryan Keeley are set to pitch a lot of innings this year.
“We have a good number of seniors returning from last year’s team,” John Scherrman said. “We have a larger number of varsity innings returning on the mound. Defensively, we will be very good all over the diamond.