Baseball
ST. CHARLES – After nearly reaching the state tournament this spring, the St. Charles East baseball team finally reached the next level.
Jacobs graduate Ben Albano would have been happy to attend NCAA Division III Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, to play baseball.
Watching Andy Jakubowski during a baseball game can be entertaining as well as draining.
Former Jacobs baseball coach Eric Sanders identified Ben Albano’s attribute that led to the left fielder putting up otherworldly numbers this season.
Both pairs of baseball co-champions in the Fox Valley Conferences two divisions led the way with five players each on their respective All-FVC teams.
JOLIET – Marian Central baseball coach Gregg Wikierak was ready to go out on top.
JOLIET – Huntley’s tank finally hit ‘E’.
JOLIET – Baseball was fun again for Marian Central.
After a crazy weekend of state playoff baseball it's time to take a little summer break.
JOLIET – The euphoric feeling Marian Central experienced by advancing to the IHSA Class 3A Baseball State Tournament gave way to disappointment once it got there.
JOLIET – Huntley did not come to the IHSA Class 4A Baseball State Tournament with the stars or fanfare of the other three semifinals participants, but the Red Raiders showed they belonged on the field with anyone.
JOLIET – Anyone who witnessed the first inning of the IHSA Class 3A Baseball State Tournament semifinal between Marian Central and DeKalb will call it one of the strangest starts they have ever seen.
That Marian Central is one of the final four teams playing in the IHSA Class 3A Baseball State Tournament is no shock.
There isn’t much that Marian Central’s Eli McGuire can’t do on a baseball field.
Huntley baseball coach Andy Jakubowski considered his team’s defense for parts of the season less than exemplary.
At 5-foot-11 and 155 pounds, with a fastball in the low 80 mph range, Huntley left-hander Jeremy Ahillen hardly strikes an intimidating presence on a pitching mound.
Three local players were selected Wednesday in the later rounds of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
NAPERVILLE – Eli McGuire wasn’t nervous; he just trusted his curveball.
LOVES PARK – Huntley’s offense was sparse but resourceful.
The Rant is in baseball heaven!
Former Huntley pitcher Tanner Funke was leaning on the right-field fence, grinning and watching his former teammates celebrate on the field Saturday after the IHSA Class 4A Larkin Sectional championship.
Marian Central has shown a penchant for coming through in tight situations in the postseason.
JOHNSBURG – Dave Parr delivered on the mound and at the plate, and Marian Central secured its first trip to a baseball supersectional since 2005.
ELGIN – Huntley left hander Jeremy Ahillen saw the action in the bullpen as he struggled through the fourth inning against Cary-Grove.
The theme for the week among local baseball playoff teams was comebacks.
Eric Sanders believed he accomplished many of the objectives set forth when he took the Jacobs head baseball coaching job three years ago.
ELGIN – Danny Leisten’s last varsity at-bat before Thursday happened so long ago he could barely remember it.
The Rant thinks it’s pretty cool that we still have six local teams fightin’ for a state title.
Eric Sanders has resigned his position as Jacobs head baseball coach after three seasons, during which time the Golden Eagles were 47-52.
JOHNSBURG – Marian Central coach Gregg Wikierak told his players to keep the same approach at the plate before the bottom of the 10th inning Wednesday against St. Viator.
ELGIN – There was good reason for the anxious moments Huntley experienced early in its game with Hononegah.
Wednesday was a good day for our local baseball and softball teams who were all playin’ in sectional semifinal games.
Marian Central baseball coach Gregg Wikierak calls Elmhurst College coach Joel Southern “a very lucky man.”
Athlete of the Week
Harvard wanted desperately to make some school history by winning its first baseball sectional.
CARY – Pitching and defense are the hallmarks of winning baseball.
CARY – Cary-Grove experienced one of those games where all that mattered, ultimately, was getting through to play another game.
ALGONQUIN – Huntley’s baseball team had an inning to remember Thursday at the IHSA Class 4A Jacobs Regional.
The Rant knows it's always a good feelin' to be the last one standin'.
LISLE – Harvard’s baseball team hopes this is the appetizer.
Harvard center fielder John MacKenzie ran down the list of his team’s goals for this baseball season.
HUNTLEY– It takes most softball teams at least three or four games to score 31 runs.
After an eventful weekend that ended regular season play, it’s time for the playoffs.
WOODSTOCK – Johnsburg pitcher Mitch Noncek called the experience “nerve-wracking.”
JOHNSBURG – It says a lot when a team can rely on a player to have a productive game when it matters most.
MAPLE PARK – The Hampshire baseball team entered the IHSA Class 3A Hampshire Regional, considered one of the state’s toughest, as an afterthought to most outside of the Whip-Purs’ dugout.
RICHMOND – A rough first inning can cause some pitchers to lose focus, but that wasn’t the case for Richmond-Burton’s Bryan Leslie on Monday.
Athlete of the Week
HARVARD – Harvard’s baseball players had a few things to get off their chests Saturday in their IHSA Class 2A Harvard Regional final against St. Edward.
