Wheeling's Spillane sizzling at the plate

Former Wheeling standout Bren Spillane is enjoying a record-breaking baseball season at Illinois.

When the Illini junior first baseman was recently named as the Big Ten's player of the week, he became first player in conference history to earn the award three straight times.

He has also helped Illinois become the first team in Big Ten history to win the conference's weekly award five straight weeks, as Michael Massey and Doran Turchin earned the awards the two previous weeks in early March.

After going 9-for-14 (. 643) with 3 homers, 3 doubles and 10 RBI in his second award-winning week, Spillane had even better numbers in the third week.

He hit 5 homers and only got out three times in four games to produce an eye-popping .727/.833/2.181 slash line and a 3.015 OPS.

Spillane had twice as many extra-base hits (6) as outs (3) during the week. He had two multi-homer run games, a 4-hit game and a 4-walk game. He went 6-for-8 (. 667) with 3 homers in the first two games of the series against Iowa, and by the third game the Hawkeyes pitched around him with 4 walks.

Spillane's incredible three-week stretch resulted in a batting average of .676 (25-37) with 11 homers and 23 RBI in 11 games. He leads the nation in slugging percentage (1.149), is tied for the national lead in homers (14) and ranks second in batting average (. 494).

Softball

Ripon freshman Micaela Encarnacion (Schaumburg) belted her second home run of the season over the fence in right center to give the Red Hawks a 1-0 lead in their 3-0 win over Beloit. Red Hawks sophomore Brooke Bauer (Palatine) produced an RBI double in the next inning.

• Wisconsin-Oshkosh freshman Katie Fontanetta (Buffalo Grove) scored a key run in Titans' 10-2 win over Illinois-Chicago in Clermont, Fla.

Fontanetta reached base on a throwing error on her attempted sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning.

Then, on another throwing error on the same play, Fontanetta dashed around all the bases and made a head-first dive at home plate just ahead of the tag, putting her team in front 4-2.

Glaser's girls

Former Fremd standout point guard Heather Glaser, TR Turner and Jim Beckley had quite a month in March coaching the Immanuel Lutheran School (Palatine) varsity girls basketball squad.

The Bobcats won the Illinois Lutheran School state tournament, the Illinois Middle School state tournament, and the 2018 Lutheran Basketball Association of America national tournament.

It was their sixth Lutheran state championship in seven years.

Eighth-graders Anna Schmitt and Brianna Wooldridge were named to the all-tourney state team, with Wooldridge being named the MVP of the tourney.

Eighth grader Gracie Gentleman scored a record number of 3-pointers and the tournament director, based on feedback from the officials, acknowledged the entire Immanuel Lutheran team for its sportsmanship.

At the 72nd annual National Lutheran Basketball Association of America Invitational Tournament at Valparaiso University, the Bobcats defeated St. Paul (Mt. Prospect) for the championship.

It was the Bobcat's third appearance in the championship game in four years but their first win since 2009. Glaser played on Immanuel's 1998 national championship team.

Schmitt and Wooldridge were also named to the national all-tournament team.

"After an overtime loss in the national championship last year, we really pushed hard this year to give this team another shot at the title," Glaser said. "All of the players committed their best efforts to the goal and their families committed to a tough schedule in an effort to be ready for the challenge."

Glaser said the coaches felt the success was the result of all 15 players making great contributions.

"On-the-court achievements aside, it has really been a pleasure to coach this team," Glaser said. "Between the song singing, fashion critiques, practicing in pajamas, and spontaneous dancing, this is the unique group of personalities that I have ever had but they were also one of the most genuine, loving each other and wanting success for one another."

"They taught me that in order for them to be their best, I had to let them embrace their uniqueness and it ended up not only putting some more banners on our gym wall but being really, really fun. I'm grateful to them and looking forward to their continued successes in high school and beyond."

Glaser, Turner and Beckley run off-season sessions for first through eight grade girls. For more information, contact Immanuel Lutheran School at (847) 359-1936 or visit their website at www.immanuelpalatin

Women's lacrosse

North Central sophomore midfielder Mynk Richardson-Clerk (Hoffman Estates) was selected as a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin women's lacrosse player of the week. Richardson-Clerk, a political science major, helped lead the Cardinals to a 2-0 record as she totaled 2 ground balls and 3 caused turnovers in a 20-4 win at Beloit as well as 6 ground balls and 2 caused turnovers in a 23-5 win over Northwestern (Minn.).

She also had 3 goals and 3 draw controls in both games and added 2 assists against Northwestern (Minn.).

Men's tennis

Millikin's Connor Sacks (Conant) won at No. 2 singles 6-0, 6-1 when the Big Blue (8-3, 2-0) scored its second College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin win defeating North Central 5-4 in Decatur. Sacks joined teammate Tom Emola to win at two doubles 8-5.

• Augustana's Eric Pohl (Fremd) and Samuel Trotten (University High, Normal) tied John Jevitz and Steve Miller as the winningest doubles combination in school history when they won at No. 1 doubles in a 9-0 win over Cornell (IA).

It was the 62nd triumph for the duo, tying the mark hall of famers Jevitz and Miller set from 1979-82.

Totten ranks 11th on the Vikings' career singles wins list with 56 and fifth in doubles wins with 70 - one behind Pohl.

Women's lacrosse

Augustana's Emily Lucnik (Schaumburg) scored a free position goal at the 24:46 mark of the Vikings' 10-9 loss to Aurora. She finished with 2 goals and led Augustana with 5 draw controls.

Men's track

Augustana senior Joseph Bellafiore (Hersey) was fifth (137-8) in the hammer at the 11-team Viking Olympics won by the host school with 262 points.

Vikings senior Josh Yamamoto (Fremd) was part of the 4x400 relay team that won in 3:18.21. Yamamoto also won the 400 hurdles in: 53.08 and was fifth in the 100 in: 11.25.

Women's track

Augustana junior Ashley Talken (Wheeling) was second (10- 8) in the pole vault at the Viking Olympics in which the host school placed second behind Wheaton College.