Reviewing the Tri-Cities baseball season
Aurora Central
Final record: 13-15 overall, 2-12 in the Suburban Catholic Conference.
Top losses to graduation: Mark Adams, Kyle Edwards, Chad Roscoe, David Luna, Nick DeLeon, Pat Wondrak.
Top returning players: Mike Adams, jr., OF/P; Nick Czaja, jr., P; Brian O'Donnell, jr., 1B; Mark Brauweiler, jr., OF; Ken Litrenta, jr., P.
Final quote from coach Mike Armato: "At times, we underachieved. We had opportunities to finish in the middle of the pack in conference, but we let it slip away. The kids played their best baseball at the end of the season."
Aurora Christian
Final record: 18-8 overall, 12-4 in the Private School League (tied for second).
Top losses to graduation: Tony Romero, Michael Friend, Scott Minta, Ross McGee.
Top returning players: Eric Andersen, jr., C; Nate Hill, jr., P/1B; Andru Ubert, jr., C/P/IF; Matt Morse, so., P/SS; Dave Zielke, jr., 3B/P/OF.
Final quote from coach Andy Zorger: "Overall, it was successful. It was a big turnaround from last year. A lot of guys stepped up in different games. It was a great team effort. It was a fun season."
Batavia
Final record: 19-13 overall, 12-9 (tied for third) in the Western Sun Conference.
Top losses to graduation: Alex Beckmann (heading to Northern Illinois), Brad Brandenburg, Axel Holm, Mike Maloney, Shane Holl, Mike Sentman.
Top returning players: Tim Drish, jr., OF; Joe Aguliar, jr., P; Jordan Coffey, jr., P/OF; Brian Krolikowski, jr., P/OF.
Final quote from coach Matt Holm: "We had a bump in the middle of the season where we lost 4 games…and we had a chance to win the conference before Sycamore made a nice run at it."
Geneva
Final record: 21-10 overall, 11-10 in the Western Sun Conference (fifth). Won second straight regional title.
Top losses to graduation: Kevin Massoth, Tyler Baert, Ryan Payne, Dan Rowe, Justin Doty, Ryan Adams, rod Nelson, Chris Jordan.
Top returning players: Mike Grandenitti, jr., C/IF; Sean Grady, jr., OF; Cory Hofstetter, jr., 1B.
Final quote from coach Matt Hahn: "I think we were really close to meeting all our expectations. We had three goals -- to win conference, win 20-plus games and win a regional. It started with a great group of seniors, and throw Cory in there….we expected to win."
Marmion
Final record: 19-9 overall, 10-3 in the Suburban Catholic Conference (second). Won first regional title since 1969, reached sectional final game.
Top losses to graduation: Tim Milroy, Rob Reder, Allen Kus, Matt McHugh.
Top returning players: Matt Milroy, jr., P/1B/OF; David DeSimone, jr., SS; David Brouch, jr., P/OF; C.J. Foster, jr., OF; Brian Burns, jr., P.
Final quote from coach Dave Rakow: "It started off slow and then we got going. We won 17 of our last 21 and 12 in a row. (Losing in the sectional final game to Rock Falls) still stings, but we are looking forward to a new beginning in the Marmion baseball program. We hope to build on that."
Kaneland
Final record: 19-12 overall, 12-9 (tied for third) in the Western Sun Conference.
Top losses to graduation: Cody Crook, Jody Henningson, Alex Norman, Austin Park, Brian Claesson, Nick Wagner, Tyler Dickerson.
Top returning players: Mike Pritchard, jr., 3B; Troy Pritchard, jr., P; Joe Gura, jr., Util./P; Jay Levita, jr., OF.
Final quote from coach Brian Aversa: "This team did a wonderful job making their own identity from all the hoopla from last year (involving fifth-round draft pick Casey Crosby in last year's MLB draft). They proved everyone wrong…overall, they did a wonderful job."
St. Charles East
Final record: 18-14 overall, 16-8 in the Upstate Eight Conference (third).
Losses to graduation: Tyler Deetjen (Valparaiso), Chris Burgess (Central Michigan), Mike Hoscheit (Illinois or Indiana), Andy Gruenwald, Tom Lollino, Mark Proust, Dan Leibforth, Steve Schenck.
Top returning players: Dan White, jr., OF; Johnathan Erickson, so., 2B; Kyle Wiebe, jr., P; Tim Russell, jr., P.
Final quote from coach Mark Foulkes: "It was very similar to last year. We got off to a slow start, but we were fortunate enough to be playing our best baseball toward the tournament. It didn't end the way we wanted it to, but we were right there in a regional title game, which was one of our goals. I thought it was a successful season."
St. Charles North
Final record: 24-12 overall, 17-6 in the Upstate Eight Conference (second). Won back-to-back regional titles.
Top losses to graduation: Sam Weinberg (Western Michigan), Brian De la Torriente (Northern Iowa), Jake Thornton (Illinois State), Brandon Nothnagel, Danny Jimenez.
Top returning players: Colin O'Carroll, jr., OF; Ryan Richardson, so., P/IF; K.C. Wright, jr., C/OF; Kevin Borst, so., P/IF; Zach Hirsch, jr., P/1B; Matt Stevens, so., C.
Final quote from coach Todd Genke (after the final game of the year against Wheaton North): "It's hard to lose this group because they've been with me for three years. They're very good baseball players but even better than that, they're better people."
West Aurora
Final record: 18-17 overall, 8-13 in the DuPage Valley Conference.
Top losses to graduation: Will Fuentes, DJ Smith, Jeff Etter, Kyle McCradic.
Top returning players: Brady Renner, jr., OF; Cory Walden, jr., 1B/P; Chris Richter, so., 3B/P.
Final quote from coach John Reeves: "This was a good group. The kids worked hard…It was an interesting year, but all and all, it was nice. There's a strong group of juniors back next year."
-- By Christine Bolin