Baseball: Fox Valley all-area team

Mike Addante, Jacobs

This center fielder used his speed and athleticism to excel in the outfield and at the top of the order for Jacobs' fourth straight regional championship team. Committed to Nebraska, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound junior hit .354 (45-for-127) from the left side with 11 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs and 15 RBI. He drew 9 walks, reached base in 40.1 percent of 138 plate appearances, stole 11 bases in 15 attempts and finished tied for the team lead with 30 runs. Defensively, the third-year varsity performer committed just 2 errors in 55 total chances. "He's a five-tool player," Jacobs coach Jamie Murray said. "People respect his arm and his aggressive style has prevented teams from taking an extra base. A tremendous leader on and off the field."

Glenn Albanese, Jr., Batavia

Committed to pitch at NCAA power Louisville, this 6-foot-6, 220-pound junior dusted off the bat he hasn't used in a high school game since his freshman year and developed into one of the toughest outs in the area. A natural athlete who also played tight end for a playoff football team last fall, Albanese, Jr. finished the season batting .434 (49-for-113), the fifth-highest average among 26 area teams. "The ball exploded off his bat," retiring Batavia coach Matt Holm said. "He kept his hands inside and made great contact, and he really drove the ball when he started using his hips." Albanese, Jr. also belted 5 doubles, 3 triples and a home run, drove in 22 runs and scored 28. That was all supplementary to his main job on the mound, where he finished 7-3 with a 3.13 earned-run average. In 53⅔ innings, the right-hander struck out 63 and walked 22. "He's a special guy," Holm added.

Ryan Becker, West Aurora

This senior second baseman was a model of consistency at the plate for the Blackhawks. Becker finished with a .403 batting average (48-for-119), making him one of 15 players areawide to hit above .400 for the season. His 48 hits came within 5 of the school record. He stroked 10 doubles and 2 triples to slug .521 and reached base in 42.7 percent of 119 plate appearances. Becker scored 24 runs and drove in 9. "He hit .424 in conference play, was our MVP and was voted a captain," West Aurora coach John Reeves said. "He's a hard worker. We slid him over to second and he was Mr. Reliable. He was solid for us."

Mitch Butvilas, South Elgin

This senior catcher helped the Storm finish 19-11 with his production both at the plate and behind it. Butvilas improved as much as any player areawide year over year. He hit .244 as a junior in 86 at-bats. As a senior he terrorized opponents with the area's ninth-highest batting average of .404 (40-for-113). He hit 8 doubles, 2 triples a home run and drove in 24 runs. He often ran for himself and scored 26 times. Defensively, Butvilas did not make an error in 133 total chances, and he threw out 28.6 percent of attempted base stealers (6 of 18). "He worked hard and improved his skills behind the plate from one year to the next," said South Elgin coach Jim Kating, a former minor league catcher. "He was a real backstop back there. He blocked a lot of pitches that could have cost us. He held people in check."

Tyler Carlson, Crystal Lake South

This 5-foot-11, 160-pound dual threat helped the Gators gain a share of the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title. The left-handed senior went 4-0 on the hill with a 2.53 earned-run average. In 32⅓ innings, he struck out 28 and walked 14. Offensively, the right-handed hitter contributed a .345 batting average (29-for-84) with 3 doubles and drove in 22. He was hit by 5 pitches, drew 11 walks, reached base in 45 percent of his 102 plate appearances and scored 24 runs. Carlson hit when it mattered. He led the Gators with 13 two-out RBI and batted .500 with runners in scoring position. "He was a two-way player and a clutch hitter for us all season," Crystal Lake South coach Brian Bogda said. "Tyler made some tremendous improvements from his junior season."

Danny Denz, Dundee-Crown

No area pitcher has better "stuff" than this Memphis-bound left-hander. A sharp-breaking curveball and devastating changeup make his mid-eighties fastball look even faster. At least that's how it seemed to his 109 strikeout victims, tops in the area. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior averaged 7.8 strikeouts in 14 appearances, 12 of them starts. Denz (6-5) retired the leadoff hitter in 51 of 64 innings and retired the side in order 24 times. He walked 28 to finish with a 1.000 WHIP and a 2.30 ERA. "Danny has been a leader both on and off the field and throughout the community," Dundee-Crown coach Jon Anderson said. "He had a career year as far as strikeouts."

Jeff Heinrich, Huntley

How crucial was this junior's bat to Huntley's surprising run to a Class 4A sectional championship? Take away the third baseman's 47 hits in 102 at-bats and the team batting average dips from .280 to .261. In Monday's sectional-supersectional doubleheader, the all-Fox Valley Conference pick went 5-for-6 with a double to raise his batting average from .438 to .461 and finish third in the batting race among 26 Fox Valley area teams. Heinrich led the Red Raiders in doubles (10), triples (3), steals (25 of 27), runs (32), on-base percentage (. 537), slugging (. 618) and OPS (1.155). "Jeff is an extremely gifted individual who can hit for average, power and can run," Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. "Jeff is a passionate individual who plays the game hard from the first pitch to the last pitch and has a very bright future at the next level."

Brendan Joyce, St. Charles North

The honorary captain of the 2016 Daily Herald/Fox Valley All-Area Baseball Team, Joyce is the catalyst of a prolific offense that enters the state finals averaging 7.9 runs per game. The speedy center fielder and leadoff man is batting .381 (40-for-105) with 14 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs and 26 RBI. His biggest hit of the season came last Saturday when he doubled home the game-winning run in the sixth inning of a 4-3 sectional championship victory over Batavia. He is hitting .351 with runners in scoring position and slugs at a .610 clip. Committed to Parkland Junior College, the senior has drawn 16 walks and been hit by 14 pitches, contributing to a .507 on-base percentage. He has stolen 22 bases in 27 tries and leads the North Stars with 40 runs scored. "BJ is our sparkplug and motor both offensively and defensively," St. Charles North coach Todd Genke said. "When he gets on base we score runs and win games. BJ also has some pop. He is one of the best defensive outfielders in the state. He makes plays all over the field look easy."

Tyler Kledzik, Batavia

This hard-hitting second baseman exemplifies why a book can't be judged by its cover. Pitchers figured they'd get the best of the 155-pound Kledzik when he stepped into the batter's box, but they soon learned the Batavia senior was among the strongest hitters in the area, strength he attributed, in part, to his favorite breakfast of Fruit Loops with marshmallows. More likely it was the bat speed generated by his hard-breaking wrists that allowed Kledzik to swat an area-high 8 home runs and drive in an area-best 48 RBI. The most important swing of his high school career came in the fifth inning of the Class 4A Schaumburg sectional title game when he hit a 2-run home run that staked the Bulldogs to a 3-2 lead over St. Charles North temporarily. Committed to Elmhurst College, he helped Batavia win 20 games and a regional title by batting .353 (41-for-116) with 7 doubles and 3 triples. "He's a lot in a little package," Batavia coach Matt Holm said. "I use him as a model for our guys all the time as to why you have to be in the weight room. The ball just pops off his bat."

Stevie Krueger, Jacobs

This senior second baseman helped Jacobs win 22 games and its fourth straight regional title by making huge strides at the plate. As a junior he batted .253 in 91 at-bats. Krueger finished his senior season batting .415 (51-for-123), the eighth-best average among 26 area teams. "Considering how many Division-I arms we saw this year, that is a credit to him," Jacobs coach Jamie Murray said. "He is well respected and works on his game as hard as anyone that I have been around." Krueger hit 7 doubles and a triple, drove in 12 runs, drew 13 walks and tied for the team lead in runs scored (30). He reached base at a .478 clip and slugged .488.

Michael Kruse, Hampshire

It's hard to say which is sharper, Kruse's intellect or his competitive instinct. A two-time academic all-state selection who was named to the Class 6A all-state football team last fall as a safety, this 5-foot-9, 205-pound senior patrolled center field for a third varsity season when he wasn't pitching his way to the area's eighth-best earned-run average (1.21). In 46⅓ innings, Kruse limited opponents to 24 runs (8 earned) on 44 hits, struck out 41 and walked 14. He pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings to earn a win in relief against FVC Valley champion Cary-Grove, and he held Class 4A sectional champion Huntley to an earned run in 5 innings of a 4-1 win. "Michael got the ball for every big game on our schedule and executed the game plan every time," Hampshire coach John Sarna said. "His competitive attitude gave us the necessary confidence to compete in every ballgame." Offensively, Kruse contributed a. 286 batting average (28-for-98) with 9 RBI. He stole 12 bases in 13 attempts and scored 23 runs. He will continue his baseball career next year at NAIA Benedictine College in Kansas.

Jack Lambert, St. Charles North

The hands-down comeback player of the year, Lambert emerged as the area's most successful pitcher as a senior after he missed his entire junior season due to injury. The left-hander enters the state finals with an area-best record of 12-1 in 15 appearances, 14 of them starts. In 73⅔ innings, the Parkland Junior College recruit has amassed 99 strikeouts while allowing 48 hits and issuing 12 walks (0.814 WHIP). His 12 wins and 99 strikeouts are both school records. The all-Upstate Eight Conference pick has limited opponents to 18 runs (15 earned), which translates to an earned-run average of 1.43. "Jack's numbers speak for themselves," St. Charles North coach Todd Genke said. "He has been dominant all year and one of the best big-game pitchers we've ever had at St. Charles North."

Drew Lewis, Harvest Christian Academy

This 5-foot-11, 150-pound sophomore was a driving force behind the Harvest Christian baseball program's first regional championship. Lewis contributed in all phases. As a pitcher, the right-hander went 5-5 while leading the Lions in innings pitched (49), appearances (13) and starts (9). He struck out 32, walked 14 and posted a 3.00 earned-run average. Offensively, he led the team in hits (41), batting average (. 427), doubles (12), triples (2), RBI (30), on-base percentage (. 529) and slugging (. 594). Lewis drew 14 walks, stole 24 bases in 27 tries and scored 32 runs. "Drew has been an absolute leader in all aspects of our young program," Harvest Christian coach Jeff Halter said. "He has been dedicated in the weight room, classroom and on the field."

Brandon McPherson, Marmion

This sophomore made an all-around impact in his first season in the brutal Chicago Catholic League. Not only did the 6-foot-2, 207-pound right-hander lead the Cadets with a batting average of .350 (35-for-100), he hit .395 in conference games against the likes of 2015 state champion Providence and 2015 state runner-up Mt. Carmel, among others. The all-CCL selectee hit 6 doubles and a triple, drove in 20 runs and scored 20 more. "What he accomplished was incredible," Marmion coach Frank Champman said. "He hit .395 against the Catholic League and that's saying something for anyone, let alone a sophomore." McPherson went 3-1 in 10 mound appearances, 8 starts. In 46⅓ innings, he led Marmion with 50 strikeouts, walked 34 and posted a 1.96 earned-run average.

Ian Merlak, Westminster Christian

Committed to Aurora University, Westminster Christian's fleet-footed captain used his bat and his speed to cause headaches for the opposition. He led the 16-win Warriors in hits (40), at-bats (101), doubles (10), triples (3), walks (19), steals (17 of 18), on-base percentage (. 516), slugging (. 554) and OPS (1.070). Despite batting leadoff he managed to drive in 17 runs, 10 with two outs. He finished his senior season tied for the area lead with 39 runs scored. "Ian was our leadoff hitter all season, solid at the plate, a great baserunner," Westminster Christian coach Steven Gallaher said. "He set the table for us all season."

Zach Mettetal, St. Charles North

An all-Upstate Eight River pick already in his third year of varsity baseball as a junior, Mettetal is "one of the smoothest shortstops you will find," St. Charles North coach Todd Genke said. "He also has a very strong arm, which allows him to make plays in the hole that most high school shortstops cannot make." Committed to Memphis, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior thrived after moving to the 3-hole early in the season due to an injury to his brother, Tyler. Also the school's quarterback last fall, Mettetal enters the state finals leading the dangerous St. Charles North lineup with 41 RBI in 38 games. The right-handed hitter is batting .369 with 9 doubles, 2 triples and 23 runs scored."

John Murphy, Burlington Central

Burlington Central coach Kyle Nelson called this 5-foot-10, 165-pound catcher "the anchor of our offense and defense." A unanimous all-Big Northern Conference East selectee, Murphy hit a team-best .391 (43-for-110) with 9 doubles a home run and 21 RBI. He drew 13 walks to increase his on-base percentage to .448, slugged .500 and scored 11 runs. "The thing that stood out to me the most was his ability to catch almost every game while never giving away an at-bat," Nelson said. "He threw out 8 of the final 9 baserunners against him, was able to control the running game and set the table on offense."

Kyle Niemiec, Batavia

Named honorary captain of the Daily Herald All-Area Football Team last fall, this 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior's play on the diamond was a key reason Batavia advanced all the way to a Class 4A sectional final. Committed to play quarterback next fall at Butler, he overcame a midseason ankle sprain to bat .400 on the nose (40-for-100), making him one of only 15 area players to hit .400 or better. Of his 40 hits, 18 went for extra bases. Niemiec's team-best 13 doubles, a triple and 4 home runs translated to a team-leading .688 slugging percentage. He drove in 32 runs and scored 35. "Kyle was the old veteran who was on our real good team two years ago that made a nice playoff run, so as a leader he wanted us to get back to that point and beyond," retiring Batavia coach Matt Holm said. "He wasn't a real vocal leader, but he led by example and kept the guys loose. Just a great year."

Tyler Pennington, Cary-Grove

A two-time all-Fox Valley Conference and two-time all-area pick recently named Cary-Grove's male athlete of the year, Pennington cemented his reputation this season as one of the top catchers in Illinois. Also a two-time all-state football player, the 5-foot-11, 220-pound junior excelled in his first season as Cary-Grove's full-time backstop. Not only did he handle a staff that finished with a 2.73 earned-run average, he caught perfect games from two different pitchers. Pennington was charged with only 2 passed balls in 111 innings, committed just 4 errors in 193 total chances for a fielding percentage of .979, notched 17 assists and threw out 20.8 percent of baserunners attempting to steal (5 of 24). Meanwhile, he was the most productive hitter in the lineup for the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division co-champions. He batted .398 (41-for-103) with team-highs in doubles (9), triples (4), home runs (4), RBI (30) and slugging (. 680). He drew a team-best 20 walks and struck out only 9 times in 128 plate appearances to finish with a .508 on-base percentage. "He was our MVP," Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland said.

Mike Prang, Bartlett

Committed to Loras College, this all-Upstate Eight Conference pick was a bright spot for the Hawks (16-18). A 6-foot-2, 240-pound left-handed hitter and pitcher, Prang enjoyed a big season at the plate and on the mound. His batting average of .448 (43-for-96) was the fourth-highest among 26 area teams. He led Bartlett in doubles (13), home runs (4), walks (12), RBI (37), on-base percentage (. 509), slugging (. 729) and OPS (1.238). Prang delivered 19 of his 37 RBI with two outs. He also tripled once and scored 14 runs. On the mound, the lefty went 4-4 with a 3.64 earned-run average. He struck out 35 and walked 16. "Mike's talent had a chance to shine this year after being hampered by injury last year," said Bartlett coach Chris Pemberton, who stepped down at the end of the season. "He always seemed to come up in key situations to deliver a big at-bat for us."

Joe Rizzo, Huntley

This junior catcher helped the Red Raiders win a sectional title with his errorless defense and productive bat. The strong-armed backstop did not commit an error while recording 14 assists and 101 putouts. He threw out better than half the baserunners attempting to steal (10 of 19) and was charged with only 6 passed balls in 103.1 innings. At the plate, Rizzo finished 11th in the area batting race with a .402 average (47 of 117). The right-hander was Huntley's best hitter with runners in scoring position (. 436), and he paced the 25-win team in RBI (36). He drew a team-best 15 walks and reached base in 46 percent of 139 plate appearances. "Joe is one of our captains and the ultimate team player," Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. "He was the guy we leaned on to drive in important runs in tight ballgames."

Jake Smith, Aurora Central Catholic

The all-around contributions of this senior helped Aurora Central Catholic win 21 games. Smith's statistics piled up as he tore through the Metro Suburban Conference. The left-handed hitter finished second in the area batting race with a .478 average, thanks to an area-best 54 hits in 113 at-bats. Smith led the area with 18 doubles to go with a triple and a home run, all of which elevated his slugging percentage to .681. Thirteen walks contributed to a .531 on-base percentage and 1.213 OPS. He scored 28 runs and one-third of his 36 RBI came with two outs. On the mound, Smith (8-2) posted a 2.42 earned-run average in 55 innings over 13 appearances. He allowed 19 earned runs on 37 hits, struck out 77 and walked 38. "Jake had a terrific season, one of the best statistical seasons in our school's history," Aurora Central Catholic coach Sean Bieterman said. "He made an impact in every game either at the plate or on the mound."

Adam Sojda, Streamwood

Streamwood won 9 games this year and this right-hander was on the mound for 6 of them. The junior went 6-4 in 63 innings over 11 appearances, 10 starts. He limited opponents to 18 earned runs (2.00 ERA) on 50 hits, struck out 75 and walked 19. Season highlights include a 4-3 victory over eventual regional champion Batavia in which Sojda threw a 4-hitter, and a 6-inning performance against eventual state qualifier St. Charles North in which he held the North Stars to 3 earned runs, 4.6 below their average. "Winning 6 of our 9 games does not indicate just how well he pitched for us," Streamwood coach Ryan LaSota said. "He took a couple tough-luck losses but we were in every game that he pitched. He could have easily been 10-0."

Kyle Tiltges, St. Charles East

This 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior emerged as the most dependable hitter in the lineup for the Class 4A regional champion Saints. Tiltges led 23-win St. Charles East with a .402 batting average (45-for-112), including a team-best 12 doubles, a triple and 23 RBI. He coaxed 10 walks compared to 6 strikeouts, reached base in 44 percent of his 127 plate appearances and scored 12 runs. "Kyle was our most consistent player at the plate this season," St. Charles East coach Len Asquini said after a sectional semifinal loss to Batavia. Tiltges did not commit an error at first base this season in 89 total chances, 87 of them putouts.

Drew Wagner, Aurora Christian

This senior enjoyed a monster season at the plate and on the mound. Named Northeastern Athletic Conference MVP, the right-hander won the area batting crown by hitting .486 (53-of-109) with 12 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs and 22 RBI. He also scored 38 runs. "He was our leadoff hitter and offensive catalyst all year long," Aurora Christian coach Andy Zorger said. Wagner was equally effective on the bump, finishing the season 6-1 for the 24-win Eagles. In 52⅓ innings over 17 appearances (8 starts), he went 6-1, struck out 86 and walked 17 (0.879 WHIP). His 1.20 earned-run average was the sixth-lowest in the area.

Jack Wassel, Geneva

Committed to Minnesota, Wassel was Geneva's super-utility player. The versatile 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior was able to play almost any position while maintaining a batting average of .400 (38-for-95). He finished second in the Fox Valley area in doubles (15) and RBI (41), legged out a triple and smacked 2 home runs. He reached base in 60 percent of his at-bats by finishing the season with more walks (18) than strikeouts (12). He swiped 3 bases and scored 29 runs. "Jack Wassel had a fantastic four-year run," retiring Geneva coach Matt Hahn said. "He played all over the field and excelled at all positions. His numbers speak for themselves."

Ian Wilson, Elgin Academy

This junior helped lead a core of young talent win 21 games and the private school's first Class 1A baseball regional title. The Algonquin resident hit .376 (32-of-85) with 8 doubles, an area-best 6 triples and 3 home runs, all of which contributed to a remarkable .716 slugging percentage. He drew 15 walks and was hit by 7 pitches to increase his on-base percentage to .500. Once on the basepaths, Wilson stole 19 bases in 20 attempts and scored 30 runs. He finished second on his team in runs batted in (30). "Ian has an electric approach when he comes to the plate and he exudes a passion for baseball," Elgin Academy coach Steve Shapiro said. "This is all happening as Ian maintains a 3.6 grade-point average with several AP/honors classes. He has a strong work ethic in the weight room and the classroom."

honorable mention

Aurora Central Catholic - Sean Sinisko (so, P)

Aurora Christian - R.D. Lutze (sr., P), Ethan Stoneberg (jr., IF/P)

Bartlett - Cameron Mays (sr., OF)

Batavia - Luke Beckmann (sr., OF/1B), Luke Golson (jr, P), Ben Lynam (sr., P)

Burlington Central - Clay Milas (jr., P/IF), Craig Schuring (sr., P/OF)

Cary-Grove - Quinn Celske (sr., OF), Matt McCumber (jr., P), Danny Schmidt (sr., P)

Crystal Lake South - Griffin Bright (jr, 2B/RF), Michael Humphrey (sr., 3B), Tim Siesennop (sr., P)

Dundee-Crown - Erik Hedmark (so., P)

Elgin - Brandon Stork (sr., P)

Elgin Academy - Johnathan Cruz (jr., P/SS), Andrew Wilson (jr., 1B/2B)

Geneva - Justin Hasegawa (sr., 2B), Trevor Wilcox (sr., P)

Hampshire - Jacob Manning (sr., P/IF)

Harvest Christian - Brock Wilken (fr., P)

Huntley - Nick Laxner (so., P/3B), Cameron Reed (jr., P), Adam Smylie (jr., P/1B)

Jacobs - Casey Dennison (sr., P), Brendan Heiss (sr., P), Daniel Salomon (sr., C)

Kaneland - Jake Marczuk (sr., CF), Matt O'Sullivan (sr., P)

Larkin - Zach Edgar (sr., P)

Marmion - Jonathan Young (sr., P)

St. Charles East - Stevie Podany (sr., P)

St. Charles North - Sam Faith (jr., IF), Tim Hasto (jr., P), John LeGare (sr., RF), Ryan Litavecz (jr., P) Kyle Novotney (sr., LF), Christian Sidoti (sr., P)

South Elgin - Nate Gomez (so., P), Joe Roberson (sr., P), Jack Stancl (jr., P)

Streamwood - Ryan Fitzgerald (jr., IF)

West Aurora - Jake Arsenault (sr., 1B)

Westminster Christian - Tyler Schoemann (jr., P/IF)