2008 Baseball Weekly Awards

April 28-May 4

Kevin Graham, Benedictine University
...5'10...Sophomore...LF...Crete, Ill. (Crete-Monee)...
BU's sophomore outfielder had a great week in leading his team to a share of the 2008 NAC Championship and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Graham hit .526 - with 3 doubles and a triple - for a .789 slugging percentage. He also drew five walks and did not strikeout at all, in garnering a .625 on-base average that helped the Eagles to a 4-1 week and the team's first conference title since 2004. He had nine runs scored and nine RBI, as well, and was errorless in the outfield in 14 chances.

Jake Thompson, Benedictine University
...6'1...Freshman...RHP...Woodridge, Ill. (Downers Grove South)...
Thompson was a key factor in the Eagles' stretch drive toward the 2008 NAC Co-Championship and No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. The rookie tossed the complete-game win in the crucial second game of the doubleheader sweep over Rockford. Prior to that last week, he got the victory in relief over regional-rival and CCIW foe North Central College. On the week, Thompson was sterling with a 1.12 ERA, 6 strikeouts to just 1 walk, and an opponent batting average of .074 for his eight innings of work.

Other nominees: Josh Damore (Aurora University), Zach Bickel (Concordia University Chicago), Cory McCullick (Edgewood College), Nathan Marlowe (Edgewood College), Jake Wilson (Marian College), Kevin Curtin (MSOE), Josh Ferrell (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

April 21-27

J.D. Rotzoll, Concordia University Chicago
...6'4...Senior...C...Mount Prospect, Ill. (Prospect)...
Rotzoll homered in five of CUC's six games last week, including in all four NAC contests, as the Cougars moved into third place in the NAC with sweeps over Edgewood College and Concordia University Wisconsin. Nine of his 13 hits were for extra bases, and his offense helped Cougars to 51 runs in their four weekend games. On the week, Rotzoll hit .565 (13-for-23) with a 1.478 slugging percentage. He had six home runs, three doubles, nine RBIs and was walked four times.

Matt Krueger, Edgewood College
...6'3...Sophomore...RHP...Madison, Wis. (West)...
The sophomore right-hander pitched a complete game shutout in his only appearance on the mound last week, blanking conference-leader Rockford College 4-0 on Sunday. Krueger picked up the win, striking out six batters and allowing seven hits and just one extra base hit during the game while issuing just one walk.

Other nominees: Dan McCarthy (Aurora University), Rick Porcaro (Benedictine University), Nate Mercado (Dominican University), Ryan Siebert (Edgewood College), Eric Dayton (Marian College), Joe Mleziva (Marian College), Matt Essig (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

April 14-20

Brett Russell, Rockford College
...6'0...Freshman...DH...Rochelle, Ill. ...
Russell was an integral part of the Regents' 10-1 week, reaching base in all 7 games in which he played. The rookie DH recorded at least two hits in five games last week. Russell also hit two home runs in an 11-5 victory over Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday. For the week he hit .461 (12-of-26) which included 3 triples, 3 home runs and 13 RBIs. He was also successful in all five of his stolen base attempts.

Will Kuchelmeister, Rockford College
...5'10...Freshman...LHP...Kaukauna, Wis. ...
Kuchelmeister was dominant against Maranatha Baptist last Monday. After allowing a lead-off hit, he retired the next 12 batters. He threw 6.2 innings, allowing just 1 earned run on 3 hits, while striking out 11. On Sunday, the rookie picked up the first save of his college career. He entered the game in the fifth inning after Marian cut Rockford's lead to 6-5 with 2 outs and the bases loaded. No Sabres reached base the rest of the game. In his two appearances he had a 0.10 ERA in 10 innings picking up a win and a save. He had 13 strikeouts and held his opponents to a .111 batting average.

Other nominees: Steve Salazar (Aurora University), Tony Wellner (Aurora University), Nick Rice (Benedictine University), Carl Petersen (Concordia University Chicago), Zach Tropp (Concordia University Chicago), Andy Becker (Concordia University Wisconsin), Cody Flynn (Edgewood College), Justin Dahmen (Edgewood College), Nick Raddant (Marian College), Ryan Pollesch (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

April 7-13

Matt Anklam, Aurora University
...6'1...Sophomore...DH...Carol Stream, Ill. (Glenbard North)...
Anklam helped the Spartans to a doubleheader sweep of Wisconsin Lutheran College (13-2 and 12-4) in AU's only games on the week due to the inclement weather. Anklam had four of his five hits go for extra bases, which included a homerun and three doubles to drive in a team high six runs. The sophomore had a 1.222 slugging percentage to go along with his .556 batting average (5-for-9).

Kyle Lode, Edgewood College
...5'11...Freshman...RHP...Homer Glen, Ill. (Lockport)...
Lode picked up his first win of the season, pitching a one-hitter and striking out five in a game shortened to seven innings. The rookie shutout Maranatha as the Eagles won 11-0.

Other nominees: Kenny Burdi (Benedictine University), Matt Werner (Edgewood College), Kyle Edlhuber (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

March 31-April 6

Tim Reinert, Maranatha Baptist Bible College
...5'10...Senior...C...Salisbury, Md. (Faith Baptist)...
In game two of a doubleheader at Lakeland College on Saturday, Reinert had two grand slams. In that game he was 3-for-4, with 3 runs scored, 2 homeruns and 8 RBI. For the week, the senior catcher hit .467 (7-for-15). Reinert also threw out 3-of-4 runners attempting to steal second.

Eric Dayton, Marian College
...6'1...Junior...LHP...Merrill, Wis. ...
Dayton set the school record on Saturday for strikeouts in a game as the southpaw recorded 15 against Wisconsin Lutheran College in a 13-3 victory. He went the distance giving up just three runs on eight hits.

Other nominees: Joe Infantino (Aurora University), Rick Porcaro (Benedictine University), Kevin Courvoisier (Concordia University Wisconsin), Jeremy Bartelt  (Marian College), Josh Ferrell (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

March 24-30

Chris Brockman, Rockford College
...6'0...Junior...1B...Freedom, Wis. ...
Brockman completed the week with monster games for Rockford. He opened the week in a big way, with a 4-for-6 game, including his third homerun of the week, in Rockford's 9-8 win over Beloit College. He closed the week with a 3-for-5 effort, hitting his fifth homerun of the year and knocking in 5 RBI's in Rockford's 11-2 defeat of NAC foe Aurora University. For the week he hit .417, including 10 hits, 8 RBI, and a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen bases.

Kennedy Grear, Benedictine University
...6'0...Junior...RHP...Carol Stream, Ill. (Bartlett)...
Grear scattered six hits in blanking MSOE, 3-0. His complete game victory was the second of an eventual three-consecutive nine-inning complete game victories over the weekend by the BU staff. Grear had six strikeouts in the shutout, his sole appearance last week.

Other nominees: Rick Porcaro (Benedictine University), Joe Leyhane (Concordia University Chicago), Phil Seris (Concordia University Chicago), Brian Durlak (Rockford College), AJ Paczocha (Wisconsin Lutheran College).

March 17-23

Tony Wellner, Aurora University
...6'1...Sophomore...CF...Minooka, Ill. ...
Wellner led the Spartans with an offensive explosion on the weekend, with AU sweeping Monmouth (19-5 and 4-2) and losing to nationally ranked Augustana College 6-5 in 10 innings. On the week, Wellner was 10-for-13 (.769) with a home run, three doubles, five runs scored and five runs batted in. His home run was his first of the season and was part of his 1.231 slugging percentage to go along with his .786 on base percentage.

Casey Friend, Aurora University
...6'4...Senior...RHP...Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast)...
Friend threw a complete game victory over Monmouth (4-2) allowing only three hits while striking out seven and walking one. He allowed two runs, both which were unearned.

Other nominees: Bobby Voss (Benedictine University), Andy Becker (Concordia University Wisconsin), Alex Tomter (Concordia University Wisconsin), Cody Flynn (Edgewood College).

March 10-16

Brandon Isaac, Concordia University Chicago
...6'0...Sophomore...UTL...Matteson, Ill. (Marian Catholic)...
Isaac hit his first three homers of 2008 while also scoring six runs and driving in seven in CUC's 9-1 win over Wartburg and 14-6 win over Webster, both on Sunday, March 16. He hit a pair of two-run shots and added a double in the Wartburg game, and his solo shot in the first inning of the Webster game cleared the back wall of GCS Stadium. He added an RBI double in the eighth and a bases-loaded walk in the ninth as Concordia ran to their ninth win in 10 games.

Matt Kudlik, Concordia University Chicago
...6'1...Freshman...RHP...Park Ridge, Ill. (Notre Dame)...
Kudlik improved to 3-0 with six strong innings in CUC's 9-1 win over Wartburg on Sunday. He allowed a lone earned run in the sixth inning before leaving the game with 104 pitches (65 strikes). The rookie fanned nine batters while walking just one, and six of his K's were on called third strikes.

Other nominees: Bill Dictus (Edgewood College), Cory McCullick (Edgewood College), Bryan Oliver (Maranatha Baptist Bible College).

March 3-9

Chris Glasel, Wisconsin Lutheran College
...6'0...Senior...OF...Appleton, Wis. (Fox Valley Lutheran)...
Glasel began his 2008 season right where he left it a season ago. In six games at Disney's Baseball Spring Training in Orlando, Fla., Glasel batted .643, going 9-for-14 with 4 RBIs and 2 doubles.

Zach Jones, Rockford College
...6'2...Junior...LHP...Beloit, Wis.(Turner)...
Jones picked up his first win of the year, in a 76 pitch performance against Maryville University (Mo.). Jones allowed only three runners to reach second base, allowing only one unearned run and seven hits in six innings pitched.

Other nominees: JD Rotzoll (Concordia University Chicago), Matt Shilney (Edgewood College), Nate Henke (Rockford College).

February 25-March 2

Chris Brockman, Rockford College
...6'0...Junior...1B...Freedom, Wis. ...
In the Regents' 2008 opener, Brockman went 3-for-5, with 6 RBIs including an inside the park grand slam in Rockford's 16-8 victory over Clark University.

Rick Walsh, Edgewood College
...6'3...Junior...RHP...Green Lake, Wis. ...
The Junior right-hander pitched 4.2 innings for Edgewood College, allowing four hits and zero earned runs. In the loss to UW-Whitewater to open the season, Walsh pitched three innings, striking out three, yielding two hits and one unearned run. In the second game against Augsburg, the right-hander pitched 1.2 innings striking out one and picking up the win, allowing two hits and no runs.

Other nominees: Dan Gugel (Edgewood College).

Weekly Awards Archives: 2007