2010 Baseball Weekly Awards

May 10-16

Baseball (Pitcher)
Steve Salazar, Aurora University
...6-2...Senior...RHP...Carol Stream, Ill. (Glenbard West)...
Salazar started the Spartans off with a strong game one performance in the 2010 NAC Baseball Tournament, defeating Edgewood College 4-2. In the game, he struck out 10 while scattering three hits and allowing two runs, one earned.

Other nominees: Glenn Nowell (Edgewood).

Baseball (Position)
Steve Binder, Edgewood College
...5-9...Senior...SS...Downers Grove, Ill. (North)...
Binder was the Eagles' leading hitter at the 2010 NAC Baseball Tournament with a .563 average on nine hits and five RBIs. He finished his career on a 17-game hitting streak, connecting in all four tournament games. He also drove in the go-ahead runs in the 8-2 win over Rockford College.

Other nominees: Joe Singraber (Aurora).

May 3-9

Baseball (Pitcher)
Matt Krueger, Edgewood College
...6-4...Senior...RHP...Madison, Wis. (West)...
In his last start at home, Krueger threw his seventh complete game win of the season against Lakeland. It also marked the fifth consecutive game he had accomplished that feat. He only allowed one run, scattered eight hits and struck out nine as he helped the Eagles clinch a conference tournament berth.

Other nominees: Dan McCarthy (Aurora), Matt Kudlik (Concordia Chicago), Lee Chepil (Lakeland), Matt Lang (Wisconsin Lutheran).

Baseball (Position)
Kyle Standridge, Rockford College
...5-11...Senior...3B...Carol Stream, Ill. (Glenbard North)...
Standridge extended his hit streak to 39 games, now the eight longest in history. He hit .500 for the week with a pair of triples and his first home run of the year on the first pitch of the game in Rockford's win at No. 20 North Central (Ill.).

Other nominees: Tony Wellner (Aurora), Nick Skala (Concordia Chicago), Steve Binder (Edgewood), David Novak (Lakeland), Ryan Pollesch (Wisconsin Lutheran).

April 26-May 2

Baseball (Pitcher)
Blake O'Brien, Edgewood College
...6-3...Freshman...RHP...Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard West)...
The freshman tossed two complete games this week for the Eagles as he  went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.56, allowed only two runs, one being unearned, and struck out 10 hitters. O'Brien also had a streak of 21 straight scoreless innings snapped in the fourth inning against Concordia Wisconsin on Saturday.

Other nominees: Steve Sitterly (Aurora), Jason Jusk (Concordia Chicago), Kevin Patterson (Rockford), Matt Lang (Wisconsin Lutheran).

Baseball (Position)
Brandon Isaac, Concordia University Chicago
...6-0...Senior...1B...Matteson, Ill. (Marian Catholic)...
Isaac batted .593 for the week with an .889 slugging percentage as the Cougars went 5-2 for the week including 4-2 in NAC play. He went 7-for-8 with six runs and five RBIs in Saturday twin bill  versus Benedictine. On Sunday he was 5-of-8 with one run and five RBIs--including a two-run homer--at Rockford. The first baseman was also perfect in 63 fielding chances.

Other nominees: Tim Mackey (Aurora), Tim Barry (Edgewood), Michael Merk (MSOE), Eric Nicholson (Rockford), Jake Thorsteins (Wisconsin Lutheran).

April 19-25

Baseball (Pitcher)
Matt Bates, Rockford College
...6-4...Senior...RHP...Brisbane, Australia (St. Thomas More)...
Bates threw a complete game five-hitter, allowing just one earned run, for a 2-1 win at Aurora on Saturday. The right-hander also threw one scoreless, hitless inning or relief against Beloit on Wednesday.

Other nominees: Matt Kudlik (Concordia Chicago), Scott Winters (Edgewood), Austin Backhaus (Wisconsin Lutheran).

Baseball (Position)
Tom Higgins, Benedictine University
...6-0...Freshman...C...Alsip, Ill. (Marist)...
Higgins helped Benedictine match its season best win streak by posting more than one hit in all three of his starts and sporting a .692 average for the week. He led the team in RBIs (7), doubles (4) and on-base percentage (.714). Higgins drove in six runs in the second game of a doubleheader against MSOE, going 4-for-5 with three doubles.

Other nominees: Nick Skala (Concordia Chicago), Treye Dennison (Edgewood), Brad Young (Lakeland), Tim Holtz (Marian), Kyle Standridge (Rockford), Kyle Edlhuber (Wisconsin Lutheran).

April 12-18

Baseball (Pitcher)
Blake O'Brien, Edgewood College
...6-3...Freshman...RHP...Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard West)...
O’Brien was lights out against Dominican as he did not allow a run and only allowed five hits in nine innings of work. The right-hander struck out six while only walking one in the first complete-game victory of his career.

Other nominees: Steve Salazar (Aurora), Matt Katzman (Lakeland), Tyler Goggins (Marian), Kevin Patterson (Rockford).

Baseball (Position)
Kyle Standridge, Rockford College
...5-11...Senior...3B...Carol Stream, Ill. (Glenbard North)...
Standridge continued to spark Rockford's offense to the tune of a .692 average for the week. The senior has hit safely in all 24 of Rockford's games this season, establishing a new school record. He also recorded 14 runs and nine RBIs this week, highlighted by the game winner on his walk-off single over Lakeland.

Other nominees: Kirk Williamson (Aurora), Concordia Chicago (Zach Tropp), Matt Schilter (Concordia Wisconsin), Jimy Landwehr (Edgewood), Brad Young (Lakeland), Josh Klismith (Marian), Michael Merk (MSOE), Kyle Edlhuber (Wisconsin Lutheran).

April 5-11

Baseball (Pitcher)
Derrick Pankow, Concordia University Wisconsin
...6-0...Junior...RHP...Hartford, Wis. (Hartford)...
Pankow recorded a save in a 19-18 win over Dominican with a cleaning inning on Saturday. On Sunday he fired a four-hit complete game that included 14 strikeouts as the Falcons defeated Concordia Chicago on Sunday.

Other nominees: Phil Palmisano (Benedictine), Jason Jusk (Concordia Chicago), Matt Krueger (Edgewood), Lee Chepil (Lakeland), Sam Braaten (Wisconsin Lutheran).

Baseball (Position)
Kyle Standridge, Rockford College
...5-11...Senior...3B...Carol Stream, Ill. (Glenbard North)...
Rockford's leadoff-hitter was the catalyst for an offense that averaged 13.5 runs per game last week. Standridge recorded five multiple-hit games and four multiple-run games during Rockford's 5-1 week in which he hit .467 with 14 hits and 12 RBIs.

Other nominees: Bobby Wilson (Aurora), Colin Gilreath (Benedictine), Brandon Isaac (Concordia Chicago), Dominic Tardi (Dominican), Jimy Landwehr (Edgewood), Cal Post (Lakeland), Josh Ferrell (Wisconsin Lutheran).

March 29-April 4

Baseball (Pitcher)
Lee Chepil, Lakeland College
...6-3...Senior...RHP...Ladysmith, Wis. (Ladysmith)...
Chepil tossed his third complete game of the season in Lakeland's 13-0 victory at Lawrence. The right-hander allowed no runs on three hits and a walk while striking out six in seven innings, giving the Lakeland pitching staff its first shutout this season.

Other nominees: Jake Thompson (Benedictine), Blake O'Brien (Edgewood).

Baseball (Position)
Jace Unrein, Marian University
...6-3...Sophomore...1B...Racine, Wis. (Case)...
Unrein capped off a great week in Saturday's doubleheader against Dominican. The sophomore was 7-for-9 on the day with his first two career home runs, nine RBIs, five runs, and a pair of doubles. He was a triple short of the cycle in game two.

Other nominees: Anthony Amedei (Aurora), Nick Karakosta (Benedictine), Eric Ignatowski (Concordia Chicago), Austin Sarauer (Concordia Wisconsin), Mike Selvaggi (Edgewood), Cal Post (Lakeland), Justin Barkhurst (Wisconsin Lutheran).

March 22-28

Baseball (Pitcher)
Steve Salazar, Aurora University
...6-2...Senior...RHP...Carol Stream, Ill. (Glenbard West)...
Salazar led AU to a 2-0 win over 12th-ranked Carthage College on Saturday afternoon. The right-hander allowed one hit and only three base runners in the contest while striking out six in a complete game shutout.

Other nominees: Jake Thompson (Benedictine), Micah Buss (Concordia Chicago), Austin Backhaus (Wisconsin Lutheran).

Baseball (Position)
Josh Zenawick, Benedictine University
...6-0...Junior...OF...Orland Park, Ill. (Marist)...
Zenawick posted a hit and an RBI in every game during the week and helped Benedictine to a 2-2 week by hitting .462. He belted the first Benedictine homer of the season in a 3-1 victory over Robert Morris-Chicago last Wednesday where he was 2-for-3 in the contest. He scored three runs in a 13-5 upset win over No. 12 Carthage College and was 2-for-2 in the game.

Other nominees: Tony Wellner (Aurora), Zach Tropp (Concordia Chicago), Jake Zadra (Edgewood), Matt Lang (Wisconsin Lutheran).

March 15-21

Baseball (Pitcher)
Steve Salazar, Aurora University
...6-2...Senior...RHP...Carol Stream, Ill. (Glenbard West)...
Salazar threw a complete game 10-inning shutout at Monmouth College on Friday, allowing just two hits in the effort and striking out five.

Other nominees: Jason Jusk (Concordia Chicago), Lee Chepil (Lakeland).

Baseball (Position)
Perry Strickland, Dominican University
...5-11...Junior...2B...Palmetto, Ga. (Landmark Christian)...
Strickland posted a .500 batting average with a 1.000 slugging percentage in four games last week for the Stars. Strickland blasted a leadoff home run in the first game of a doubleheader against North Park and then hit another home run in the nightcap.

Other nominees: Matt Anklam (Aurora), Brad Young (Lakeland).

March 8-14

Baseball (Pitcher)
Ryan Thorsen, Concordia University Chicago
...5-11...Freshman...LHP...Lake Villa, Ill. (Grant)...
Thorsen shut out Wartburg College over six innings in his first collegiate start last Monday as he allowed just five hits while striking out five and walking one in Cougars' 3-0 win. The rookie then pitched seven innings versus Springfield (Mass.) on Saturday, allowing four hits and an unearned run as CUC won 3-1. He struck out 12 and walked one in the victory.

Other nominees: Dan Hunoway (Dominican), Scott Winters (Edgewood), Austin Backhaus (Wisconsin Lutheran).

Baseball (Position)
Jesse Bongartz, Dominican University
...6-2...Junior...3B...Peoria, Ill. (Notre Dame)...
Bongartz had four multiple hit games last week, including three three-hit performances. He had a game-tying bases loaded double in the bottom of the eighth on Saturday as the Stars rallied for five runs in the inning for a 10-9 win over St. Lawrence University. Bongartz had six extra-base hits on the week with three doubles, two triples and one home run. For the week he hit .440 with 10 RBIs.

Other nominees: Nick Skala (Concordia Chicago), Jimy Landwehr (Edgewood), Eric Nicholson (Rockford), Justin Barkhurst (Wisconsin Lutheran).

March 1-7

Baseball (Pitcher)
Matt Krueger, Edgewood College
...6-4...Senior...RHP...Madison, Wis. (West)...
Krueger went the distance giving the Eagles a victory in their first game of the 2010 season. The senior right-hander threw all seven innings, striking out eight while walking only one in the Eagles' 5-4 victory over Concordia Moorhead at the Metrodome. He gave up four runs to the Cobbers, but only two were earned.

Other nominees: none

Baseball (Position)
Mike Catalano, Rockford College
...6-4...Senior...1B...Chicago, Ill. (Notre Dame)...
Catalano was a major factor on the Regent's offense that scored 52 runs in three games last week, leading the team in RBIs with eight. He also crushed a three-run home run in the team's opening game of the year, a 20-7 victory over St. John's (Minn.). The senior first baseman hit .600 (6-of-10) last week and had a 1.100 slugging percentage.

Other nominees: Tim Barry (Edgewood).