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2008 Baseball Preview
JJC Goes
For Another Winner
By Dave
Parker
The Joliet
Junior College baseball team experienced the second-best season in
school history in 2007.
Not only did
the 2007 Wolves post the most wins-47 in school history, but they
finished second at the National Junior College Athletic Association
Division III World Series last May.
After winning
the Region IV and District championships, JJC traveled to Tyler, TX to
compete in the NJCAA Division III World Series. JJC took second behind
host Tyler.
"We had a very
good season in 2007," veteran JJC coach Wayne King said. "Our pitching
was outstanding all of last season and we received timely hitting when
we needed it most. It's a season that the coaches and players will long
remember, I'm sure."
King,
beginning his 22nd season as JJC's successful coach, has won 713 games
as the Wolves baseball coach. He is by far the winningest coach, in any
sport, in Joliet Junior College history.
Back in 2006,
JJC and Coach King finished third at the NJCAA Division III World Series
in upstate New York.
JJC does
return some key players from last year's team. Among them is shortstop
Ed Koncel from Joliet Township High School and Providence Catholic's
Casey Colbert, who earned all-World Series honors a year ago. Colbert,
the son of former minor league catcher and manager Rick Colbert, batted
.302 with 11 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs and 29 RBIs as a freshman.
Colbert, who
possesses a very good arm, has been moved from outfielder to catcher. He
has speed, too, stealing 14 bases last year.
"Casey looks
fine behind the plate," said King, a former starting catcher at Division
I Ohio University. "He has all the tools to be a standout back there."
Koncel, a
second team All-American Division III selection last year, batted .311
with 43 RBIs, a team-high 6 triples, 8 doubles and 4 homers a year ago.
Other key
returners from last year's team include Wilmington's Dillon Roark and
JT's Alex McCluskey. Roark, a right-handed pitcher who was the Wolves
top closer in 2007, will be JJC's No. 1 starter in 2008.
Roark posted a
5-2 record with an excellent 2.14 ERA in 52 innings. He struck out 44
and walked 22.
"Dillon has
been clocked at throwing 88 miles per hour," King said. "He has a good
fastball, curve, changeup, and slider, so he can mix things up. He's our
No. 1 and we are looking for him to have a good year."
McCluskey is
an outfielder/DH who earned first-team All-Region IV Division III honors
last spring. He hit .331 with 39 RBIs, 6 homers, 8 doubles and 4
triples.
Minooka's Ryan
Voitik was sidelined with mononucleosis for some of 2007. The third
baseman did bat .322 with 14 RBIs in 30 games. He stole 5 bases in 6
attempts.
JT's Joe
Colbert returns to bolster the pitching staff. The right-hander was 4-3
with a 2.65 ERA as a JJC freshman.
Three standout
pitchers from last season have moved on to four-year schools. Minooka's
John Trepel (13-0 record last season) is at Evansville while Minooka's
Joe Stover (11-3) is at Ohio University and Seneca's Matt Cade (6-1) is
at Grand Valley State (MI).
"Our pitching
staff the last two seasons has been outstanding," King said. "We've
relied on guys like Stover, Cade, and Offerman the last two seasons. So
other pitchers will now have to step up and deliver. We return only 11
victories from last year's pitching staff."
JT has
provided the Wolves with some good pitching prospects for 2008. The
former Steelmen standouts include left-hander Ryan Bethard, who will
also play some outfield, along with right-handers Kevin Barnett, Trevor
Vermillion and Brian Shirey.
King has high
hopes for all four former JT players.
Other
Joliet-area freshman pitching prospects include Plainfield Central's
Bryan Johnson, Minooka's Ryan Jarka, Reed-Custer's Zach Giertych and
Lincoln-Way Central's Jake Bowman. JT's Thomas Alessio, a sophomore,
pitched last season for the Wolves and returns.
King has hope
that righty Steve Styck from Herscher High School will be an effective
closer.
Outfielder
Brandon Howard from Coal City High School returns after not playing in
2007. Howard was a productive player and starter for a 2006 Wolves team
which placed third at the Division III World Series.
Also back from
that 2006 squad is Providence Catholic's Shaun Thomas, an infielder/DH.
Catcher Joe Maggio, from the 2006 team, is also back this season.
Joliet
Catholic Academy's Chris Vidmar, a catcher, and Lincoln-Way East's T.J.
Stanfield played for the Wolves in 2007. Vidmar is a catcher, Stanfield
a slick-fielding outfielder.
Casey Colbert
will be the starting catcher. Roark and McCluskey will share first-base
duties. Sandburg's Tyler Thompson will be at second base while Koncel
will play shortstop and Voitik third base.
Howard will
start in left field, Stanfield in center, and Sandburg's Brett Velon in
right. Joliet Township's Keon Clayton is an outfielder, and Bethard will
see action in the outfield as well.
"We're hoping
to be able to run the bases well, field it and throw it," King said. "If
we do those things on a consistent basis, we should be ok."
"But we need
to improve on our hitting. I think we will have to score more runs that
we did last season."
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