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Chicago Tribune
9 minutes ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Conner Stack's leadership pays off for Brother Rice. ‘The job's not done yet.' Plus, area state baseball notes.
After serving as a captain for both the Brother Rice football and baseball teams as a senior this school year, Conner Stack is set to give up sports as he heads to Notre Dame to study finance. If his playing days have to come to an end, Stack is thrilled that it will happen at state. 'It's awesome,' Stack said. 'There's no better way to go out. The job's not done yet.' Stack, a senior outfielder, will lead the Crusaders (37-3) into a Class 4A semifinal game against McHenry (35-4-1) set for 7 p.m. Friday at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet. Stack is hitting .381 with 27 RBIs and 20 runs this spring. More importantly, according to Brother Rice coach Sean McBride, Stack sets the tone and ramps up the team's competitive energy. 'Conner brings toughness,' McBride said. 'He grinds out at-bats. He's not the prettiest-looking player, but man, he's had a heck of a year. He's a great outfielder. He does everything right. He runs the bases. He can bunt. He comes through in the clutch. 'He gives us that edge that we need.' Stack, who played defensive back in football, tries to bring some of the grittiness of that sport to the Crusaders in baseball. Brother Rice finished third in the state in 2022 and second in 2023 but went in the wrong direction last season, going just 20-18 and getting knocked out by rival Mount Carmel in a sectional semifinal. Stack made it his mission to bring the Crusaders back. 'You just have to stay positive, even in the dark times,' Stack said. 'Last year, we had a really rough year. That's not who Brother Rice is. We wanted to make a statement this year and we knew leadership had to step up. 'Me and the other captains stepped up early and it's paying off now.' Senior infielder Aidan Nohava said Stack is 'like no other.' 'Honestly, there's no words to describe Conner besides he's just a straight-up leader,' Nohava said. 'Any time we need something, he's there for us and everyone looks to him no matter what. 'I love Conner. I couldn't love the kid more.' St. Laurence has received consistent production out of the ninth spot in its lineup from junior outfielder Danny Donovan. Donovan is hitting .354 with 31 runs and 30 RBIs for the Vikings (35-5), who will take on Troy Triad (34-6) at 10 a.m. Friday in a Class 3A semifinal game. 'I've definitely gained confidence as the season has gone on,' Donovan said. 'My teammates and coaches believing in me has meant a lot to me. I just try to help my team, no matter where I'm hitting in the lineup.' Donovan delivered a key two-run double to start a four-run second inning in Saturday's 11-1 win over Lemont in the sectional final. He went 2-for-3 in a 2-1 victory over Simeon in Monday's Crestwood Supersectional. St. Laurence coach Pete Lotus trusts Donovan to come up with big hits and set things up for the top of the order. 'He's been so huge for us there,' Lotus said. 'It's so good to have someone that's a really good hitter down there in that nine spot. You know how most people treat nine hitters and he's not that. 'I've told him all year how important it is for him to keep having good at-bats and set things up for our guys at the top, and I've seen him embrace that role.' Brother Rice and St. Laurence will try to complete a state championship sweep for private schools after Ottawa Marquette and Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin won the Class 1A and 2A titles, respectively, last weekend in Champaign. Since the four-class system began in 2008, there has never been a year where private schools have won all four championships. In Class 3A, Benet (26-12) is the only other private school competing this weekend at state.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Injured pitcher Cooper Eggert solidifies lineup at first base as Providence routs Lincoln-Way East. ‘Juiced us up.'
For a short period of time, Providence's Cooper Eggert said he felt sorry for himself. The senior pitcher was told by three doctors — including an orthopedic surgeon for the Cincinnati Reds – that he needed Tommy John surgery after injuring his elbow April 24 against Marist. 'When I found out from the third doctor that I'm going to need surgery, I went through a point in my head where I was struggling with it,' Eggert said. 'I felt bad through it.' Eggert snapped out of his sullen mood when Scott Mensik, his former coach with the Mokena Blaze, gave him some inspirational words to live by. 'He said, 'You can't look in the past and you can't do anything about it — just go out there, win another ring.'' Eggert said. That won't happen with Eggert on the mound. But after a stint as the team's designated hitter, he's now manning first base and helping the Celtics defensively and at the plate. His performance Saturday featured a bases-loaded triple in the second inning that sparked Providence to a 12-0 rout of Lincoln-Way East in the Class 4A Lincoln-Way West Sectional championship game in New Lenox. Eggert drove in four runs for Providence (27-12), which will play at 7:30 p.m. Monday against Catholic League rival Brother Rice (36-3) in the Crestwood Supersectional at Ozinga Field. 'That hit by Cooper — that was huge,' Providence coach Mark Smith said of Eggert, who has committed to SIU Edwardsville. 'It gave us a little bit of a cushion.' Cincinnati commit Enzo Infelise, Declan Kane, Dominik Alberico and Blake Jenner each had two hits. Minnesota recruit Nate O'Donnell and Alberico combined for the shutout, striking out eight. Jake Newman led Lincoln-Way East (28-11) with two hits. Senior left-hander Jack Bauer, an MLB prospect who recently decommitted from Virginia, gave up six runs in an inning-plus of action. Bauer, who made national headlines for throwing 102 mph earlier in the spring, has been on a strict pitch count this season. He threw 35 pitches in the first inning and finished with 53. 'We spent an hour taking hacks off the machine at 100 mph,' Eggert said of Friday night's practice session. 'It was hard. But the plan was to make him throw strikes. We heard about his pitch count, and if we got it up in the first inning, he would be taken out soon.' 'Bauer is special — really special,' Smith said. 'But our kids had great, competitive at-bats.' It allowed Providence to earn the 13th sectional title in program history. Eggert, meanwhile, has surgery scheduled with Timothy Kremchek, a longtime doctor for the Reds, after the playoffs on June 17. He's also prepared for a redshirt season in college. Still, Eggert said he's been enjoying his time at first base. And Smith likes having him in the lineup. 'He's had kind of a rough senior year,' Smith said of Eggert. 'He started out with a hamstring injury and missed the first couple of games. But this injury really hit this team hard. 'This is a very close-knit team. There are 20 seniors on this team out of 24. When one goes down, they all felt it, and it took us a while to get over that. When he came back, it just juiced us up a bit.' Count O'Donnell as one of the Celtics who is happy to have Eggert around. And then some. 'He's had a lot of ups and downs, and an injury like that gets in your head and can hurt your mindset,' O'Donnell said of Eggert. 'For him to come back and play first base for us is huge.'
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
A bunt by Louisville recruit Colin Campbell scores two runs as Brother Rice slips past Mount Carmel. ‘Did my job.'
To capture the moment, Brother Rice's Colin Campbell concentrated on the small details. The sophomore shortstop, who came through with a bunt in the second inning that led to two crucial runs, wasn't worried about the gravity of the situation. He just kept his eye on the ball. 'I had some nerves playing in such a big game,' said Campbell, who's committed to Louisville. 'Coach gave me the sign. I stepped up, executed it when I needed too out there and did my job. 'I'm going to do anything necessary for the team.' Campbell also scored a run and played superb defense Saturday for the Crusaders in a 3-2 victory over Mount Carmel in the Class 4A Reavis Sectional championship game in Burbank. Senior second baseman Jackson Natanek added two hits and earned the pitching win with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings of relief for Brother Rice (35-3), which plays defending state champion Providence (27-12) at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Crestwood Supersectional at Ozinga Field. Junior outfielder Logan Fernandez produced an RBI single and junior shortstop Joey Ireland, an Illinois recruit, also knocked in a run for Mount Carmel (23-14). Sophomore infielder Brady Cunningham scored the winning run on an error with the bases loaded on a walk-off fielder's choice from senior outfielder Conner Stack in the seventh. Campbell, meanwhile, created the early offense for the Crusaders with a bunt that brought in junior outfielder Nolan Ramoley. Campbell then scored on a wild pitch for a 2-1 lead. Senior designated hitter Aidan Nohava, an Eastern Michigan recruit, praised Campbell afterward. 'The stats might not show it, but Colin was huge for us and did a lot to impact the win,' Nohava said. 'The trust the team and coaches have with him is just a great reflection of the player he is.' Natanek has a special affinity for Campbell as Brother Rice's middle infield combo. 'He's really talented and a very confident player,' Natanek said. 'That allows for what he is able to do out there. He did a great job getting that bunt down and helping hype up the team.' In his first season on varsity, Campbell is hitting .338 with 29 runs, 25 hits, four doubles and 17 RBIs. His speed and fluidity in the infield makes him a crucial defensive anchor. 'He's just an elite level defender,' Brother Rice coach Sean McBride said of Campbell, who has a 0.926 fielding percentage. 'He's earned his way. He's tough-minded and never gets rattled. 'You saw that in the way he plays. We have 100% confidence in him.' Campbell also has made some appearances as a pitcher this spring, showing off his versatility. 'I think the biggest thing I've learned is just how to slow my brain down,' he said. 'The game is a lot faster than at the lower level. You have to take big, deep breaths.' Campbell is the youngest in a family of four. His older brother, Nick, was a standout at Stagg. He became Colin's inspiration. 'I'm just a baseball kid,' Campbell said. 'I think I was born to play the game. I played basketball up until my freshman year. Watching my brother just made me fall in love with it every year. 'Each year I've played, that has only deepened.' Part of that maturation is figuring out how to negotiate the natural ebb and flow of the game. That means not thinking twice about leaving the bases loaded with a fly out in the third inning. 'There are always big ups and downs in a game and you just have to realize that you're the man,' he said. 'You just have to think about getting from A to B. The next time up, I got a walk. 'You just have to let it go.'
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Uncommitted Daniel Coyle delivers three big hits as St. Laurence rolls past Lemont. ‘Never give up.'
A varsity starter since he was a freshman at St. Laurence, junior infielder Daniel Coyle has been one of the Catholic League's most productive hitters throughout his career. But while several of the conference's stars have scholarship offers from major colleges, Coyle's recruiting so far has been quiet. That's just motivation for Coyle, who still has a point to prove. 'I love playing with that pressure on my back to keep going and show everyone what I can do,' Coyle said. 'I love when people doubt me, honestly. People see me and they're like, 'Oh, look at that short kid.' 'I'll prove you wrong any day.' Consider Coyle's point made on Saturday. He came up with three big hits, including an RBI double, and scored two runs as the host Vikings rolled to an 11-1 win over Lemont in six innings in the Class 3A St. Laurence Sectional championship game. Danny Donovan had a two-run double for the top-seeded Vikings (34-5). Adrian Perez went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, Wisconsin-Stout recruit Connor Marino finished 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI and South Suburban College commit Ben Geary was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. It's the first sectional title since 2021 and seventh overall for St. Laurence, which will take on Simeon (20-12-1) at 5 p.m. Monday in the Crestwood Supersectional at Ozinga Field. John Strzechowski allowed four hits and six walks but just one run over 4 1/3 innings to earn the win as he consistently pitched out of jams. 'As soon as the coaches gave me this game, I was so fired up,' Strzechowski said. 'The guys were fired up. I knew I've got the guys behind me to win a sectional championship with.' Oakton recruit Zach Corse went 2-for-3, while Missouri-St. Louis commit Matt Devoy reached base three times and scored on a sacrifice fly by Zane Schneider for second-seeded Lemont (30-8-1), which fell short of making it back to state after last season's runner-up finish. That run last spring included a 9-0 win over St. Laurence in a sectional semifinal, and the Vikings were certainly hungry for revenge Saturday. 'This felt great,' Coyle said. 'That hurt last year. I really thought we had a great team last year, but this year, we have an even better one. We're tough, we're gritty and we're going to do whatever it takes to win.' Those adjectives certainly apply to Coyle. Just ask St. Laurence coach Pete Lotus. 'He's played with my son, Mickey, since they were really young and I've seen Dan be the best player on the field since he was a really young kid,' Lotus said. 'Over the years, other kids have gotten bigger or a little more physical than him, but he's still the same player. 'He's one of if not the best player on the field every single day. I think he does carry that chip because some other guys might get more college looks than him. But he's a baseball player and we'll take him anywhere on the field.' St. Laurence scored four runs in the second inning and four more in the fifth. Coyle's RBI double in the fifth came right after Lemont had cut the deficit to 4-1. 'He never gives up,' Donovan said of Coyle. 'He's always working. He's the biggest leader on our team, I'd say. He gets all the guys going no matter what, even if he's playing bad. 'Today, he had big hits. He can do it all.' Coyle is hitting .324 with 39 runs, 16 stolen bases, three homers and 41 RBIs. Batting third in St. Laurence's order, he's certainly smaller than most people who bat in that spot. But that hasn't stopped him yet. 'I believe there's no one better than me,' Coyle said. 'When I get to the plate, all I'm thinking is 'This pitcher can not beat me.' I believe I'm the best one out there. 'Not cocky, but confident.'
