Weekly Diamond Notes

June 3, 2016

By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

There have been 10 players named the Porsche Exchange Player of the Week so far this season. This past week’s winner was Edwardsville senior 3B/RHP Jake Garella.

Uncommitted Garella, did damage at the plate and on the mound in Edwardsville’s two playoff games last week. Garella went 7-for-8 with three doubles and a walk-off single during in the two postseason games. He also, threw 6 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one unearned run and striking out seven. Garella also ended his season with a .570 batting average, a new school record, breaking the old one of .525, set in 2005.

Click Here to read about Garella’s success last week.

Several players narrowly missed out on winning the award this week. Let’s take a look at some of the players around the state who put up impressive numbers last week:

WEEK 10

Andrew Wilhite, SHP/SS, Stillman Valley, 2018
Currently ranked No. 26 in the Illinois 2018 class. The switch-handed pitching Wilhite made three appearances on the mound last week. Throwing right-handed in the Regional Championship game, he twirled seven shutout innings. He scattered four hits, struck out six and walked one. In the Sectional Semifinal he threw six innings left-handed. He gave up two hits, struck out four, walked two and allowed no earned runs. In the Sectional Championship game he was back at it, this time throwing right-handed. He went six innings, scattered three hits, gave up one earned runs, struck out seven and walked one. His line for the week: 20 innings, 9 hits, 18 Ks, 5 BBs, 1 ER.

Ryan Howe, RHP/INF, Prospect, 2018
Howe twirled a no-hitter in the Regional Championship victory over Glenbrook North. Howe threw 74 pitches in his seven innings of work, allowed no runs, struck out one and walked one.

Dan Sullivan, OF, St. Viator, 2016
New Mexico-Highlands recruit. In two playoff games last week for St. Viator, Sullivan went 5-for-6 with three doubles, a homerun, two RBI, four runs and one walk Playoff games. On the year Sullivan has 13 homeruns. His stat line for the year is: .400 BA, 14 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs, 35 RBI and 32 runs scored.

Brad Littleton, RHP, Coal City, 2016
Littleton, an Indiana recruit, started the regional game vs Joliet Catholic on the mound. Coal City won the game 1-0 and Littleton twirled a complete game, two hit shutout and struck out five. He also had a first inning double and scored the game’s only run. He went 9-0 on the year: 63 IP, 33H, 11ER, 98K, 27BB and a 1.22 ERA. He has 26 career wins for Coal city and was 18-0 in his last two years on the mound.

Bradley Harrison, LHP/OF, O’Fallon, 2016
The Southern Illinois recruit, was 3-for-3 with a HR and three RBI in 5-4 Regional Semifinal win and recorded the save on the mound. In the Regional Final he went 1-for-2 with the game-winning home run and got the win on the mound. Earlier in the week he went 1-for-2 with a home run in a game against Sacred Heart-Griffin. In the 3 Games: 7-for-9, 2B, 3 HR and 6RBI. On the mound: 9IP, 1 win, 1 save, 10K and 1BB.

In other news, RHP Trent Johnson ranked No. 19 in the Illinois 2015 class is transferring from Arizona to John A. Logan Junior College. RHP Joe Uvelli a Purdue recruit out of high school is also transferring to John A. Logan in the fall.