Week 9 Diamond Notes
May 19, 2023
Each week, IHSA coaches around the state submit to us their nominations for the PBR Illinois Player of the Week and PBR Illinois Pitcher of the Week honors. On Wednesday, we awarded the Week 9 ‘Player of the Week’ honor to Dillon Head (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2023; Clemson), and the ‘Pitcher of the Week’ honor to Nick Baffa (Notre Dame College Prep, 2024). Last week, Head went 10-for-15 (.667) with three doubles, five RBIs, five runs scored and five stolen bases. Baffa threw twice last week, earning two wins on the mound in 11.1 innings pitched. He tallied 16 strikeouts and allowed three runs on the week.
There were a number of other impressive performances that were in the mix for the award and deserve recognition. Here’s a look at some of the most notable.
WEEK 9 DIAMOND NOTES
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Conor Essenburg 1B / LHP / Lincoln-Way West, IL / 2025Kansas State commit. Essenburg had an impressive performance last week on both the mound and at the plate. On the week he went 6-for-14 (.429) with a home run and three doubles. In their 4-3 win against Lincoln-Way Central, Essenburg threw seven innings, struck out 10, walked three, allowed two runs and three hits. He also went 2-for-4 with a double in the game. In their 4-3 loss to Palatine, Essenburg went 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Week 2: Essenburg was named the Week 2 PBR Illinois Pitcher of the Week after tossing six innings with 13 strikeouts, one hit and one walk. Week 8: Essenburg went 3-for-9 (.333) with a home run and two RBIs. He also threw 6.2 innings on the mound and tallied 17 strikeouts, earning a mention within our Week 8 Diamond Notes. From Week 7:
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Dylan Mannino RHP / 3B / Belleville East, IL / 2023Rankings StateRank: 46 / POS: 19
Western Kentucky commit. Mannino started on the mound against then No. 10 Edwardsville and pitched well despite the 2-1 loss. He threw six innings, struck out eight, walked three, allowed one run and three hits. |
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Ben Powell / Bushnell-Prairie, IL / 2023Uncommitted. Powell went 7-for-20 (.350) with two home runs, two doubles, six RBIs and three stolen bases. In their 9-7 win over ROWVA/Williamsfield, Powell went 3-for-4 with a home run, double, two RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base. He threw 5 ⅔ innings with four strikeouts, one earned run and five hits in their 9-1 win over Monmouth United. Rounding out his impressive week, he went 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored and two stolen bases in their 9-1 win over Beardstown. |
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Calvin Proskey RHP / SS / Oak Park-River Forest, IL / 2023Rankings StateRank: 56 / POS: 24
UC Santa Barbara commit. Proskey was dominant on the mound in OPRF’s 10-0 win over Glenbard West. He threw a complete-game shutout (6 IN) with 12 strikeouts, one walk and three hits allowed in the win. He recorded a total of seven strikeouts in the fifth and sixth inning. From Week 3:
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Luke Teschke RHP / SS / Monticello, IL / 2024Illinois State commit. Teschke dominated on the mound for the Sages in their 4-0 win over Clinton. He threw five innings, struck out 11, walked three and allowed two hits in the outing. From Week 6:
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FREEPORT
The Pretzels went 4-0 on the week with three shutouts. They have shut out opposing teams five times this month, and last week their pitching staff compiled 25 strikeouts, two walks, four hits and a .077 batting average against. Below were some of their top performers from the week:
Mason Lei, RHP, 2023
Rock Valley JC commit. Lei continued his dominant spring campaign last week, throwing three no-hit, no-run innings with seven strikeouts in their 14-0 win over Rockford East.
Week 4: Lei was mentioned within our Week 4 Diamond Notes after a complete game, 10-strikeout performance.
Week 6: In the Week 6 Diamond Notes, Lei was mentioned for throwing a complete game with eight strikeouts and one hit allowed.
Week 7: Lei was mentioned within our Week 7 Diamond Notes for throwing a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts.
Week 8: Last week, Lei was mentioned within our Week 8 Diamond Notes for throwing a complete-game shutout, his third shutout in a row.
Cole Trickel, RHP, 2023
Uncommitted. Trickle threw two no-hit, no-run innings in their 20-0 win over Rockford East. He struck out five in the outing.
Week 6: Threw a complete game with eight strikeouts and two hits allowed in the outing, earning a mention within our Week 6 Diamond Notes.
Week 8: Last week, Trickle was mentioned within our Week 8 Diamond Notes after throwing a complete-game shutout with six punchouts.
Zach Arnold, RHP, 2023
Uncommitted. Arnold threw 3.1 innings in their 5-0 win over Marengo last week. He struck out two, allowed two hits and earned the win on the mound.
Week 6: Earned a mention within our Week 6 Diamond Notes after throwing a complete-game shutout with nine strikeouts.
OSWEGO EAST
The Wolves went 3-1 last week and below were some of their top performers:
Josh Polubinski, 3B/OF, 2023
Uncommitted. Last week Polubinski went 6-for-13 (.462) with a home run, triple, two doubles, nine RBIs, three walks and one stolen base. In their 10-6 win over Oswego, he went 2-for-4 with a home run, triple, five RBIs and two runs scored. Polubinski went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored in the Wolves 9-3 win over Metea Valley.
Season Stats:
.500, 5 HR, 2 3B, 8 2B, 36 RBI, 32 R
Mike Polubinski, OF/2B, 2023
Uncommitted. Last week Polubinski went 10-for-13 (.769) with two doubles, four RBIs, two walks, and six runs scored. In their 10-6 win over Oswego, he went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. He went a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored in their 9-3 win over Metea Valley.
Season Stats:
.537, 3 HR, 2 3B, 10 2B, 19 RBI, 30 R
ST IGNATIUS
The Wolfpack went 2-0 last week with two wins over Fenwick. Below were some of their top performers:
Charlie Wolf, RHP/3B, 2023
Princeton commit. On the week, Wolfe went 3-for-7 (.429) with a double, RBI, a run scored and a walk. In their 4-1 win over Fenwick, Wolfe earned the win on the mound, throwing six innings, striking out 10, walking two, allowing no earned runs and five hits.
Remo Indomenico, LHP/OF, 2025
On the week Indomenico went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, two runs scored and two walks. In their 12-1 win over Fenwick, Indomenico earned the win on the mound, throwing five innings with two strikeouts, one earned run and one hit allowed.