Continuous news and notes blog around Illinois throughout the season ...

May 2, 2013

+ Ben Hecht, a 6-foot-2 senior RHP/INF from Effingham St. Anthony HS, is still on the board. Currently ranked No. 33 in Illinois’ 2013 class and 150 overall, we had Hecht as committed to Northern Illinois. Not the case, apparently. Hecht, who pitches in the upper-80s, helped lead Effingham St. Anthony to the Class 1A state championship as a junior last spring.

+ Lincoln-Way North RHP Mike Miller increased his scoreless streak to 38 innings on Wednesday while improving his record to 5-0 for the top-ranked Phoenix. The 6-foot-1 Miller is signed at SIU-Edwardsville.

+ Lake Zurich left-handed hitting junior OF Nick Jones recently earned Porsche Exchange Player of the Week honors after hitting six home runs last week. On Wednesday, he proved it was no fluke as he hit yet another one to increase his season total to eight.

April 24. 2013

By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

+ Through Sunday, Edwardsville has ripped off seven consecutive victories, in large part behind the scorching bat of senior OF/1B Drew Curtis. The 6-foot-5 St. Louis University recruit has already tallied six home runs, four doubles and 26 RBI this season. Curtis is batting .420 with an .860 slugging percentage. Curtis just missed earned Porsche Exchange Player of the Week honors two weeks ago after he homered in his first four games of the week. He also drove in 13 runs, walked four times and doubled. The only game he didn’t homer in was when the Tigers played at Busch Stadium.

+ OF Danny Woodrow (Loyola Academy HS) is one of the most unheralded Class of 2013 prospects in Illinois. The wiry left-handed hitting outfielder entered Saturday’s game against St. Rita hitting .550, and promptly ripped a triple to right-center field to lead off the game. A top-level runner, Woodrow is currently 19 for his last 30 at-bats. Woodrow recently committed to Creighton.

+ St. Ignatius senior 1B Jared DeVeau has put together big numbers so far this season. The left-handed hitting Haverford recruit has compiled 30 hits in 17 games, and has struck out only once all season. He’s batting .566 with a .603 on-base percentage.