Top 10 Stories Of 2017: No. 6 Teutopolis Wins Third State Title In Last Eight Years

Over the next few weeks, in addition to highlighting the Top 10 Player Profiles of 2017, we will also highlight the Top 10 Stories in Illinois High School Baseball during the 2017 calendar year.

Today, we’ll take a look at No. 6 Teutopolis Wins Third State Title In Last Eight Years

In 2017, the Teutopolis Wooden Shoes won their third 2A State title in the last eight years. The Wooden Shoes went 31-4 in 2010 to win their first ever state title and repeated as state champions the following year, finishing with a record of 33-2.

Head coach Justin Fleener’s club finished the 2017 season on a 20 game winning streak and an overall record of 31-6. The Wooden Shoes hoisted the trophy once again this spring thanks to an impressive offensive output in the two games at state. Teutopolis knocked off Orion in the semi-final by a score of 11-0 and then took down St. Joseph-Ogden in the title game, 10-2. It was St. Joseph-Ogden’s second year in a row finishing runner-up in Class 2A.

Read about the Wooden Shoes Class 2A championship below:

The Championship Story from June 3rd:

By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

PEORIA, IL – The Wooden Shoes of Teutopolis captured the Class 2A state championship over St. Joseph-Ogden in convincing fashion. Teutopolis pounded out 14 hits leading them to a 10-2 victory and their third baseball state championship. With the loss, St. Joseph-Ogden finishes runner-up in Class 2A for the second straight season.

The Wooden Shoes wasted little time to get going as shortstop Carson Hartke took the very first pitch of the game and smoked it for a double that one-hopped off the left-field wall. Hartke and Jason Kenter carried the load throughout for Teutopolis. Combined the two went 7-for-8 with five RBI and scored five runs. Hartke went 3-for-4 with two doubles, four runs and two RBI. Kenter went a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, three RBI and one run.

The relentless Wooden Shoe offense scored multiple runs in four of the seven innings. In the sixth inning, Teutopolis broke the game open for good with three runs to take an 8-0 lead. Five batters in a row reached base at one point in the frame with Kenter and starting pitcher Eric Kremer delivering run-scoring singles.

Junior, right-handed pitcher, Eric Kremer delivered an impressive complete-game performance. The 6-foot-5, 180-pound, athletic righty challenged hitters with a firm fastball especially early on. As the outing progressed he started to mix in a slider/cutter getting a number of swing and misses with it. Kremer limited the St. Joseph-Ogden offense to five hits in the seven innings. He allowed two runs, none earned, walked one and struck out five.

The big bright spot for St. Joseph-Ogden came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Mason Coon reached on an error and then a few batters later, Brant Hoveln unleashed on a ball, driving it over the left-field wall for a two-run homerun. Hoveln finished the day 2-for-3.

Brock Bueker went 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Wooden Shoe offense.

In the third-place game …

Chicago Christian 9, Orion 0

In the Class 2A Third Place game, the Knights of Chicago Christian beat Orion 9-0, collecting their 40th win of the year. John Vander Wall picked up his 14th win of the year, spinning a complete game shutout. The big right-hander, undefeated on the year, scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out three.

Tyler Edgar and Zach Frieling led the offensive attack for the Knights who scored in every inning but one. Edgar finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Frieling, a St. Louis commit, went 2-for-2 with three RBI.

Tommy Moran added a hit and two RBI as well for the Knights. Noah Anderson went 3-for-3 and Brayden Newman went 2-for-3 to lead the way for Orion.

The win caps an incredible year for Chicago Christian who finished the season with a 40-2 record.