Week 2 Diamond Notes
March 31, 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 2 Player of the Week honor to Cal Sefcik (Marist, 2023; Indiana) and the Pitcher of the Week honor to Conor Essenburg (Lincoln-Way West, 2025; Kansas State). Sefcik ended the week going 8-for-13 (.615 avg) with a triple, two home runs, eight RBIs, and seven runs scored. In Marist’s game against Richards he went a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run, two doubles, and four RBIs. In Lincoln-Way West's game against Yorkville, Essenburg tossed six innings with 13 punchouts, one hit, and one walk. He also went 3-for-3 with an RBI in the game. On the week, Essenburg was 6-for-11 with four RBIs.
WEEK 2 DIAMOND NOTES
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Ean DiPasquale RHP / 1B / Belleville East , IL / 2023Minnesota State University-Mankato commit. The right-hander had a stellar day on the mound last week. In a 10-0 win over Jerseyville, the senior threw a five inning no-hitter with five strikeouts. In their game against Wesclin, he pitched three innings with no hits or runs and seven strikeouts. He also tallied four hits with two doubles and two RBIs on the week. |
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Gabe Smith RHP / 1B / Father McGivney, IL / 2023Ole Miss commit. One of the top arms in the state, Smith also dominated at the plate last week. Against DuQuoin he went a perfect 2-for-2 with a home run, double, three RBIs, two walks, and a run scored. In their game against Bushnell-Prairie City he started on the mound and threw three innings with five strikeouts and one hit, earning the win. He also went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. On the week Smith hit 6-for-7 (.857 avg.) with a home run, two doubles, seven RBIs, and four walks.
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Landon Mensik MIF / RHP / Lincoln-Way Central , IL / 2024Xavier commit. In two games played, Mensik shined. In the Knights game against Naperville Central, he went 2-for-4 with a home run, double, five RBIs, and two runs. His home run was a walk off, three-run shot, winning the game 7-4. Against Homewood-Flossmoor, Mensik went 4-for-5 (.800 avg.) with a double, four RBIs, and two runs scored. |
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Cooper Thompson SS / 3B / Marion , IL / 2023Kaskaskia CC commit. Thompson kept his hot streak alive this week after going 5-for-10 with a home run, three RBIs, and six runs scored last week. Against Clifton Central, Thompson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Against Carterville he added two hits, one being a double, with two runs scored and a walk. To cap off his stellar week, against Herrin, Thompson went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs. He ended the week going 8-for-11 (.727 avg.) with three doubles, five RBIs, and four runs scored. |
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Jacob McPherson RHP / OF / Reed-Custer , IL / 2023Wisconsin-Whitewater commit. In a 4-2 win over Bishop McNamara, McPherson pitched six shutout innings with 14 strikeouts and two hits allowed. He also tallied a double with a run scored and two stolen bases to help lead Reed-Custer to a win. |
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Easton Newman SS / OF / Deerfield, IL / 2026The freshman had a quality week at the plate hitting 7-for-10 (.700 avg.) with three doubles, 10 RBIs, and six runs scored. Against Von Steuben, Newman was 3-for-4 with two doubles, four RBIs, three runs scored, and a stolen base. He went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, four RBIs, a run, and a stolen base in their 10-5 win over Palatine. Against No. 24 Grayslake Central, he tallied a hit with two RBIs and a stolen base. Newman helped Deerfield to an undefeated (3-0) record on the week. |
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Jaxson Nowling Boylan Catholic, IL / 2024Against Rochelle, Nowling went a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI and one run scored. He tallied another two hits, one being a double, three RBIs, one run scored, and two walks in their 15-10 win over Rockford Lutheran. In their 12-1 win over Marengo, Nowling finished off his stellar week going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk. On the week, Nowling went a perfect 6-for-6 (1.000 avg./1.000 OBP/2.167 OPS/1.167 SLG) with a double, six RBIs, two runs, three walks, and two hit-by-pitches. |
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Sebby Alvarez RHP / Lake Park, IL / 2024Alvarez tallied two wins on the mound last week. In four innings of work he had five strikeouts, no walks, and two hits allowed. |
NO. 22 NORMAL UNIVERSITY
The Pioneers were only able to play one game last week. They defeated Metamora 13-7, and below were some of their top performers:
Grant Marshall, LHP/1B, Normal University, 2023
Rock Valley commit. Marshall went 4-for-5 with two doubles, four RBIs, and a steal. On the season so far, he is hitting 10-for-18 (.556 avg.) with two doubles and eight RBIs. He has also pitched three innings on the mound without giving up a run.
Matt Sauser, RHP/INF, Normal University, 2023
Florida State commit. Sauser added a hit with two runs scored. On the season Sauser is hitting 7-for-16 (.438 avg.) with three RBIs. On the mound he has thrown three innings with four strikeouts and no runs.
Devan Tupper, OF/RHP, Normal University, 2024
Uncommitted. Tupper added a double with an RBI, run scored, and a walk. He is hitting 4-for-8 (.500 avg.) with a home run, double, and five RBIs. On the mound he has thrown two and two-third innings with five strikeouts and no runs allowed.
SAINT IGNATIUS
The Wolfpack posted a (3-0) record on the week with wins over Lindblom, Payton College Prep, and Amundsen. The Wolfpack outscored their opponents 31-2 during the week. Below are some of their top performers from the week:
Corbin Klein, OF, St. Ignatius, 2023
Klein went 2-for-3 in his performance against Payton College Prep. He added an RBI and two runs scored. Against Amundsen, Klein went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, four RBIs, and two runs scored. On the week he went 6-for-10 (.600 avg.) with four doubles, seven RBIs, four runs scored, and two stolen bases.
Aidan Thaxton, SS, St. Ignatius, 2023
Valparaiso commit. In their win over Lindblom, Thaxton hit a home run and a double with two RBIs and two runs scored. Thaxton went 2-for-3 with a triple, four RBIs and one run in a 11-0 win over Payton College Prep. In the Wolfpack's game against Amundsen, he tallied two hits, one being a double, and two runs scored. On the week he went 6-for-11 (.545 avg.) with a home run, triple, two doubles, six RBIs, and five runs scored.
LAKE ZURICH
Last week the Bears went (2-0) with wins over Prospect and Barrington. Below were some of their top performers from the week:
Ryan Kondrad, INF, Lake Zurich, 2024
Against Prospect, Kondrad was 2-for-3 with two doubles, four RBIs, one run, and one walk. He added three hits including a double with two RBIs in their 4-0 win over Barrington. For the week he was 7-for-8 (.875 avg./1.143 slugging) with three doubles, six RBIs, and a walk.
Will Crawford, RHP, Lake Zurich, 2024
The junior threw a complete game shutout in their win over Barrington. He tallied five strikeouts with three hits and three runs allowed, earning the win.
MONMOUTH-ROSEVILLE
The Titans went (3-0) on the week, outscoring their opponents 38-12. Below were some of their top performers from the week:
Leo Mahoney, OF/RHP, Monmouth-Roseville, 2024
Against Kewanee, Mahoney tossed a complete game with five strikeouts, four walks, five hits, and one run allowed in their 11-1 win.
Tyler Jones, OF/INF, Monmouth-Roseville, 2024
In their 15-8 win over Abingdon-Avon, Jones tallied two hits, one being a double, three RBIs, and a walk. He added an RBI, a walk, and three runs scored against Biggsville. Jones tallied two hits, two RBIs, and one run in their 11-1 win over Kewanee. On the week, he went 4-for-7 (.571 avg.) with a double, six RBIs, four runs scored, and he hit .750 with runners in scoring position.
VON STEUBEN
The Panthers ended the week going (2-1). Below were some of their top performers from the week:
Eddie Letamendi, INF, Von Steuben, 2023
Illinois State commit. Letamendi began the week going a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, RBI, and on run scored against Maine South. In their loss to Deerfield, he added a double with two RBIs. Ending the week with their 7-4 win over Niles North, Letamendi added a hit and an RBI. He ended the week going 5-for-9 (.556 avg.) with two doubles and four RBIs.
Ethan Serrano, OF/ RHP, Von Steuben, 2023
Triton commit. Serrano started against Maine West on the mound, throwing two innings of no-hit, no-run ball with four strikeouts and one walk. He got the start against Niles North and threw four innings with three strikeouts, one walk, one run, and two hits.