Clearing out the notebook …

Commitments: Ryan Hudspeth, a LHP from St. Charles North HS, has committed to Elgin Community College. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Hudspeth emerged his junior year, as he posted a 6-1 record for the North Stars.

Tom Hooker, a left-handed hitting OF from Crystal Lake Central HS, has committed to Parkland College, the defending Division II junior college national champions. The 6-foot, 170-pound Hooker possesses sub-7 speed to go along with a strong throwing arm (85 mph) and a quick left-handed bat.

Marc Mantucca, a RHP/3B from Naperville Central HS, has committed to the University of Illinois-Springfield. Mantucca is a three-year starter at Naperville Central, which is currently ranked No. 4 in the state. Mantucca will join Redhawk teammate Matt Cmiel at Illinois-Springfield next fall.

Connor Murphy, a 6-foot-2 RHP from New Trier HS, has committed to Denison University. Murphy, who’s 2-0 this season, possesses an 85-88 mph fastball to go along with a sharp curveball and changeup. … Tom Eukovich, a C from Morton West HS, has committed to North Central College.

Flawless: Homewood-Flossmoor LHP Aaron Hauge has been untouchable this season. On Friday against Marian Catholic, the 5-foot-11, 165-pounder extended his season-long scoreless streak to 26 innings. Hauge, who is 4-0 on the season with a 0.00 ERA, struck out 15 on Friday. His previous start against Joliet Township he K’d 17. Hauge is a big reason why the Vikings are off to a 13-3 start. Hauge, a Heartland CC recruit, will likely put his scoreless streak on the line against Lockport on Wednesday.

 Going Deep: Clemson-bound RHP Jon Surber is more known for his prowess on the mound. But the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder from Lisle HS is making quite an impact with his bat this season. A third baseman when he doesn’t pitch, Surber has already hit seven home runs to go along with eight doubles, a triple, and a .415 batting average. Surber is slugging at a 1.000 clip with a .544 on-base percentage.

Surber has also been dominant on the mound for Lisle. Since making his first start on April 1 because of a knee injury, Surber has a 3-0 record with a 0.47 ERA. Surber will put his undefeated record on the line Tuesday when he faces Coal City in a big Interstate 8 matchup.

The Southwestern Conference in the St. Louis metro area is one of the toughest leagues in the state. Four teams were in our preseason top 50, and now a fifth, Belleville East, is currently ranked No. 17 in the state. Exactly how tough is the Southwestern Conference? To start the week, at the mid-season point, five teams are in contention to win the title. O’Fallon (6-1) sits atop the league, followed by a three-way tie for second between No. 10 Granite City, Belleville West and Belleville East at 5-2, and perennially tough Edwardsville is at 4-3.

“This isn’t that uncommon of a year,” said O’Fallon coach Jason Portz, who has guided the Panther program to two state trophies in four years. “It’s always tough. Rarely do you see a team go unbeaten through the league. … I try to callous the kids that losses are not the end of the world. I try to make them understand that competition is good, and it will only make us better.”

Senior RHP/OF Miles Quintal is a big reason why the Panthers are on top of the Southwestern standings. The three-year ace has also been the offensive catalyst, batting .577 with 18 RBI. Quintal is 3-1 on the mound with a 1.27 ERA. Last season, the unsigned senior went 11-2 and is 25-7 in his varsity career. Also making a big impact for the Panthers is 6-foot-2, 190-pound freshman Jake Jarvis, who is 3-2 in nine appearances out of the bullpen.

No. 10 Granite City just got tougher with the return of senior left-hander Jeremy Portwood, who is 1-0. Along with Louisville-bound Jake DePew, senior RHP/3B Cody Daily has been a two-way impact player for the Warriors.

Miscellany: Rock Falls senior Dylan Devries had a day to remember last Thursday, as the left-handed hitting first baseman drove in nine runs in a 15-1 NCIC Lincoln win over Mendota. Devries watched his slugging percentage skyrocket as he delivered two doubles, a triple and a home run in the win. … Senior RHP James Mulvaney from Mt. Vernon HS is 5-0 with a 0.00 ERA this season. Mulvaney is committed to Southern Indiana University.

Have some newsworthy information? Commitments? Email Sean Duncan at [email protected]