posted on August 16, 2009 21:33
Shane Conlon enjoyed a summer to remember. The left-handed pitcher and first baseman’s odyssey began on June 12, at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, when Conlon fired a complete-game shutout in a state semifinal, helping St. Rita to a runner-up finish in Class 4A. Then he led Top Tier to the CABA World Series 17-under title and picked up the tournament MVP to boot.
Conlon then returned from Euclid, Ohio, where the CABA series was played, and subsequently helped St. Rita to the 2009 IHSBCA Phil Lawler Summer state championship. Conlon threw six scoreless innings while striking out 10 in a 9-0 championship game victory over rival Sandburg. Conlon added to his summer highlights by picking up All-Tournament honors in the Lawler Classic, too.
Conlon concluded his odyssey with a solid performance with his bat in the 2009 Midwest Classic at Plainfield South on July 28-30 to help lead Team Illinois to a 4-1 record.
Conlon’s reward for his unbelievable summer: he earned a scholarship to Kansas State, a top 25 program. In the same week, Conlon also announced that he is transferring to Naperville Central HS for his senior season. Conlon lives in Naperville Central’s school district but had commuted to St. Rita for his first three years.
On June 12, at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, Conlon’s whirlwind summer began. Against No.4 O’Fallon in a Class 4A semifinal, Conlon fired a sparkling four-hit shutout against the hard-hitting Panthers and 2009 PBR Player of the Year, C Nick Tindall. St. Rita won the game 4-0 and advanced to the Class 4A championship game the next day.
“It’s all about throwing strikes,” said Conlon after the semifinal win. “I was able to throw a lot of first pitch strikes today, which forced O’Fallon to hit my pitches.”
The next day, Conlon and St. Rita lost a heartbreaking 4-3 game to New Trier in the Class 4A title game. Conlon gave the Mustangs a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning with two-run double and had two hits in the game.
On July 24, Top Tier – Conlon’s summer team - defeated Florida Red 6-0 in a rain-shortened Continental Amateur Baseball Association, 17-under Championship Game. Stevenson’s RHP Kyle Ruchim fired a perfect game in the title game.
In the week-long tournament, Conlon would pick up two wins on the mound, and hammered a grand slam in the seventh in a come-from-behind victory over Georgia Academy Baseball. And then put an exclamation point on his week with a monster three run homer against Bergen Beach (N.Y) in an 8-0 slaughter-rule semifinal win. In 2007, Bergen Beach, defeated Top Tier in the championship game.
Conlon was rewarded for his superb play with the 2009 Continental Amateur Baseball Association Most Valuable Player Award.
“We just put it all together as a team. Everyone on the team played so well,” said Conlon. “(Coach) Todd Fine told us before the championship game that Top Tier had never won the CABA World Series. It was great to be part of the first Top Tier championship team.”
“Personally I had a great tournament. I hit close to .500 with five home runs and two quality starts for victories on the mound. It was awesome to beat Bergen Beach.
“We just hammered the baseball all through the tournament,” continued Conlon. “What can you say about Tim Barry? Eleven home runs in eleven games. Amazing! We had just a great group of guys. Everyone really got along together. It was truly an awesome experience.”
Oak Forest’s Tim Barry won the 2009 CABA Most Valuable Hitter Award. The slugging junior outfielder hit 11 home runs in the 11 games. Barry is currently ranked No.1 in the PBR Class of 2011.
When school begins at Naperville Central, Shane Conlon will have a lot to discuss when asked the age-old question: What did you do on your summer vacation?