PBR Illinois Diamond Notes: Week 3

May 7, 2021
By Andy Sroka
Illinois and Wisconsin Assistant Director

Each week, IHSA coaches around the state submit to us their nominations for the PBR Illinois Player of the Week honor. On Wednesday, we awarded the Week 3 POTW honor to 1B Daniel Pacella (Mundelein, 2022; Kentucky commit), who slugged six home runs last week – and he recorded three straight multi-homer games. He also added three doubles which helped produce 13 RBIs for the Mustangs, resulting in a 10-0-1 record to the spring season for his high school team.

There were a number of other impressive performances that were in the mix for the award and deserve recognition. Here’s a look at some of the most notable.

WEEK 3 DIAMOND NOTES

Shai Robinson SS / 2B / Homewood-Flossmoor, IL / 2022

The Vikings have been enjoying a quality stretch of baseball this season, and Robinson helped lift his squad to a 4-0 record in Week 3 by going 7-for-13 with a homer and six RBIs. While that’s an impressive line on its own, Robinson’s hits seemed to consistently come at timely moments, which has HF looking more and more like a serious state contender.

Mason Roehr C / OF / Granite City, IL / 2021

The senior Missouri State recruit put together a massive week offensively, reaching safely in 13 of his 17 plate appearances, with nine hits, one home run, five RBIs, and three steals.

Thomas Spengler 3B / Reavis, IL / 2021

Reavis’ senior 3B helped his team win all four of its games last week – and all four came against conference opponents. Spengler went 7-for-13 with two homers, two triples, two doubles, which in turn produced eight RBIs and he touched home seven times himself.

Ryan Henschel OF / Glenbrook North, IL / 2022

Henschel produced one of the top statistical performances at the O’Hare I.D. in March, and it’s translated into a highly productive spring at Glenbrook North. Last week, he powered his team to six wins with 11 hits, including three doubles and three homers that resulted in 16 RBIs and 10 runs scored, and he earned seven walks for good measure. In last weekend’s doubleheader with Vernon Hills, Henschel could not be halted, as he hit three homers that day and drove in 10, and he reached safely in each of his plate appearances.

Julius Sanchez RHP / LaSalle Peru, IL / 2022

It’s nice, though not at all shocking, to see one of the top-ranked pitchers in the Midwest thriving early this spring for LaSalle-Peru. Sanchez struck out 12 batters in a five-inning start against Kaneland last week, and he allowed just two walks and one earned run. Additionally, he pulled more than his weight offensively with two home runs, including a grand slam, and seven total RBIs.

Daniel Darin LHP / Gibault Catholic, IL / 2023

EGibault Catholic’s sophomore southpaw was overwhelming in his start last week against Nashville, in which he limited the opposition to one unearned run on two hits, and he struck out 14 batters and walked none in a complete game victory. Those 14 Ks brought his season total to 30 in three starts, and he’s allowed just two earned runs all year.

George Korompilas 1B / OF / Glenbrook South, IL / 2021

The senior Bradley commit starred from Glenbrook South last week, collecting nine hits in a 4-0-1 week that included wins over Maine South, Stevenson, and Loyola. Korompilas’ two homers and three doubles led to 11 RBIs, and he did not strike out a single time throughout the week.

Maxton Polad INF / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2021

The Griffins have continued to play like one of the top teams in the state this season, and their senior infielder Polad is squarely at the center of their offensive success. Last week, he collected eight hits that included three home runs, which in turn drove in 11 runs and he scored five times himself.

Tyler Conklin RHP / SS / Kaneland, IL / 2021

Conklin, an EIU recruit, is a live-armed, athletic righty whose electric stuff allows him to carve at the high school level for Kaneland. He duked it out with one of the top junior pitchers in the region last week and helped his squad earn the 3-2 win. In that start, Conklin struck out 15 and was 1-for-2 offensively with a walk and he scored twice himself.

Chase Martin RHP / SS / Roanoke-Benson, IL / 2022

Martin, an uncommitted two-way junior, has been one of Roanoke-Benson’s best players this spring and he was particularly valuable last week in the team’s three games. Against Seneca last weekend, Martin struck out 13 in a hard-luck loss. He also collected five hits for his high school squad, and this is all coming after a break-out performance at the Joliet I.D., where he was up to 87 mph from the rubber that landed him a spot on the top-100 state junior rankings.

Nick Daugherty OF / Brother Rice, IL / 2022

Daugherty’s a member of one of the most dangerous lineups in the state – and he was the one who jump started them offensively in Week 3 play. The Crusaders are in the midst of a 10-game win streak, and they went 5-0 last week behind Daugherty’s seven hits, including three homers, eight RBIs, nine runs, and he earned three walks as well.

Braden Sayles OF / RHP / Hononegah, IL / 2021

The senior and Wabash Valley JC commit was a break-out member of the ‘21 class late last summer, and it’s translated to spring production, too. Sayles recorded five hits last week, including a pair of home runs and a triple that produced 10 RBIs in four wins for Hononegah.

Eli Hensley SS / 2B / Normal West, IL / 2022

Hensley’s back on the Diamond Notes for a second straight week after putting together a highly productive week as the catalyst of the Wildcats’ lineup. From the lead-off spot, he recorded 10 hits that generated seven runs scored and seven RBIs – and he was also 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts.

Luke Sefcik INF / RHP / Marist, IL / 2021

It’s hardly a surprise to see the senior Sefcik earn back-to-back places inside Diamond Notes, but he starred again for Marist in Week 3. The CMU recruit went 8-for-15 for the RedHawks with two homers that resulted in seven RBIs and runs scored, each. Sefcik once again capitalized on his relief work from the mound, earning a save and win in two scoreless appearances.

Camden Karczewski SS / Joliet West, IL / 2021

The Triton JC recruit is Joliet West’s starting shortstop, and had a huge Week 3 showing. Karczewski went 9-for-13 last week from the top of the order, which generated 10 runs scored, and he reached in 75 percent of his plate appearances all while operating as a smooth, reliable shortstop in the middle of the infield.

Austin Murray SS / OF / Lemont, IL / 2021

The Lemont senior is among the more athletic members in his class, and he put that skill set to good use last week by recording an eight-hit stretch with five stolen bases and nine runs scored. Murray doubled three times and earned four walks to reach base often enough to utilize his threatening speed more often.

Brandon Johnson RHP / SS / Lemont, IL / 2023

Another Lemont player is worthy of a mention here: Johnson, a sophomore, was 7-for-13 last week with nine RBIs and five runs scored, and he also started two games on the mound. From there, Johnson did not allow an earned run in nine innings, and he struck out seven, limiting opponents to three hits.

Zachary Stokes OF / 1B / Waubonsie Valley, IL / 2021

Waubonsie Valley’s senior outfielder motored his team’s offense last week by collecting 10 hits, including four doubles and a triple, en route to four RBIs and six runs scored over that stretch – and he did not strike out. The West Florida commit entered Week 4 action hitting .476 with nine extra-base hits.

Alexander Cherian OF / Niles West, IL / 2022

Niles West won its doubleheader with Highland Park last week thanks in large part to Cherian’s production offensively. His six hits, two doubles, eight RBIs, three runs, and three steals charged West to both wins, and he threw out two runners from the outfield on top of it all.

Corey Boyette OF / SS / Romeoville , IL / 2022

Boyette, a SEMO commit, was excellent for Romeoville last week. He tallied seven hits, two doubles, and drove in four runs and stole a couple bags as well. Boyette’s been one of Romeoville’s most productive players this spring.

+ Maddux Shockey, INF, Freeport, 2023: The physical 6-foot-3, 220-pound sophomore recorded six hits for Freeport in Week 3 play, with five RBIs, six runs scored, and he also worked a clutch two scoreless innings of relief.

+ Joe Rudolph, UTL/RHP, Northridge Prep, 2022: From Northridge, switch-hitter Joe Rudolph accomplished one of the rarest feats in the sport. Not only did Rudolph smash two grand slams in the same game, he hit the two from opposite batter’s boxes. This followed up a four-RBI game the day prior, which gave him 12 RBIs in a 24-hour span. On the week, Rudolph was 8-for-15 with eight runs scored, 12 RBIs, and he also pitched 5.2 scoreless innings.

+ Gannon Herring, LHP, Belleville East, 2021: Senior LHP Gannon Herring led Belleville East to two big conference wins on the mound in Week 3 action, and he struck out 17 batters in those 12.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits along the way. As of today, the Lancers are up to 9-5 this spring with the help of Herring’s work.