By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the top 75 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:

Team: Maine South
Preseason Rank: 46
2013 Record: 23-10
Conference: Central Suburban South
IHSA Class: 4A
Head Coach: Bill Milano
Playoff Run: Lost in Supersectional (Libertyville)
2013 Final Rank: Not Ranked

Returning Starters: 2
Returning Pitchers: 3

TOP PLAYERS
Bobby Pennington, RHP, 2014 (John A. Logan JC)
Gehrig Parker, LHP/OF, 2014 (Butler)
Caleb deMarigny, SS, 2015
Zach Parker, C, 2015
Phil Bork, RHP/1B, 2015
Bobby Paddock, RHP/3B, 2014

X-FACTOR
RHP Bobby Pennington. The hard-throwing 6-foot-3, 190-pounder served as the team’s closer last season, racking up eight saves and a 1.17 ERA. This year, the John A. Logan JC recruit will be needed to be the Hawks’ frontline ace.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
Phil Bork, RHP/1B, 2015

KEY PLAYER LOST
Frank Perrone, OF (Eastern Illinois)

STAT RAT
Gehrig Parker batted .330 with a .442 on-base percentage as a junior last spring.

OUTLOOK
Although the Park Ridge school is primarily known as being a football powerhouse, the baseball program has quietly been one of the state’s most consistent clubs recently. Over the last four years, the Hawks have won two Central Suburban League South championships, captured two sectional championships, three regional titles and made two IHSBCA Elite Eight summer state appearances while accumulating a 102-37 record. Last year, the Hawks weren’t considered to have one of their best clubs, yet they advanced to the supersectionals, where they lost to state runner-up Libertyville. Coach Bill Milano returns only two starters and three pitchers from last year’s club, but they have Pennington, Parker and several other arms to withstand the season. Keep an eye junior SS Caleb deMarigny, an athletic two-sport standout who made an impact as a sophomore last season.

BOTTOM LINE
We’ve underestimated the Hawks in the past and they made us look bad. We won’t make that mistake again. With that said, Maine South should have its hands full with the likes of New Trier and Glenbrook South in the CSL South.

Season Countdown

+ Preseason Team Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2014 Player Rankings

+ June Event Schedule

Make sure you follow @PBRillinois on Twitter for complete Illinois high school baseball coverage throughout the season.