Diamond Gems: Glen Ellyn High School Baseball, Softball Teams Take the Field

Weather-wise, it’s felt more like late February. Yet the latest cold snap hasn’t prevented the boys and girls of the diamond at Glenbard West and Glenbard South from starting their respective 2011 campaigns.

The Raiders and Hilltoppers’ softball team, with a number of seasoned letterwinners, will give opponents all they can handle—particularly Glenbard South, which returns several key players from its 32-win team a year ago.

Both schools’ baseball teams, meanwhile, will try to improve on sub-.500 records in 2010. Here’s an overview of each team, and how each will fare between the white lines this spring.

Glenbard South

Baseball

The Raiders finished with a winning record during their final season in the Western Sun Conference last spring (11-10), but were 17-19 overall. Glenbard South makes its debut in the Metro Suburban Conference this season and will do so with several newcomers.

Glenbard South and coach Mike Riley are awaiting the return of senior ace pitcher Ben Gaspar, who also plays first base and outfield. Gaspar, sidelined until early April after undergoing wrist surgery during the off-season, had an ERA under 3.00 last year. After Gaspar and senior Billy Strohl, the Raiders’ pitching staff consists of juniors and sophomores who are short on varsity experience.

Returning senior Ryan Schlegel (outfield) and junior shortstop Mitch Gasbarro, who hit over .300 last year, will provide stability for the young Raiders.

Despite their youth, the Raiders posted two close victories during the last week of March—one a 7-6 extra-inning triumph over New Trier; the other a 4-2 win vs. Warren. Glenbard South has benefited early from the solid pitching of Strohl and Brian Suffern, who already has picked up two wins.

Juniors Zach Bava (catcher) and Roger Dyrda (pitcher-infielder), and sophomores Justin Joseph (infield) and Carl Sanders (outfielder-pitcher) all could figure into the mix for Glenbard South during 2011.

Softball

Coach Julie Fonda’s 2011 Raiders are hungry to avenge getting knocked off in the sectional semifinals last year after going 32-4. And with a team that features several returning standouts, including 22-game winner , Glenbard South certainly has the potential to advance to the state 3A tourney—a feat it has accomplished two of the past three years.

Wilkes, who’ll pitch at Eastern Michigan next year, is joined in the rotation by junior Danielle Chitkowski, who went undefeated in 2010 (7-0). Chitkowski also hit over .400 while playing first base. Brianna Meath, the Raiders’ junior second baseman, sets the table for Glenbard South’s offense and also hit over .400 last year. Senior shortstop Jennifer Wittenberg, a three-year starter, batted a robust .383 while adding 30 RBIs.

Junior catcher Jackie Wrona and junior outfielder Hannah Davey are returning varsity performers. Seniors Katie Steinbach and Madeline Peterson, junior Olivia Ramirez and sophomore Jane Trzaska will add to the Raiders’ explosive lineup.

The Raiders, undefeated in the Western Sun Conference last spring (14-0), also are making the move to the Metro Suburban Conference this season, like the baseball team. They’ll undoubtedly fight it out for the conference title with Riverside-Brookfield, which won 34 games last year and is a perennial powerhouse.

Glenbard West

Baseball

Senior Ben Kruzen enjoys a unique role with the Hilltoppers. When he’s not throwing to the catcher’s target as the team’s No. 1 pitcher, he’s setting up a target for the rest of the staff as Glenbard West’s regular catcher. Either way, Kruzen, who’s been on the varsity all four years, gets the job done. He led the team in victories last season and kept his ERA around a stingy 2.20.

Seniors Garrett Stalker and Dan Wawczak, along with junior Dan Kiel, will likely see plenty of innings behind Kruzen in the rotation.

Senior Tommy Alt is one of Glenbard West’s most productive hitters and RBI men. He and classmate Robert Targo, who’ll DH, can play either corner infield position. Mike Laning also is back at shortstop and provides solid offense.

To start the season, junior second baseman Myles Purdom has been leading off, while junior Ryan Kavanaugh mans the No. 2 slot. Another junior, Tyler Curtis, has been a DH, and Kiel plays right field when he’s not pitching. Eric Sadowski, a senior, was behind the plate when Kruzen pitched against Fishers last Monday.

The Hilltoppers, coached by Brian Wojtun, were 15-21 overall in 2010, 8-10 in the West Suburban Silver.

Softball

There’s reason for optimism as the Hilltoppers look to better their 15-19 2010 record with a solid nucleus of veterans.

starts things off at the top of the order. The senior center fielder, a University of Missouri-Kansas City signee, batted .500 last year and swiped 37 bases. Outfielder Rachel Hitzemann, a junior, hits behind Wyatt.

Senior second baseman Michele Waggoner is the team’s No. 3 hitter while Dayle Comerford, also a senior, plays first base. Both were .300 hitters in 2010. Seniors Sarah Steinhilber and Maddie Morris return at catcher and shortstop, respectively. Emily Rooney, a senior, played outfield and was used as DH during the 2010 season.

Senior Taylor Steinhilber is the ace of the staff. She won 11 games and had a sparkling ERA just over 2.00.

Given their 9-4 record in the West Suburban Silver last season (good for third place), the Hilltoppers should be in the hunt for the WSS crown this time around.