2011 Will County CrackerJacks Media Guide by Mike Garabedian

CRACKERJACKS 2011

The Inaugural Season

OFFICIAL MEDIA GUIDE

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Information Team Name...........................................................Will County CrackerJacks Address.............24014 W. Renwick Road, Suite 103, Plainfield, IL., 60544 Phone Number..........................................................(815) 704-BALL (2255) Email Address..............................................info@crackerjacksbaseball.com Website..........................................................www.crackerjacksbaseball.com Home Ballpark..........................................................Wayne L. King, Jr. Field Ballpark Address.................................1215 Houbolt Road, Joliet, IL 60431 President & General Manager......................................................Jamie Toole Assistant General Manager...........................................................Luke Fikejs Manager...........................................................................................Vern Hasty Manager of Broadcast & Media Relations........................Mike Garabedian Community Relations Associate........................................Amanda Cortese Marketing Associate...............................................................Natalie Cortese Public Relations Intern......................................................................Ruth Lee Operations Manager.................................................................Jose Contreras CrackerJacks Intern.........................................................................Matt Lang CrackerJacks Intern......................................................................Mike Friend League Name.......................................................Midwest Collegiate League League Commissioner..............................................................Don Popravak Phone Number.........................................................................(312) 533-8991 Email Address.....................commissioner@midwestcollegiateleague.com League Website......................................www.midwestcollegiateleague.com Will County CrackerJacks Mission Statement: CrackerJacks baseball is dedicated to beginning a tradition of excellence

for the entire organization. We want to be a championship organization on and off the field and want to develop the premiere summer collegiate baseball operation in the country. We want to have championship players on the field and championship people off of the field. We would like to utilize the 2011 inaugural season to lay the ground work for the future success of the Will County CrackerJacks. We want to be an asset and anchor for our community and an organization that Will County can be proud of. We want to make a positive impact on community organizations that can use our assistance. We want Will County to be a better place because of the Will County CrackerJacks.

Media Guide Production:

The Will County CrackerJacks 2011 media guide was produced by the media relations department based on information available through May 29, 2011. Biographies, statistics, editing and research was provided by Mike Garabedian, CrackerJacksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Manager of Broadcast and Media Relations. Some pitching statistics, such as number of games started, are estimates based off of figures provided by www.njcaa.org. Contributing photographs, including school logos and headshots, were provided by the Will County CrackerJacks and colleges of the 2011 CrackerJacks players. The 2011 media guide is an official publication of the Will County CrackerJacks, 24014 W. Renwick Road, Suite 103, Plainfield, IL, 60544. Its logos and graphics are trademarks of the Will County CrackerJacks. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Table of Contents Contents Page

pg. 20

About the CrackerJacks............................... 2 Table of Contents......................................... 3 2011 Season Schedule.................................. 4 CrackerJacks Front Office........................... 5-7 Tickets & Ballpark Information................. 8 Roster............................................................. 9 Manager of the CrackerJacks...................... 10-11

pg. 22

Player Biographical Information................ 12-38 Midwest Collegiate League......................... 39 2011 MCL Opponents................................. 40-42 2011 MCL All-Star Game............................43 2011 MCL Playoff Format........................... 44 2011 Non-League Opponents.....................45-48 Important Dates........................................... 49

pg. 23

CrackerJacks 2011 Home Schedule........... 50 2011 Season Outlook................................... 51-52 Organizational Highlights........................... 53 Radio Coverage............................................ 54 CrackerJacks Sponsors................................. 55

crackerjacksbaseball.com

info@crackerjacksbaseball.com

815.704.BALL

SCHEDULE

2011

Chicago Bandits Des Plaines Patriots Elgin Aces Rockford Foresters Illinois Indians Lexington Snipes Southland Vikings Chicago Zephyrs

Proud member of:

CHI DES ELG FOR IND LEX VIK ZEP

FEATURED

MCL MCL ALL-STAR PLAYOFFS GAME

ROAD

Opponents Key

OFF

HOME

MCL

TBD

ZEP (DH)

12:00 24

FOR

4:00

* **

MCL

TBD

LEX

6:00

ZEP

6:00

DES

5:35 21

VIK

7:00

CHI

7:35

FOR

5:35

ZEP

6:00

7:00

MCL

TBD

ZEP

7:00

ASG

8:00

VIK

6 7:00

MCL

TBD

ZEP

5:35

VIK

5:35

VIK

Fri

VIK

7:00

ZEP

6:00

16 7:00 VIK

MCL

TBD

FOR

7:00

FOR

7:00

ZEP

6:00

23 7:00 VIK

Thu

JULY

ZEP

5:35

FOR

5:35

FOR

7:00

Wed

Sat

6:00

FOR

TBD

MCL

12:00/6:00 16 FOR (DH)*

8 6:00 FOR

24 1:00 25 VIK (DH)

10 1:00 11 FOR (DH)

3 1:00 4 ELG (DH)

Home games will be played at Joliet Junior College unless otherwise noted. Day/Night Doubleheader: Game 1 @ WC; Game 2 @ FOR At Kankakee Community College At Oil City Stadium; Whiting, Ind. At Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium; Kankakee, Ill. (Kane County Cougars) At Rosemont Stadium; Rosemont, Ill. (Home of the Chicago Bandits)

VIK

5:35

10 5:35 11 VIK (DH)** VIK

3 1:00

1:00 26 ELG (DH)

VIK

5:35

6:00

FOR

1:00 12 ZEP (DH) 7:00

ZEP

Tue

JUNE

Mon

Will Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summer Collegiate Baseball Club Sun

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Front Office Jamie Toole

President & General Manager Jamie Toole enters the CrackerJacks’ inaugural season as the team’s President and General Manager. Toole founded the ballclub in the fall of 2010 and brings years of success to the Will County club. Toole is a native of Columbia, S.C., and a 2000 graduate of the University of South Carolina. From 2000-2010, Toole worked with seven different ballclubs, including the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (2000-01) and Joliet JackHammers (2002), when he served as the Director of Stadium Operations for both clubs. He then joined the Pittsburgh Pirates organization for the 2003 season, working as the Assistant Director of Florida Baseball Operations. In 2004, Toole began his first season as a general manager, serving as the Vice President and General Manager of the Salem Avalanche professional baseball team. He held this position through the 2005 season before working with the South Coast League of Professional Baseball as the Chief Executive Officer from 2005-08. In 2008, Toole joined the River City Rascals in O’Fallon, Mo., as the Executive Vice President and General Manager before returning to the JackHammers as the Executive Vice President and General Manager for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. When the JackHammers were sold after the 2010 campaign, Toole started the CrackerJacks with high hopes and expectations. “My goal for the 2011 inaugural season of CrackerJacks baseball is to begin a tradition of excellence for our entire organization,” Toole said. “We want to be a championship organization on and off the field and develop the premiere summer collegiate baseball operation in the country.” Toole and his wife, Katie, have four children: Grace (eight), Jackson (seven), Maggie (three) and Parker (two). His hobbies include watching South Carolina football, playing golf, reading and watching movies. His favorite sports teams are the University of South Carolina, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves. “I would like to utilize the 2011 season to lay the ground work for the future success of the Will County CrackerJacks,” Toole said. “We want to be an asset and anchor for our community and an organization that Will County can be proud of.”

Luke Fikejs

Assistant General Manager Luke Fikejs joins the CrackerJacks as the ballclub’s Assistant General Manager for the 2011 season. Fikejs, a native of Westchester, Ill., attended the College of DuPage, University of Phoenix and Rasmussen before finishing his college education in 1998. Before joining Will County, Fikejs worked with the Racine Raiders, a semi-pro football team in Racine, Wisc. As assistant general manager with the CrackerJacks, Fikejs will primarily deal with finance and local business sponsorships. “My goals are to work very hard to achieve financial stability for the Will County CrackerJacks,” Fikejs said. Fikejs is married and has four children. His hobbies include 12-inch softball, coaching his son’s football team and watching his kids grow up. Fikejs’ favorite sports teams are the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs.

Mike Garabedian

Manager of Broadcasting & Media Relations Mike Garabedian began his service with the CrackerJacks in January 2011. A native of La Grange, Ill., Garabedian just completed his third year at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, where he is a member of the Big Red’s basketball team and serves as an assistant in Denison’s Sports Information Department. A 2008 graduate of Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park, Ill., Garabedian is the play-by-play voice for Denison football and baseball and also has broadcast softball, women’s basketball, soccer, lacrosse and volleyball games during his tenure at Denison. His duties with the CrackerJacks this season include serving as “The Voice of Will County Baseball” and producing the club’s media guide, game notes, programs and flyers for various events. He is the son of Haig and Anne Garabedian and is an avid Chicago sports fan, supporting the Cubs, Bulls and Bears throughout the year. Garabedian has one sister, Elizabeth, and is a Communication major at Denison.

Amanda Cortese

Community Relations Associate

Amanda Cortese joins the CrackerJacks from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. Set to graduate in 2012 with a degree in Sports Media, Cortese is a member of Valparaiso’s NCAA Division I bowling team and is the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Commitee at Valpo. Cortese is a native of Hoffman Estates, Ill., and graduated from Hoffman Estates High School in 2008. Her previous work experience includes working as a Nike Showcase Intern and serving on the Valparaiso University Athletics Event Management Staff. Cortese’s favorite sport is bowling and is a fan of the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cubs. Her twin sister, Natalie, is the Marketing Associate for the CrackerJacks this season.

Natalie Cortese

Marketing Associate In her first year with the CrackerJacks, Natalie Cortese will be a Marketing Associate for the 2011 staff. Cortese, a native of Hoffman Estates, Ill., graduated from Hoffman Estates High School in 2008 and her twin sister, Amanda, is a Community Relations Associate for the CrackerJacks this season. Cortese attends Valaparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind., where she is a member of Valpo’s NCAA Division I bowling team, and is a fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Blackhawks. Majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in both Spanish and Communications, she will graduate from Valparaiso in 2012.

Ruth Lee

Public Relations Intern

Ruth Lee began her service with the CrackerJacks in May 2011 and will serve as a Public Relations Intern for the 2011 season. Lee is a Political Science major at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and will graduate in 2012. She is a native of Northbrook, Ill., and graduated from Glenbrook North High School in 2008. Before joining the CrackerJacks, Lee worked as a Public Relations Intern at Belas Artes Multicultural Center and Art Gallery in St. Louis. Her hobbies include watching and playing sports, working out and writing. Her favorite sports are basketball and volleyball and is a fan of the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jose Contreras

Operations Manager

Jose Contreras begins his tenure with the CrackerJacks as the Operations Manager for the 2011 season. Contreras attended Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., where he graduated with a degree in Recreation Management in 2011 and worked in the Illinois State University Athletics Department. He is from Summit, Ill., and is a 2007 graduate of Argo Community High School. In his free time, Contreras enjoys playing basketball, going to the gym and working out. His favorite sports are basketball, football and baseball and he supports the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears.

Matt Lang

CrackerJacks Intern

Bourbonnais, Ill., native Matt Lang joins the CrackerJacks for the 2011 season from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. He graduated Olivet Nazarene in 2011 with a degree in Sports Management and enjoys playing golf, slowpitch softball, the guitar, reading and painting in his free time. Langâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite sports are baseball and golf and he is a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Bears and Washington Wizards.

Mike Friend

CrackerJacks Intern

Mike Friend begins his service with the CrackerJacks as an intern for the 2011 season. A Business Marketing major at the University of IllinoisChicago in Chicago, Ill., Friend is a 2008 graduate of Aurora Christian High School and is a native of North Aurora, Ill. He enjoys being outside and his favorite sports are baseball, football and hockey. He is an avid fan of the New York Yankees, Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Rays.

CRACKERJACKS 2011

Ballpark & Ticket Information BALLPARK INFORMATION:

Wayne L. King, Jr. Field will be the home of the Will County CrackerJacks in 2011. Located on the campus of Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Ill., the ballpark provides a delightful atmosphere for both players and spectators and is widely regarded as one of the top fields in the Chicago Collegiate Athletic Conference. Named after long-time Joliet Junior College head baseball coach Wayne An aerial view of Wayne King, Jr. Field, home of the King, Jr., Wayne L. King, Jr. Will County CrackerJacks, courtesy of Google Maps. Field is located at 1215 Houbolt Road, Joliet, IL, 60431 and is just a short 15-minute drive from the CrackerJacks’ main offices on Renwick Road in Plainfield. This season, the CrackerJacks will play 16 games in a total of 14 days at the Joliet ballpark. However, the CrackerJacks are scheduled to play an additional five “home games” at neutral sites, including Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind. (June 4 doubleheader versus the Elgin Aces), Kankakee Community College (July 10 doubleheader versus the Southland Vikings) and at Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium, the home of the Kane County Cougars, for July 20’s ballgame against the Chicago Zephyrs. Oil City Stadium is located at 1700 W. 119th St., Whiting, IN 46394, the address for Kankakee Community College is 100 College Drive, Kankakee, IL 60901 and Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium is located at 34W002 Cherry Lane, Geneva, IL 60134.

TICKET INFORMATION:

The Will County CrackerJacks will charge $8 for an adult general admission ticket and $5 for a child general admission ticket (ages 13 & under). All profits made on ticket sales during the 2011 season will go directly to helping the players of the 2011 CrackerJacks gain a better experience with the organization, including better hotels and meals. Season tickets start at just $88, group tickets range from $3-$4 and they can both be ordered by emailing the CrackerJacks at info@crackerjacksbaseball.com or by calling (815) 704-BALL (2255).

2011 Will County CrackerJacks Roster Pitchers (12) No.

24 27 29 31 18 16 25 21 13 12 4 22

Name

Anthony Buonamici Mike Nicks Ryan Windt Kyle Cahill Benny Collesano Drew Sain Brooks McDowell Stephen Taylor Chris Noble Nick Emmole Mark Zhorne Matt Pruneau

Outfielders (3) No.

33 8 20

Name

Domenic Biagini Scott Hull Derek Thomas

Infielders (8) No.

14 26 11 32 34 3 10 6

Name

Justin Westre Lendon Ehlmann Tagg Spellman Steve Kedroski Jordan Carroll Colt Hankamer Conor Szczerba Pete Les

Catchers (4) No.

36 9 19 35

Name

Brandon Truitt Matt Gustafson Dominic Denney Kyle Thomas

Pos.

B/T Ht. Wt. Hometown

RHP R/R RHP R/R RHP R/R RHP R/R RHP R/R RHP R/R RHP R/R RHP R/R RHP/Util. R/R RHP/IF R/R RHP/IF R/R RHP R/R

Pos.

OF OF OF

Pos.

IF IF IF IF IF IF IF Util.

Pos.

C C C C

6-0 6-0 6-4 6-1 5-10 5-9 6-1 6-2 6-2 5-11 5-7 6-2

180 205 200 240 185 170 200 210 200 170 150 210

Bolingbrook, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Tinley Park, Ill. Dwight, Ill. Homer Glen, Ill. Momence, Ill. Libertyville, Ill. McDonough, Ga. Fort Myers, Fla. Dixon, Ill. Galesburg, Ill. Plainfield, Ill.

B/T Ht. Wt. Hometown

L/R 6-1 185 R/R 6-0 185 R/R 6-0 170

Arlington Hts., Ill. Bartlesville, Okla. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

B/T Ht. Wt. Hometown

R/R R/R R/R L/R L/R S/R R/R R/R

6-0 6-3 5-9 6-2 6-4 5-9 6-0 5-10

195 215 165 200 240 170 190 180

Lake Villa, Ill. St. Charles, Mo. Freeport, Ill. Crystal Lake, Ill. Madison, Fla. Solado, Texas Titusville, Fla. Oak Lawn, Ill.

B/T Ht. Wt. Hometown

R/R R/R L/R L/R

6-0 6-0 5-9 5-11

235 200 185 220

Kansas City, Kan. Oak Forest, Ill. Waxahachie, Texas Homer Glen, Ill.

College

Aurora Wisconsin-Parkside Wisconsin-Parkside North Central Trinity Christian Kankakee CC Coll. of Lake County Southern Polytechnic St. Polk State Sauk Valley CC Carl Sandburg Calumet College

College

College of Dupage Kansas City Kansas CC Lewis

College

Grinnell Kansas City Kansas CC Sauk Valley CC Western Illinois Central Alabama CC Polk State Polk State St. Ambrose

College

Baker Baldwin-Wallace

Southwestern Assemblies of God

Lewis

Coaching Staff 17

Vern Hasty, Manager

PRONOUNCIATION GUIDE 24 18 33 14 3 10 36 12 4 22

Anthony Buonamici....................................bone-uh-MEES-ee Benny Collesano..........................................call-eh-SAHN-oh Domenic Biagini..........................................BEE-uh-JEE-nee Justin Westre................................................Wester Colt Hankamer............................................HAN-kuh-mer Conor Szczerba............................................SHER-buh Brandon Truitt.............................................TRUE-it Nick Emmole...............................................EMM-oh-lee Mark Zhorne................................................Zornee Matt Pruneau...............................................Prew-NO

Vern

HASTY

Manager

Age: 49 Born: 4/8/62 Hometown: Kearney, Neb. College: Longview CC, Kearney State College Acquired: March 16, 2011

ABOUT VERN HASTY: Will County CrackerJacks president and general manager Jamie Toole announced on March 16, 2011 the hiring of Vern Hasty as the ballclub’s first manager in franchise history. Hasty brings years of dedicated playing and coaching experience to the table as he leads the CrackerJacks in 2011. Hasty grew up in Kearney, Neb., and began his baseball playing career at Bertrand-Loomis High School, where he was apart of the school’s 1978 Nebraska State Championship team. After his high school career, Hasty went on to play college baseball at

Longview Community College in Missouri before returning to Nebraska to play at Kearney State College for one season. He then served in the Marines from 1985-89 before beginning his coaching career as a pitching coach at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., from 1991-93. Hasty began his managerial career when he took over the College of DuPage baseball program in 1994, where he served as the head coach until 1998. From 2003-05, Hasty managed the Harper College baseball team before taking over Division I Chicago State’s baseball program for two seasons (2006-07). Most recently, he has managed in Europe with Slovakia’s Trnava Angels. “When I went over [to Europe], I thought they would be behind the game compared to in America and that it would not be as big over there. I was surprised to see that the game is real big in some places, especially in Germany and in the Netherlands. But it was a little difficult to have to teach basic fundamentals of the

game, like the hit-and-run, that they did not completely grasp,” Hasty said of his time managing in Slovakia. In June 2010 in Belarus, Hasty’s Trnava Angels defeated the Russian National Team 12-4 behind pitcher Mike Wieda’s 15 strikeouts. Wieda pitched three years for the Schaumburg Flyers and is continuing his baseball career overseas. But when CrackerJacks President and General Manager Jamie Toole announced the formation of the Will County CrackerJacks in December 2010, Hasty saw an opportunity that he simply could not pass up. “I had an offer to go back overseas and coach but I really wanted to stay here and get my Masters Degree. I was lucky enough to see the job advertisement on the internet and I sent in my resume and fortunately I got the job,” Hasty said. “Coach Hasty will bring a wealth of experience to the CrackerJacks from his many years of coaching at the collegiate and international levels,” Toole said of the new CrackerJacks’ skipper. With the talented CrackerJacks roster in place, Hasty knows his time with the Will County ballclub will be a significant change from the Angels. “I am just really looking forward to being a part of an exciting club. I am a guy that likes to make things happen. The last couple of years have been a little frustrating overseas because I had to spend more team teaching an in-depth understanding of the game, like the basic fundamentals. That was okay, but I am even more excited to be around kids with great knowledge of the game,” Hasty said. “The great thing about coaching a summer collegiate team is that there are a lot of quality players playing in college right now that really know how to play the game. I really look forward to working with them and helping them become better baseball players,” Hasty said. In the CrackerJacks’ first year of existence and in the first year of the newly-formed Midwest Collegiate League, Hasty has set high goals and has big expectations from the Will County club. “I want to win. Even though the CrackerJacks are in their first year, it’s not about just competing. I want to win the league,” Hasty said. “The nice thing about this team is that we have a very good blend of players and it’s great to be a part of. My hope is that each kid can improve and be a better player when the summer is over and they go back to school.” PERSONAL: Hasty will earn a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from Lasell College in October 2011. He has two sons, Ryan (20) and Cody (17). Ryan will be joining the Marines in January 2012, while Cody attends Willowbrook High School in Willowbrook, Ill. Hasty is the author of Pitcher Perfect: A Complete Mechanical Analysis of the Pitching Delivery, which is set to be released in June 2011.

Ryan

RHP

WINDT

Age: 21 Ht.: 6-4 Wt.: 200 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 3/29/1990 Hometown: Tinley Park, Ill. College: University of Wisconsin-Parkside Acquired: January 25, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Wisconsin-Parkside product Ryan Windt joins the CrackerJacks pitching staff for the 2011 season. Windt concluded his first season with UW-Parkside in the spring after transferring from South Suburban College following the 2010 campaign. His career at South Suburban College was highlighted by a no-hitter against Sauk Valley and a 4-5 overall record in 2010. That same year, he allowed just 29 earned runs in 68 innings pitched, good enough for a solid 3.84 ERA. Windt starred at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Ill., where he set the school record for career appearances and was named All-Conference and All-Area Honorable Mention in football during his tenure at Richards. During the 2011 season, Windt helped anchor Wisconsin-Parksideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rotation, finishing the year first on the team in strikeouts (48) and second on the team in wins (three), appearances (13), games started (10), complete games (three) and innings pitched (65.1). He yielded just 37 earned runs in those 65.1 innings, walking just 26 batters, and was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week on April 12. The Tinley Park, Ill., native became the first player to sign on with the CrackerJacks in franchise history on Jan. 25, 2011. PERSONAL: Windt is a Sports Management major at UW-Parkside and is the son of Mike and Sharon Windt. He has one sister, Meghan, and his hobbies include playing football and hanging out with friends and teammates. The UW-Parkside senior-to-be follows the Chicago White Sox, Miami Heat and Indianapolis Colts. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team

UW-PK SSC

W 3 4

L 7 5

ERA 5.10 3.84

13 14

10 N/A

3 N/A

SHO

1 N/A

SV 0 1

65.1 68.0

79 56

55 37

ER 37 29

BB 26 42

48 43

AVG

.288 N/A

Mike

RHP

NICKS

Age: 21 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 205 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 8/22/1989 Hometown: Chicago, Ill. College: University of Wisconsin-Parkside Acquired: February 8, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks added another piece to the puzzle on Feb. 8, 2011 when they signed pitcher Mike Nicks from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo. Nicks, a Chicago, Ill., native, previously attended Triton Community College before heading to Southwest Baptist in the spring of 2010. He went to Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Ill., where he was named to the East Suburban Catholic Conference All-Conference squad after his senior season in 2007. In his only year at Triton (2009), Nicks put together an efficient season to begin his collegiate career. In eight appearances, Nicks went 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA, throwing two complete games and 34.0 total innings. In those 34 innings, he walked just six batters while striking out 17. In 2011, Nicks was tied for first in games started for Southwest Baptist (12) and was second on the team in innings pitched (67.0). He also led the team with 48 strikeouts and threw four complete games. In two seasons with the Bearcats, Nicks has started 20 ballgames and has made 26 total appearances. In those 26 games, he has thrown a total of 113.2 innings and struck out 82 batters. Nicks will join teammate Ryan Windt at WisconsinParkside for the 2012 season. PERSONAL: Nicks is the son of Michael and Jacqueline Nicks and is a Sports Management major at Southwest Baptist University. He says golf is one of his hobbies and his favorite professional sports team is the Chicago Cubs. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010 2009

Team SBU SBU TCC

W 1 1 3

L 7 4 3

ERA 6.72 9.64 4.50

12 14 8

GS 12 8 6

CG 4 0 2

SHO 0 0 0

SV 0 0 0

67.0 46.2 34.0

81 78 41

66 60 25

ER 50 50 17

22 18 6

48 34 17

AVG

.301 .370 N/A

Anthony

RHP

BUONAMICI

Age: 21 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 180 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 11/21/1989 Hometown: Bolingbrook, Ill. College: Aurora University Acquired: February 14, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks signed pitcher Anthony Buonamici on Feb. 14 to add to its pitching depth for the 2011 season. Buonamici, a Bolingbrook, Ill., native, just finished his junior year at Aurora University, where he has earned three varsity letters. He attended Bolingbrook High School, where he threw the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first no-hitter and was named team MVP and to the All-Conference squad for his efforts during his senior season. After pitching just 2.1 innings in 2010, Buonamici showed tremendous improvement in 2011, tossing 19.1 innings, making two starts and allowing just two earned runs. Overall, he went 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA for a team that captured the Northern Athletics Conference Tournament on May 15, 2011. Buonamici held his opponents to just a .247 batting average in 2011 and struck out 12 batters. He got the call in the NAC Tournament Championship against Concordia and delivered 5 2/3 innings of three-run baseball en route to a tournament-clinching 11-3 win. For his efforts in the victory, Buonamici was named NAC Pitcher of the Week on May 17. PERSONAL: Buonamici is an Athletic Training major at Aurora University and is the son of Daniel and Bobbie Buonamici. He has one brother, Eric, and is an avid Chicago sports fan, supporting the Cubs, Bulls, Bears and Blackhawks. He enjoys fishing and playing video games in his spare time. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team AU AU

W 3 0

L 0 0

ERA 1.86 19.29

G 4 2

GS 3 0

CG 0 0

SHO 0 0

SV 0 0

19.1 2.1

18 8

5 5

ER 4 5

BB 9 2

12 1

AVG

.247 .533

Kyle

RHP

CAHILL

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 240 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 11/30/1990 Hometown: Dwight, Ill. College: North Central College Acquired: March 1, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Kyle Cahill joins the CrackerJacks fresh off of completing his first season with the North Central College Cardinals in the spring of 2011. Before transferring to North Central, Cahill attended Kankakee Community College and was on Kankakeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2010 team that finished 47-14-1, which included a school-record 23 consecutive wins and a ninth straight sectional championship. Cahill was a three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, football) at Dwight High School, where he was named Interstate Eight All-Conference during his senior season in 2009 and helped lead his team to a sectional championship and state quarterfinal appearance that same year. Cahill made five appearances for North Central in 2011, striking out four batters in 3.1 innings pitched. PERSONAL: Cahill is a Physical Education major at North Central College and is an Eagle Scout. He has two sisters, Corinne and Annie, and likes Notre Dame, the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Blackhawks. He is the son of Tom and Carrie Cahill. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team NCC

W 0

L 1

ERA 8.10

G 5

GS 0

CG 0

SHO 0

SV 0

3.1

H 7

ER 3

BB 0

AVG

.412

Domenic

BIAGINI

OF/IF

Age: 19 Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 185 Bats: L Throws: R Born: 11/27/1991 Hometown: Arlington Heights, Ill. College: College of DuPage Acquired: February 28, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Fresh off of his rookie collegiate campaign at the College of DuPage, highlytouted outfielder Domenic Biagini signed with the CrackerJacks on Feb. 28, 2011 to bolster an already talented CrackerJack roster. Biagini was a three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, football) at Hersey High School, where he was named All-Conference and All-Area in 2010. During his senior season last spring, Biagini led Hersey in home runs (7), double (10) and RBIs (38), compiling a .351 batting average for the year. Biagini, who was named the top hitter at three Prep Baseball Report Showcases, including the Fall Prospect League, played for Top Tier Baseball from 2008-2010 and led his team in home runs each season. In 2011, Biagini finished off the season hitting an astounding .462 (61-132), slugging .682 with an on-base percentage of .594. He connected on 26 extra-base hits, drove in 41 runs and stole 35 bases as well. PERSONAL: Biagini played AAU basketball for former Chicago Bulls forward and current broadcaster Stacey King and has a younger brother named Nicholas. He follows the Chicago Cubs, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks and at the age of 12, Biagini hit 21 home runs in one month. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team COD

132

2B 24

3B 1

HR RBI 1

SB 35

AVG .462

OBP

.594

SLG

.682

Justin

WESTRE

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 195 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 1/6/1991 Hometown: Lake Villa, Ill. College: Grinnell College Acquired: February 25, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Grinnell College product Justin Westre joins the CrackerJacks for the 2011 season as an infielder. During the 2011 season at Grinnell, he played third base for a team that finished the year at .500 (18-18). The Lake Villa, Ill., native attended Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Ill. The CrackerJacks acquired the six-foot infielder on Feb. 25. PERSONAL: Westre will begin his junior year at Grinnell College in the fall of 2011. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team GC

G 3

AB 2

H 0

2B 0

3B HR 0

RBI 0

BB 0

SO 2

SB 0

AVG OBP .000

.000

Benny

RHP

COLLESANO

Age: 18 Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 185 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 7/10/1992 Hometown: Home Glen, Ill. College: Trinity Christian College Acquired: February 24, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Right-hander Benny Collesano enters the CrackerJacks inaugural season after concluding his rookie campaign with the Trinity Christian Trolls in Palos Heights, Ill. Collesano played baseball at Lockport Township High School for four years, including two years on the varsity squad. The Homer Glen, Ill., native signed with Trinity Christian following his senior year at Lockport. Collesanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2011 statistics are a little misleading, as his ERA does not accurately show how effective he was during his first collegiate season. In 2.1 innings, Collesano allowed just one hit (a home run) to nine batters. In total, he made two appearances for the Trolls and held his opponents to a .111 batting average. PERSONAL: Collesano is the son of Benny and Lori Collesano and has a younger sister (Gina). Aside from baseball, Collesano enjoys working on cars and is majoring in business at Trinity Christian. He hopes to open up his own business in the future. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team

TRNTY

W 0

L 0

ERA 11.57

G 2

GS 0

CG 0

SHO 0

SV 0

2.1

H 1

ER 3

BB 2

AVG

.111

Matt

GUSTAFSON

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 200 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 10/2/1990 Hometown: Oak Forest, Ill. College: Baldwin-Wallace College Acquired: February 20, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks signed its first catcher in franchise history when Baldwin-Wallace College product Matt Gustafson signed with the team on Feb. 20, 2011. Gustafson played on a Brother Rice squad in high school that was ranked 8th in the nation by USA Today in 2009, finishing 31-3 overall. Gustafson was invited to the 2009 Pre-season Under Armour All-American Tournament and played with Team One, the National Under Armour Team, in the 2008 Arizona Fall Classic. PERSONAL: Gustafson was a two-sport athlete at Brother Rice (baseball, soccer) and is a Sports Management major at BaldwinWallace. He has a younger brother (Chris) and is a fan of the New York Yankees. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team

BWC

3B HR

RBI

Statistics unavailable for 2011 season at Baldwin-Wallace College

AVG OBP

Lendon

EHLMANN

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 215 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 9/20/1990 Hometown: St. Charles, Mo. College: Kansas City Kansas Community College Acquired: March 12, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks landed a talented infielder and a threat at the plate when it signed Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) product Lendon Ehlmann on March 12. Ehlmann completed his first year with KCKCC in 2011 after beginning his career at Southwest Baptist University, where he was a teammate with CrackerJacks pitcher Mike Nicks in 2010. In 18 games at Southwest Baptist, Ehlmann hit .256 in 43 plate appearances. He finished with an on-base percentage of .319. However, to follow up his 2010 season, Ehlmann had a breakout campaign in 2011. He made 53 appearance for KCKCC and hit .395 with a .460 on-base percentage. In 190 at-bats, he racked up 75 total hits, including 15 doubles and five triples. In addition, he drove in 37 runs, crossed the plate 51 times and drew 23 walks. When he reached base, Ehlmann was a threat to steal as well, nabbing nine bases during the 2011 season. Ehlmann attended St. Charles High School and is a native of St. Charles, Mo. PERSONAL: Ehlmann completed his sophomore year at KCKCC in May 2011. He is a St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Rams fan and his favorite athletes are Albert Pujols, Jonathan Papelbon and Sam Bradford. He is the son of James and Barbara Ehlmann and has one sister, Elizabeth. In his free time, Ehlmann enjoys going fishing and bowling. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team KCK SBU

53 18

190 43

51 7

75 11

2B 15 4

3B HR 5 0

N/A 0

RBI 37 1

BB 23 4

N/A 16

SB 9 0

AVG OBP .395 .256

.460 .319

Tagg

SPELLMAN

Age: 19 Ht.: 5-9 Wt.: 165 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 11/17/1991 Hometown: Freeport, Ill. College: Sauk Valley Community College Acquired: March 17, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Tagg Spellman comes to the CrackerJacks after completing his first season at Sauk Valley Community College. Spellman, a middle infielder, recorded 40 assists and 32 put-outs in 2011. In 29 total appearances, Spellman hit .250 (22-88) with nine RBIs and nine runs scored. In addition, he posted two doubles and drew 12 walks. More impressively, Spellman finished 2011 with a .356 on-base percentage and he possesses the threat to steal, grabbing five during his rookie campaign. Spellman is a 2010 graduate of Freeport High School in Freeport, Ill., and was acquired on March 17, 2011. PERSONAL: Spellman will begin his sophomore year at Sauk Valley Community College in the fall of 2011. He is the son of Jon Spellman and Laurie Norton and enjoys skateboarding and snowboarding when he is not playing baseball. His favorite professional baseball team is the Los Angeles Angels. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team

SAUK

AB 88

R 9

2B 2

3B HR 0

RBI 9

BB 12

N/A

SB 5

AVG OBP .250

.356

Brandon

TRUITT

Age: 22 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 235 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 1/26/1989 Hometown: Kansas City, Kan. College: Baker University Acquired: April 5, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Baker University catcher Brandon Truitt signed with the CrackerJacks on April 5, bringing experience and a consistent bat to the Will County line-up. Truitt has played a key role in the Baker University system throughout his career, putting together back-to-back seasons hitting over .340 in batting average in 2009 and 2010. In 2009, Truitt saw action in 46 games and hit four home runs while driving in 26 runs. In 140 plate appearances, he collected 48 hits (.343 average) and slugged .486. Following his successful 2009 campaign, Truitt wrapped up his junior season in 2010 by hitting .351 (slugging .561), clubbing five home runs and tallying 26 RBI. He was named second-team All-Heart of America Atheletic Conference (HAAC) in 2010 as well. 2011 proved to be Truittâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best season with Baker when he was named first-team All-HAAC. Truitt hit .384, racked up 48 total hits and was the team leader in both categories. He also drove in 37 runs and his on-base percentage was well over .400. From 2009 to 2011, Truitt struck out just 45 times in 379 at-bats and also hit for an average of .359 in that three-year span. The Kansas City, Kan., native is the second catcher to sign on with the CrackerJacks. PERSONAL: When he is not playing baseball, Truitt enjoys fishing and hunting in his spare time. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010 2009

Team BU BU BU

41 40 46

125 114 140

13 13 18

48 40 48

2B 12 9 8

3B HR 0 0 0

2 5 4

RBI 37 26 26

BB 9 10 11

SO 13 16 16

SB 3 1 1

AVG OBP .384 .351 .343

.458 .448 .439

Scott

HULL

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 185 Bats: R Throws: L Born: 11/21/1990 Hometown: Bartlesville, Okla. College: Kansas City Kansas Community College Acquired: April 4, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Scott Hull joins the CrackerJacks for the 2011 season as the lone representative from the state of Oklahoma. Hull is a teammate of fellow CrackerJack Lendon Ehlmann at Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC), where he completed his sophomore season in 2011. Hull appeared in 45 games for KCKCC and put together an impressive campaign. In 92 at-bats, Hull racked up 34 hits, including five doubles and two triples. In addition, he did a little bit of everything for his team, driving in 20 runs, crossing the plate 29 times, drawing 10 walks and stealing nine bases. For the year, Hull hit .370 with an on-base percentage of .487. In the field, he was even more impressive. He carried a fielding percentage of .989, committing just one error for the year and tallying 89 put-outs. PERSONAL: Hull, a native of Bartlesville, Okla., is a 2009 graduate of Bartlesville High School. He is the son of Browning and Guylene Hull and has two older sisters, Laura and Libby. Hullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite sports teams are the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Chiefs and Oklahoma State University. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team KCK

AB 92

2B 5

3B HR 2

N/A

RBI 20

BB 10

N/A

SB 9

AVG OBP .370

.487

Derek

THOMAS

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 170 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 7/28/1990 Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa College: Lewis University Acquired: April 3, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Scrappy Lewis University outfielder Derek Thomas joins the Will County ballclub coming off a solid 2011 season with the Flyers. The Kennedy High School product brings versatility to the team as he is also listed as a pitcher Lewis. In 2010, Thomas hit .252 while making 33 starts in 34 appearances for the Flyers during his rookie campaign. Thomas had five assists while committing no errors in 52 chances and drove in 17 runs as well. The following year, Thomas played in 19 ballgames and hit .300 (6-20). His on-base percentage of .462 topped all Lewis players that made at least 15 appearances on the season. He earned four varsity letters at Kennedy and was named first-team All-Metro, first-team All-District and first-team All-Conference during his senior season in 2009. He was also selected to play in the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association All-Star series that same year. As a junior, Thomas was picked up second-team All-Metro, second team All-District and second-team All-Conference accolades. He was a two-sport athlete in high school, earning the starting quarterback role on Kennedyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football team. PERSONAL: Thomas was named to the honor roll in every semester at Kennedy High School. He is the son of Doug and Jean Thomas and is majoring in Criminal-Social Justice at Lewis. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team LU LU

19 34

20 103

7 13

6 26

2B 2 5

3B HR 0 0

0 0

RBI 1 17

BB 5 13

SO 3 29

SB 1 8

AVG OBP .300 .252

.462 .342

Drew

RHP

SAIN

Age: 20 Ht.: 5-9 Wt.: 170 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 4/19/1991 Hometown: Momence, Ill. College: Kankakee Community College Acquired: April 16, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks picked up another solid pitcher on April 16 when they signed Kankakee Community College hurler Drew Sain. Sain served as the KCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closer during the 2010 season, picking up five saves while throwing 17 innings and striking out 25 batters. Sain made 18 appearances and finished with a 1-1 record in 2010. In 2011, he put up very good numbers to help anchor the Kankakee Community College rotation. In 12 total appearances, Sain went 4-4 with a sparkling 2.62 ERA. He pitched 58.1 innings, allowing just 17 earned runs. Sain showed both power and endurance on the mound during the 2011 season, throwing two complete games and striking out 58 hitters, an average of nearly one strikeout per inning. More impressively, he walked just 22 batters. Sain, a native of Momence, Ill., attended Momence High School, where he threw a no-hitter and was named to the All-Area and All-Conference squads during his tenure. PERSONAL: Sain is the son of Kenny and Angie Sain and just finished up his second year at Kankakee Community College. He has two older siblings, Kenny (27) and Andrea (24), and enjoys fishing and hunting. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team KCC KCC

W 4 1

L 4 1

ERA 2.62 6.35

12 19

GS 9 0

CG 2 0

SHO 0 0

SV 2 0

58.1 17.0

52 18

27 16

ER 17 12

22 6

58 25

AVG

N/A N/A

Steve

KEDROSKI

Age: 21 Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 200 Bats: L Throws: R Born: 2/11/1990 Hometown: Crystal Lake, Ill. College: Western Illinois University Acquired: April 16, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Steve Kedroski joins the CrackerJacks in 2011 after concluding his first season at Division I Western Illinois University in the spring of 2011. Before Western Illinois, Kedroski attended Heartland Community College, where he put up solid hitting numbers in 2009 and 2010. In 2009, Kedroski hit .463, drove in 14 runs, blasted a home run and picked up four doubles. He followed his rookie season by hitting .313, driving in 37 runs while scoring 35, slugging two home runs and hitting 13 doubles in 2010. Kedroski attended Crystal Lake South High School, where his team won a regional championship in 2008. PERSONAL: Kedroski is majoring in Physical Education at Western Illinois and is the son of Marty and Sarah Kedroski. His favorite athletes are Derrick Rose and Robinson Cano and he supports the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010 2009

Team WIU HCC HCC

3B HR

RBI

Statistics unavailable for 2011 season at Western Illinois University 47 160 35 50 13 0 2 37 18 16 41 N/A 19 4 0 1 14 6

AVG OBP

N/A N/A

5 4

.313 .463

.284 .532

Jordan

CARROLL

Age: 19 Ht.: 6-4 Wt.: 240 Bats: L Throws: R Born: 7/2/1991 Hometown: Madison, Fla. College: Central Alabama Community College Acquired: April 11, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks signed a slugger when it picked up Jordan Carroll on April 11, 2011. Carroll completed his second season at Central Alabama Community College (CACC) in May 2011. In addition to his two impressive seasons at the plate, Carroll also tossed three innings of scoreless baseball in 2011. During his freshman season in 2010, Carroll hit .327 for CACC with an on-base percentage of .417. He posted 34 total hits in 34 games, including four doubles and four home runs. Carroll drove in 22 runs and scored 20 as well in 2010. In 2011, he continued to improve. In 47 games, Carroll hit .340, slugging .438, and drove in 41 runs. His hits totaled 49 for the season, including five doubles and three home runs, and he scored 33 runs for his team. More impressively, Carroll finished with a .432 on-base percentage. PERSONAL: Carroll is a native of Madison, Fla., one of three CrackerJacks from the Southeastern-most state in America. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team

CACC CACC

47 34

144 104

33 20

49 34

2B 5 4

3B HR 0 0

3 4

RBI 41 22

BB 22 15

16 N/A

SB 1 0

AVG OBP .340 .327

.432 .417

Chris

RHP/Util.

NOBLE

Age: 21 Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 200 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 12/4/1989 Hometown: Fort Myers, Fla. College: Polk State College Acquired: April 24, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks landed its first of three players from Polk State College when it signed outfielder Chris Noble on April 24. The athletic Noble was a standout two-sport athlete at Coral Shores High School (baseball, basketball) and started 23 games in right field, hitting .341, for Polk State in 2010. At Coral Shores, Noble was name third-team All-State as a pitcher in 2007 and was also named the Monroe County Player of the Year the same year. In 2008, we was a third-team All-State selection as an infielder, was selected to the All-Monroe County team for the second straight year and was named first-team All-Conference in the South Florida Baseball Conference. As a basketball player, Noble was named to the All-Monroe County team in both 2007 and 2008 and was a 2008 Honorable Mention All-State selection. During his first season at Polk State in 2010, Noble hit .328 (20-61), drove in 12 runs while scoring 15. He had an on-base percentage of .391 and also posted three doubles and a triple. Noble was primarily used as a pitcher during his sophomore season, putting together a nice 3-0 campaign with a 3.60 ERA. In 20 innings pitched (20 appearances), he struck out 15 batters and gave up just eight earned runs. PERSONAL: Noble enjoys listening to rap music and is a fan of the Miami Heat. COLLEGIATE PITCHING STATISTICS Season

2011

Team PSC

W 3

L 0

ERA 3.60

GS 0

CG 0

SHO 0

SV 0

20.0

ER 8

BB 10

Conor

SZCZERBA

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 190 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 2/21/1990 Hometown: Titusville, Fla. College: Polk State College Acquired: April 26, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Titusville, Fla., native Conor Szczerba is one of three Polk State players on the CrackerJacks roster for the 2011 season. Szczerba, a graduate of Titusville High School, was the team MVP during his senior season and was an All-State selection in baseball and an All-County selection in both baseball and football. Szczerba will help anchor a talented CrackerJack infield after finishing his first season with Polk State in 2011. Szczerba originally committed to Mercer University after his playing days at Titusville High School ended. In his rookie season at Polk State in 2011, Szczerba hit .266 (55-207) and stole 18 bases in 23 attempts. He knocked in 34 runs, scoring 53, and posted 10 doubles and four triples. Szczerba had a .375 on-base percentage and made 121 put-outs in the field as well. PERSONAL: Szczerba has six siblings: five brothers and one sister. He likes to go fishing and play cards when he is not on the baseball diamond and is a New York Mets and Jets fan. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team PSC

207

2B 10

3B HR 4

RBI 34

BB 30

SB 18

AVG OBP .266

.375

Brooks

RHP

McDOWELL

Age: 21 Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 200 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 3/16/1990 Hometown: Libertyville, Ill. College: Southern Illinois University Acquired: May 2, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks added another talented arm for the 2011 season when Brooks McDowell signed with the ballclub on May 2, 2011. McDowell began his collegiate career in 2010 with SIUEdwardsville before transferring to the College of Lake County for the 2011 season. After throwing 3.2 innings for the Cougars in 2010, McDowell was the top pitcher for the College of Lake County the following year. In 15 appearances, he pitched a total of 47.0 innings, striking out 44 batters while walking just 18. McDowell tied for the team lead in wins (three) and led the ballclub in ERA (4.79), innings pitched and strikeouts. For his efforts in the 2011 season, McDowell was named College of Lake Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Team MVP and Pitcher of the Year. In addition, he was named first-team All-Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference, going 3-1 with a 1.30 ERA in conference play. A native of Libertyville, Ill., McDowell attended Libertyville High School, where he was named all-conference in the Northern Suburban Conference. He also threw two no-hitters and played football during his tenure at Libertyville High School. PERSONAL: McDowell is a big fan of the Chicago Cubs and his favorite athlete it Tracy McGrady. He has two siblings: a younger brother and a younger sister. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team CLC

W 3

L 5

ERA 4.79

GS 7

CG 4

SHO 0

SV 0

47.0

ER 25

BB 18

AVG

N/A

Colt

HANKAMER

Age: 19 Ht.: 5-9 Wt.: 170 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 12/16/1991 Hometown: Solado, Texas College: Polk State College Acquired: April 26, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Colt Hankamer is the second middle infielder and third player overall on the CrackerJacks roster from Polk State College in Winter Haven, Fla. In his rookie season at Polk State, Hankamer hit .318 (56-176) en route to being named first-team All-Suncoast Conference in May 2011. Hankamer, who will help anchor a talented CrackerJacks infield, also plated 32 runs, scored 33 and hit a home run. To round out his hitting statistics for 2011, Hankamer hit 22 doubles, one triple and finished with a .407 on-base percentage. In addition to carrying a solid glove up the middle, Hankamer is a threat to steal a base, nabbing five during the 2011 season. He is a native of Salado, Texas, where he attended St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. At St. Stephen’s, he was named to the all-conference squad for his efforts in his freshman and senior campaigns. In addition, Hankamer was awarded the team’s Most Valuable Player award after his senior season. PERSONAL: Hankamer will begin his sophomore year at Polk State College in the fall of 2011. COLLEGIATE STATISTICS Season

2011

Team PSC

G 51

176

2B 12

3B HR 1

RBI 32

BB 22

N/A

SB 5

AVG OBP .318

.407

Nick

RHP/IF

EMMOLE

Age: 18 Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 170 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 7/24/1992 Hometown: Dixon, Ill. College: Sauk Valley Community College Acquired: April 21, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The versatile Nick Emmole comes to the CrackerJacks as both a pitcher and a middle infielder. He completed his first season at Sauk Valley Community College in the spring of 2011. At the plate, Emmole appeared in 20 ballgames for the 15win ballclub. In 48 at-bats, Emmole picked up nine hits, drew eight walks and scored nine runs. In addition, he knocked in three runs and had an on-base percentage of .322. On the mound, he appeared in two ballgames, striking out eight batters in 6.2 innings pitched. Emmole graduated Dixon High School in 2010, where he was named first-team All-North Central Illinois Conference and first-team All-Area. PERSONAL: Emmole will begin his sophomore year at Sauk Valley Community College in the fall of 2011. He is the son of Matt and Susan Emmole and has two brothers and one sister. Emmoleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite sports are baseball, football, basketball and golf. COLLEGIATE PITCHING STATISTICS Season

2011

Team

SAUK

W 0

L 1

ERA 9.45

G 2

GS 1

COLLEGIATE HITTING STATISTICS Season

2011

Team

SAUK

AB 48

H 9

2B 0

CG 0

SHO 0

3B HR 1

SV 0

RBI 3

6.2

BB 8

H 5

N/A

SB 1

ER 7

BB 8

K 8

AVG

N/A

AVG OBP .188

.322

Dominic

DENNEY

Age: 21 Ht.: 5-9 Wt.: 185 Bats: L Throws: R Born: 10/9/1989 Hometown: Albuquerque, N. Mex. College: Southwestern Assemblies of God University Acquired: May 17, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: The CrackerJacks signed its third catcher in May 2011 when it picked up Dominic Denney, a three-year letterwinner at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) in Waxahachie, Texas. Denney was excellent behind the plate for the Lions this season, committing just five errors in 37 appearances. In addition, he finished the year with a .968 fielding percentage and 143 put-outs. At the plate, Denney had a patient approach, drawing 35 walks during the year. In addition, the Albuquerque, N. Mex., native scored 15 runs. He holds the school record for most walks in a single season at SAGU and led the National Christian College Athletic Association in walks percentage for the 2011 season. To cap off the year, Denney was a recipient of the SAGU Lions Pride Award, given to the player that most demonstrates oustanding leadership. Denney has a .970 career fielding percentage and a .392 career on-base percentage. He attended North Eugene High School in Eugene, Ore., before going to La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, N. Mex. He was a three-year varsity letterwinner in both baseball and football between the two high schools. PERSONAL: Denney enjoys fishing, hunting and most everything outdoors. He is a die-hard Oklahoma Sooners fan and follows NASCAR as well. He is a member of FCA at SAGU and loves working with kids to improve their knowledge and skills in sports. He has a younger sister, Becca, and is the son of Dana and Robin Denney. Denney is a Business Administration major with a focus in Sports Management at SAGU. COLLEGIATE HITTING STATISTICS Season

2011

Team

SAGU

AB 85

2B 1

3B HR 0

RBI 7

SO 36

SB 0

AVG SLG .153

.165

Stephen

RHP

TAYLOR

Age: 23 Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 210 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 1/28/1988 Hometown: McDonough, Ga. College: Southern Polytechnic State University Acquired: May 17, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Stephen Taylor is one of 12 pitchers on the CrackerJacks roster in 2011. He joins Will County after finishing his senior season with Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) in Marietta, Ga., in the spring of 2011. For the Hornets in 2011, Taylor went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA. In eight total innings pitched, Taylor struck out eight batters and yielded just three walks. More importantly he pitched on a SPSU ballclub that wen 40-15 and 12-6 in conference play. Before his time at SPSU, Taylor played at Atlanta Christian College, where he was named Most Valuable Player in 2008. He is a graduate of Luella High School, where he was named Most Valuable Player in 2005 and 2006 and first-team All-Region in 2006. PERSONAL: Taylor is a native of McDonough, Ga., and is the CrackerJacksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lone representative from the state of Georgia. He is the son of Steve and Lisa Taylor and has two brothers, Justin and Lucas. His favorite sports team is the Atlanta Braves. COLLEGIATE PITCHING STATISTICS Season

2011

Team SPSU

W 1

L 0

ERA 3.38

G 3

GS 1

CG 0

SHO 0

SV 0

8.0

H 5

ER 3

BB 3

K 8

AVG N/A

Mark

RHP/IF

ZHORNE

Age: 19 Ht.: 5-7 Wt.: 150 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 8/10/1991 Hometown: Galesburg, Ill. College: Carl Sandburg College Acquired: May 17, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Mark Zhorne brings versatility to the CrackerJacks roster for the 2011 season. Fresh off his rookie campaign at Carl Sandburg College, Zhorne joins Will County as both a right-handed pitcher and an infielder. In 2011, Zhorne went 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA. In 16 total innings pitched, he walked just seven batters and yielded only six earned runs. At the plate, Zhorne tallied 45 official at-bats in 25 appearances. He finished the year with eight RBIs, 10 runs scored and an on-base percentage of .400. PERSONAL: Zhorne is a graduate of Galesburg High School and is a native of Galesburg, Ill. He is the son of Brent and Jeanne Zhorne and has three siblings: Anna, Alex and Maria. He is a fan of the Chicago Cubs, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Blackhawks and will begin his sophomore year at Carl Sandburg College in the fall of 2011. COLLEGIATE PITCHING STATISTICS Season

2011

Team CSC

W 0

L 1

ERA 3.38

G 5

GS 1

COLLEGIATE HITTING STATISTICS Season

2011

Team CSC

AB 45

2B 1

CG 0

SHO 0

3B HR 0

16.0

RBI

N/A

SB 1

BB 7

K 1

AVG N/A

AVG OBP .244

.400

Pete

Util.

LES

Age: 20 Ht.: 5-10 Wt.: 180 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 1/20/1991 Hometown: Oak Lawn, Ill. College: St. Ambrose University Acquired: June 1, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Utility man Pete Les officially joined the CrackerJacks for the 2011 season on June 1 and he, like a few other players on the Will County roster, brings the ability to play multiple positions in both the infield and in the outfield. Les, an Oak Lawn, Ill., native, completed his second season at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, in the spring. In 2011, he appeared in 14 games, delivering four RBIs in 29 at-bats, while striking out just once. In 2010, Les also saw action in 14 games and hit .310. He finished with an on-base percentage of .355 and drove in six runs. Les is a graduate of Providence Catholic High School. PERSONAL: Les is the son of Angelo and Georgia. He has one brother, Bill, and is an avid sports fan, supporting the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bulls. COLLEGIATE HITTING STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team SAU SAU

14 14

AB 29 29

2 3

H 6 9

2B 0 1

3B HR 0 0

0 0

RBI 4 6

BB 2 2

SO 1 10

SB 0 0

AVG OBP .207 .310

.250 .355

Kyle

THOMAS

Age: 20 Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 220 Bats: L Throws: R Born: 9/23/1990 Hometown: Homer Glen, Ill. College: Lewis University Acquired: June 2, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: On June 2, the CrackerJacks finalized its 2011 roster by signing Lewis University catcher Kyle Thomas. Thomas appeared in 38 games for the Flyers in 2011, finishing with a .379 on-base percentage, 18 RBIs and four home runs. The power-hitting catcher started seven games in 2010 before missing the remainder of the season with an injury. In 2012, he will be a redshirt sophomore for Lewis. For his efforts during the 2011 campaign, Thomas was named second-team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference. He attended Providence Catholic High School, where he was a three-year letterwinner. He was named first-team All-Area in Joliet and was an All-Conference selection during his time at Providence. The lefty-swinging catcher is the fourth catcher to sign with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jacks for the 2011 season. PERSONAL: Thomas is a Graphic Design major at Lewis and is the son of Steve and Pam Thomas. He has an older brother, Kris, and his hobbies include playing the guitar. COLLEGIATE HITTING STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team LU LU

38 8

109 17

22 5

27 7

2B 7 1

3B HR 1 0

4 0

RBI 18 4

BB 25 2

SO 22 2

SB 0 0

AVG OBP .248 .412

.379 .429

Matt

RHP

PRUNEAU

Age: 20 Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 210 Bats: R Throws: R Born: 3/14/1991 Hometown: Plainfield, Ill. College: Calumet College of St. Joseph Acquired: June 2, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS: Matt Pruneau, one of 12 pitchers on the CrackerJacks 2011 staff, joined the ballclub on June 2 out of Calumet College of St. Joseph. In two seasons at Calumet, Pruneau has appeared in 21 ballgames, making 14 starts and tossing a total of 66 innings. Pruneau is the only member of the ‘Jacks from Plainfield, Ill., and he is a graduate of Plainfield Central High School. The tall righty will help anchor a very talented group of pitchers on the ‘Jacks 2011 roster. PERSONAL: Pruneau is the son of Dan and Sue Pruneau. He has one sister, Ashley, and his hobbies include playing golf and spending time with his friends. Pruneau is a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs. COLLEGIATE PITCHING STATISTICS Season

2011 2010

Team CCSJ CCSJ

W 0 0

L 7 5

ERA 14.90 14.11

10 11

GS 6 8

CG 0 1

SHO 0 0

SV 0 0

29.0 37.0

56 70

55 77

ER 48 58

BB 25 30

19 21

AVG N/A .385

CRACKERJACKS 2011 2011 MCL Opponents About the Midwest Collegiate League

The Midwest Collegiate

League (MCL) announces its formation as Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest collegiate summer wooden bat baseball league with four founding member clubs. The Chicago Zephyrs, Rockford Foresters, Southland Vikings and the Will County CrackerJacks baseball clubs will form the nucleus of the new league. Play is scheduled to begin June 2, 2011. Teams will play over 40 games within an eight-week span including an All-Star Game and postseason league playoffs. Additionally, the MCL will feature a Scout Evaluation Day as part of its All-Star Festivities. In the future, the MCL hopes to expand the number of teams participating as well as the number of regular season games.

Mission Statement

The Midwest Collegiate League will provide and promote premier summer collegiate baseball to communities across the midwest in a family-oriented, affordable environment which will be held at the highest levels of integrity while operating in a socially responsible manner. The MCL is a summer collegiate baseball league that includes players who are enrolled in college during the academic year and have remaining eligibility. Our baseball players compete at some of top baseball programs in the nation and they come to the MCL to play with wood bats, improve their skills and perform in front of Major League Baseball scouts and local fans. Our teams are part of the local fabric of the community and encourage various groups and businesses to gather at the ballpark for events that promote their business and their support of our teams. Affordable tickets, concessions and merchandise mean families can enjoy MCL baseball for far less than a Major League Baseball game. Our players are approachable and enthusiastic role models who live either with their respective families or with host families during the season. Midwest Collegiate League baseball is what baseball is meant to be for midwest communities large and small.

Rockford

FORESTERS Location: Rockford, Ill. Founded: 2010 Colors: Green, Black, Grey Home Ballpark: Marinelli Field Mailing Address: P.O. Box 611, Rockford, Ill. 61105 Phone: (815) 312-2115 Website: www.rockfordforesters.com Email: josh@rockfordforesters.com First year in the MCL: 2011 Stadium: Marinelli Field Stadium Address: 101 15th Avenue, Rockford, Ill. 61104 President/Majority Owner: Joe Stefani Assistant General Manager: Josh VanSwol Director of Operations: Dan Stachowski Group Ticket Sales: Nicole Stefani Team Physicians: Brant Hulsebus, Cory Thiele, Kris Tumilowicz Manager: Rene Valdez Pitching Coach: Mark Hernandez Third Base Coach: Mark Hernandez Travel Time to Marinelli from Plainfield: Via I-88 W: 1 hour, 38 minutes (86.78 miles) Via I-90 W: 1 hour, 47 minutes (87.42 miles) Foresters vs. CrackerJacks in 2011 (13): AT CrackerJacks (5): June 11 (DH), 15-16 July 16 AT Foresters (8): June 8, 13, 18 July 9, 15-17, 22

2011 Roster

(As of May 30, 2011) Pitchers No. Name

Pos.

Brian McCabe

LHP

Chris Jordan

LHP

Cory Walden

RHP

Craig Provow

RHP

Cyrus Wimberly

RHP

Dan Hutcheson

RHP

Dan Okapal

RHP

Daryn Streed

RHP

Dustin Meier

RHP

Jacob Chandler

RHP

Luke Ingersoll

LHP

Marc Ulloa

LHP

Matt Bowman

RHP

Steven Lewis

RHP

Zak Engelbrecht

RHP

Ziggie Vanderwall

LHP

Outfielders No. Name

Pos.

Connor Kretz

Garrett Gee

Isreal Sanchez

Luke Wichmann

Ryan Adams

Ryan Hickey

Zach Wisowaty

Infielders No. Name

Pos.

Josh Voigtlander

Michael Delgado

Regulo Moy

Tim Brann

Tyler Leach

Catchers No. Name

Pos.

Brad Winkler

Jason Schnulle

Matt Cervantes

Southland

VIKINGS

Location: Chicago Heights, Ill. Founded: 2003 Colors: Red, Black, Grey Home Ballpark: Homewood-Flossmoor High School Mailing Address:

2011 Roster

999 Kedzie Avenue, Flossmoor, IL, 60422

(As of June 2, 2011)

Phone: (312) 533-8991

Pitchers

Website: www.southlandvikings.com

No. Name

Pos.

Email: info@southlandvikings.com

Aaron Hauge

Bradon Duplessis

Dave Nelson

Evan Neitfeldt

Keith Greer

Stadium Address:

Stanten Jones

999 Kedzie Avenue, Flossmoor, IL, 60422

Tyler Scott

Troy Williams

Mike Babchak

Mike Stirling

First year in the MCL: 2011 Stadium: Homewood Flossmoor High School

President/Majority Owner: Don Popravak Manager: Chris Cunningham

Outfielders

Pitching Coach: Marvin Freeman

No. Name

Pos.

Dontrell Rush

Nick Norris

Mike Kane

Travel Time to H-F from Plainfield: Via CR-36 to I-80 E: 47 minutes (33.42 miles) Via I-59 S to I-80 E: 50 minutes (39.55 miles) Vikings vs. CrackerJacks in 2011 (14): AT CrackerJacks (8): June 20, June 25 (DH) July 10 (DH), 11, 14, 18 AT Vikings (6): June 10, 14, 17, 24 July 6-7

Infielders No. Name

Pos.

A.J. Doyle

Elliot Armstrong

George Patteson

Ian Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor

Quintin Richardson

Catchers No. Name

Pos.

Kuris Duggan

Nathan Haras

Chicago

ZEPHYRS

Location: Warrenville, Ill. Founded: 2010 Colors: Navy Blue, Green, Gold, White Home Ballpark: Waubonsee Community College Mailing Address:

2011 Roster

3 South 517 Winfield Road, Warrenville, Ill. 60555

(As of May 27, 2011)

Phone: (630) 327-9295

Pitchers

Fax: (630) 393-3920

No. Name

Pos.

Jason Ormond

P/Util.

Bill Pullia

Liam Pegg

George Heller

First year in the MCL: 2011

Will Fuentes

Stadium: Waubonsee Community College

Luke Gilbertson

Stadium Address:

Kenny Litrenta

Mark Belcastro

Dan Huenecke

Eric Bender

Ryan Hudspeth

Manager: Marco Fajardo

Alci Gonzales

Assistant Coach: Jeff Marcley

Kyle Burger

Kacy Clemens

Connor Nolan

Website: www.zephyrs-baseball.com Email: emmo2512@yahoo.com

Waubonsee Community College, 4S783 State Route 47, Sugar Grove, IL 60554

Assistant Coach: Mike Madsen Pitching Coach: Marty Kobernus Sports Information Director: Stephanie Paluch Travel Time to WCC from Plainfield: Via I-30: 35 minutes (25.02 miles) Via I-47: 37 minutes (26.05 miles) Zephyrs vs. CrackerJacks in 2011 (12): AT CrackerJacks (5): June 12 (DH), 29 July 20, 21 AT Zephyrs (7): June 3, 9, 19, 28 July 1, 24 (DH)

Outfielders No. Name

Pos.

Nolan Craig

Zac Copple

Gabriel Irrizary

Infielders No. Name

Pos.

Marty Dwar

Bobby Bieniek

John Wehr

K.C. Wright

Nate Strusz

Kyle Renaud

Brandon Lawrence

Tony Gaffino

Jonathon Erickson

Luke Collins

Ryan Richardson

Catchers No. Name

Pos.

Ryan Payne

The 2011 Midwest Collegiate League All-Star Game July 13, 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ 8:00 p.m.

Oil City Stadium Whiting, Ind.

CRACKERJACKS 2011 MCL Playoff Format The 2011 MCL Playoffs will begin on July 26. Three (best two-of-three) seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; will decide the 2011 champion, with the regular season champion playing the fourth place finisher and the second place finisher taking on the third place finisher in the first round. The MCL Championship Series will begin on July 29. 1 Regular Season Champion

Series A July 26-28, 2011

Winner Series A

4 Fourth Place Finisher

Series C July 29-31, 2011

Winner Series C 2011 MCL Champion

3 Third Place Finisher

Series B July 26-28, 2011

Winner Series B

2 Second Place Finisher

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Non-League Opponents 2011 Non-League Opponents Information

In addition to its Mid-

west Collegiate League ballgames, the Will County CrackerJacks have scheduled six nonleague games to complete its 2011 season schedule. These games will feature match-ups with the Elgin Aces, Des Plaines Patriots and Lexington Snipes. Ballgames between the CrackerJacks and the Aces and Patriots will take place in June and the CrackerJacks will play the Snipes on July 19. In addition, the CrackerJacks will play an exhibition game against the Chicago Bandits, Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional softball team, on June 7 at Rosemont Stadium in Rosemont, Ill. The Lexington Snipes are a member of the Chicago Suburban Baseball League (CSBL). The CSBL is a summer collegiate wooden bat league, similar to the Midwest Collegiate League, that was formed in 1983 as the Northwest Suburban League. In the CSBL, teams conclude the season by participating in postseason play with any number of associations, including the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) Stan Musial Tournament, the National Baseball Congress (NBC) Tournament in Wichita, Kan., the Continental Amateur Baseball Association (CABA) and the National Amateur Baseball Federation (NABF) Collegiate and Major Tournaments. CSBL teams have performed well in recent years in these postseason tournaments, with Prairie Gravel winning the NBC World Series in 2005, the Lombard Orioles winning the AABC World Series in 2007, the Crystal Lake Cardinals winning the NABF Collegiate World Series in 2009 and the Beecher Muskies winning the 2010 NABF Major World Series. Meanwhile, the Elgin Aces and Des PlainesPatriots each compete in the Metro Collegiate Summer Baseball League, founded in 1978.

Des Plaines

PATRIOTS

Location: Des Plaines, Ill. Founded: 2009 Colors: Blue, Gold, White Home Ballpark: Oakton Community College Mailing Address:

2011 Roster

208 Graceland Ave., Des Plaines, IL, 60016

(As of May 30, 2011)

Phone: (847) 375-0840

Pitchers

Website: www.desplainespatriots.com

No. Name

Pos.

Email: nelson@playballdirect.com

Nate Adams

LHP

Bobby Beelan

LHP

Luke Holm

LHP

Jack Kosar

LHP

Matt McMahon

RHP

Nick Mishevich

LHP

Stadium Address:

Alex Norman

LHP

1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines, IL, 60016

Byron Skinner

RHP

Matt Taylor

RHP

Joe Ufheil

RHP

Jimmy Spagna

RHP

League: Chicago Suburban Baseball League First year in the CSBL: 2009 Stadium: Oakton Community College

Owner & General Manager: Nelson Gord Strength Coordinator: Ryan Morrison Sports Information Director: Karen Willdermood Manager: Mike Schultz Travel Time to Oakton from Plainfield: Via I-294 N: 59 minutes (43.27 miles) Via I-83 N: 1 hour, 4 minutes (43.42 miles)

Outfielders No. Name

Pos.

Anthony Brignola

Anthony Concialdi

Tom Hooker

Ryan Konsler

Kevin Serna

Infielders

Patriots vs. CrackerJacks in 2011 (1): AT CrackerJacks (1): June 24 AT Patriots (0): None

No. Name

Pos.

Brian Evans

Kyle Holmstrom

Ryan Kiesel

Colin Semler

Jeremy Juhl

Jimmy Risi

Tim Conroy

Util.

Marchus White

Util.

Catchers No. Name

Pos.

Steve Pollakov

Keith Brand

Elgin

ACES

Location: Elgin, Ill. Founded: 2009 Colors: Magenta, Navy Blue, White Home Ballpark: Trout Park Mailing Address:

2011 Roster

208 Graceland Ave., Des Plaines, IL, 60016

(As of May 30, 2011)

Phone: (847) 375-0840

Pitchers

Website: www.elginacesbaseball.com

No. Name

Pos.

Email: nelson@playballdirect.com

Brett Barger

RHP

Mitch Baker

RHP

Kevin Carmody

RHP

Dan Hoppel

RHP

Ryan Kellner

RHP

Erik Lira

RHP

Stadium Address:

Tim Parcel

RHP

P.O. Box 206, Elgin, IL, 60121

Alexandro Cardoza

LHP

Nick Molina

RHP

Dan Schmitz

LHP

League: Chicago Suburban Baseball League First year in the CSBL: 2009 Stadium: Trout Park

Owner & General Manager: Nelson Gord Strength Coordinator: Ryan Morrison Sports Information Director: Karen Willdermood Manager: Todd Zasadil Travel Time to Trout Park from Plainfield: Via I-59 N: 1 hour, 6 minutes (35.7 miles) Via I-355 N: 1 hour, 7 minutes (51.8 miles) Aces vs. CrackerJacks in 2011 (4): AT CrackerJacks (2): June 4 (DH)* *Game will be played at Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind. Oil City Stadium Address: 1700 119th Street, Whiting, Ind., 46394

AT Aces (2): June 26 (DH)

Outfielders No. Name

Pos.

Ryne Billesbach

Steven Janezic

Matthew Lapinski

Michael Plant

Infielders No. Name

Pos.

Brian Brauer

Gabe Henriques

Ryan Lesner

Michael Pugliese

Eric Ramirez

Ed Tatera

Harry Vickers

Luke Coffman

Kenny Kahle

Catchers No. Name

Pos.

Derek Foderaro

Philip Wisniewski

Dominic Minoque

Lexington

SNIPES

Location: Lexington, Ill. Founded: 2001 Colors: Purple, White, Grey Home Ballpark: High Desert Field Phone: (309) 287-1668

2011 Roster

Website: www.lexingtonsnipes.com

(As of May 30, 2011)

Email: Billyd_73@yahoo.com

Pitchers

League: Chicago Suburban Baseball League

# Name

Pos.

R.J. Bachtold

LHP LHP

Conner Brown

Tyler Buhs

RHP

Stadium Address:

Brian Cross

LHP

Brandon Duffy

RHP

600 N. Oak Street, Lexington, IL, 61753

Evan Fahrner

RHP

Scott Houdek

RHP

Chris Razo

RHP

Kevin Sullivan

RHP

Mitch Tielke

RHP

Alex Zarate

RHP

Kevin Borst

RHP

First year in the CSBL: 2011 Stadium: High Desert Field

General Manager: Billy DuBois Manager: Billy DuBois Assistant Coach: Jeff Doll Assistant Coach: Tony Eckhart

Outfielders

Travel Time to High Desert from Plainfield: Via I-55 S: 1 hour, 27 minutes (81.89 miles) Via I-47 S: 1 hour, 45 minutes (82.85 miles) Snipes vs. CrackerJacks in 2011 (1): AT CrackerJacks (0): None AT Snipes (1): July 19

# Name

Pos.

Nate Blessman

Tyler Cook

Andrew Hendrian

Seth Hood

Alex Ludwig

Infielders # Name

Pos.

Bo Kinder

Andy Burns

Mike Collins

Bryan Huff

Dylan Johnson

Zac Johnson

Nate Sopena

Catchers # Name

Pos.

Josh Levy

Andrew Holt

Cale Robinson

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Important Dates Dates to Remember for the 2011 Season June 3, 2011:

Opening Day not only for the 2011 season but also the opener for the Will County CrackerJacks franchise. The game will feature the CrackerJacks and MCL-rival Chicago Zephyrs and will be played at Waubonsee Community College, the home of the Zephyrs, in Sugar Grove, Ill. The game is slated for 6:00 p.m.

June 4, 2011:

Technically listed as a home game for Will County, the CrackerJacks travel to play the Elgin Aces in a doubleheader at the new Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.

June 7, 2011:

In a highly-anticipated game, the CrackerJacks will play Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional softball team, the Chicago Bandits, in an exhibition game at Rosemont Stadium, the home of the Bandits, in Rosemont, Ill. Both teams will follow professional softball rules, including pitching underhand, in a game slated for 7:35 p.m.

June 11, 2011:

The CrackerJacksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first games at Wayne L. King, Jr. Field. The doubleheader will feature Will County and the Rockford Foresters, an MCL opponent. The first game will start at 1:00 p.m.

July 10, 2011:

The CrackerJacks play a doubleheader versus the Southland Vikings at Kankakee Community College in Kankakee, Ill. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.

July 13, 2011:

The 2011 MCL All-Star Game. The game will be played at Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind., at 8:00 p.m.

July 20, 2011:

The CrackerJacks travel to Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium, the home of the Kane County Cougars, for a game against the Chicago Zephyrs at 7:00 p.m.

July 24, 2011:

The final day of the 2011 regular season. The CrackerJacks wrap up the year with a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader against the Chicago Zephyrs.

July 26, 2011:

The 2011 MCL Playoffs begin. Series are a best two-of-three format.

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Home Schedule

A total of 16 home games will be played in 14 days at Wayne L. King, Jr. Field, the home of the Will County CrackerJacks. The ballpark is located at 1215 Houbolt Road, Joliet, IL 60431 on the campus of Joliet Junior College.

Games 1 & 2: June 11, 2011; 1:00 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Rockford Foresters

Games 3 & 4: June 12, 2011; 1:00 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Southland Vikings

Game 5: June 15, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Rockford Foresters

Game 6: June 16, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Rockford Foresters

Game 7: June 20, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Southland Vikings

Game 8: June 21, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Des Plaines Patriots

Games 9 & 10: June 25, 2011; 1:00 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Southland Vikings

Game 11: June 29, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Chicago Zephyrs

Game 12: July 11, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Southland Vikings

Game 13: July 14, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Southland Vikings

Game 14: July 16, 2011; 12:00 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Rockford Foresters

Game 15: July 18, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Southland Vikings

Game 16: July 21, 2011; 5:35 p.m. Will County CrackerJacks vs. Chicago Zephyrs

SEASON OUTLOOK

pitchers, three outfielders, eight infielders and four catchers.

In December 2010, CrackerJacks president and general manager Jamie Toole announced there would be another baseball team representing Will County in the summer of 2011. Six months later, Will County’s new summer collegiate baseball club, the CrackerJacks, is ready for baseball. Made up of 27 ballplayers from eight different states in America, the CrackerJacks are not looking to just be competitive in its inaugural season, they are aiming to win. For CrackerJacks’ manager Vern Hasty, winning the newly formed Midwest Collegiate League (MCL) is a realistic goal. “There are a lot of quality baseball players on our roster,” Hasty said. “It’s not just about winning a few ballgames. I want to win the league.” “It’s a breath of fresh air,” Toole said. “It’s so refreshing to deal with these kids because they’re so excited to have a place to play.” The CrackerJacks will call Joliet Junior College’s Wayne King Field home this summer, with the first home game taking place on June 11 in a doubleheader against the Rockford Foresters, an MCL rival. Will County enters its inaugural season with a solid mix of both young and seasoned collegiate players from virtually every level, including schools from NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, NAIA and Junior College levels. The talented group of 27 players includes 12

Catchers (4) One of the three CrackerJack catchers is Baker University standout Brandon Truitt, who was named first-team All-Heart of America Athletic Conference in May 2011 after leading his team with a .384 batting average. Dominic Denney, a catcher at Southwestern Assemblies of God University, and Baldwin-Wallace College catcher Matt Gustafson will also get time behind the plate for Will County in 2011. Catcher Kyle Thomas joined the CrackerJacks in early June as well. Thomas appeared in 38 games in 2011 for the Flyers. Infielders (8) One of the bigger stories entering the 2011 is the signing of four players from the southern parts of the United States. Three Florida natives, Jordan Carroll, Conor Szczerba and Chris Noble, and Solado, Texas, product Colt Hankamer will head north for the summer to join the CrackerJacks. Szczerba, Noble and Hankamer are all teammates at Polk State College in Winter Haven, Fla. Of the four players, Noble is the only one not listed as an infielder, as the versatile Fort Myers, Fla. native will pitch and play outfield for Will County this summer. Hankamer, Carroll and Szczerba will be apart of a deep CrackerJack infield for the 2011 season, which includes local products such as Lake Villa, Ill., native Justin Westre and Sauk Valley’s Taggart Spellman, a scrappy middle infielder from

Dixon, Ill. Also expected to contribute this season will be Western Illinois University’s Steve Kedroski, who played two seasons at Heartland Community College before his first season at Western Illinois, St. Ambrose utility man Pete Les and Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Lendon Ehlmann. Sauk Valley’s Nick Emmole, who is listed as a pitcher, will also get some time in the CrackerJacks middleinfield. Outfielders (3) Aside from Noble, who is listed as both a pitcher and utility man with outfielder and infielder capabilities, the CrackerJacks carry three other solid outfielders on its 2011 roster. These players include Domenic Biagini, who hit an impressive .462 during his first season at the College of DuPage. Two more players, both out-of-staters, join Will County this summer as well, including Oklahoma’s Scott Hull and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native Derek Thomas. An outfielder at Lewis University in nearby Romeoville, Ill., Thomas made 33 starts during his rookie season in 2010. Pitchers (12) Although they are dominated by righties, pitching should be one of the CrackerJacks’ strengths in the 2011 season. McDonough, Ga., native Stephen Taylor joins the CrackerJacks, one of just two players, along with Brandon Truitt, that has completed his senior year of college. Of the 11 Will County pitchers, 10 are Illinois natives,

including Wisconsin-Parkside’s Ryan Windt, the first player to sign with the CrackerJacks in franchise history (Jan. 25). Joining Windt, Taylor, Noble and Emmole are Aurora University’s Anthony Buonamici, Southwest Baptist’s Mike Nicks, North Central’s Kyle Cahill, Trinity Christian pitcher Benny Collesano, Carl Sandburg College’s Mark Zhorne, Drew Sain and Brooks McDowell, who pitch at Kankakee Community College and the College of Lake County, respectively. Nicks led Southwest Baptist University in strikeouts while Buonamici posted a 1.86 earned run average for the 2011 season. Rounding out the pitching staff is Plainfield, Ill., native Matt Pruneau. Looking Ahead The CrackerJacks will try to get 2011 started on the right note in its June 3 franchise opener against MCL-rival Chicago Zephyrs at 6 p.m. The next MCL game will be on June 8 when they travel to Rockford to play the Foresters, a game that begins a stretch of 15 consecutive MCL games in 13 days. The 2011 season is also highlighted with a game against Chicago’s professional softball team, the Chicago Bandits, and three games at neutral locations, including Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind., Kankakee Community College and Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium, the home of the Kane County Cougars. The CrackerJacks will start postseason play on July 26 with the beginning of the 2011 MCL Playoffs. Each playoff series is best two-of three format.

The Journey

Organizational Highlights of the Will County CrackerJacks Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

December 2010

Thu 2

Fri 3

Sat 4

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

March 2011

Mon

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

April 18 CrackerJacks participate in the “Return to Route 59” Promotion, advertising $59 season tickets from April 18 - May 2.

Wed

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Thu

Fri

Sat 1

Sat

March 16 Vern Hasty is named the first manager in CrackerJacks franchise history.

Mon

March 1 Toole announces the Will County team will be named the “CrackerJacks.”

April 2011

April 28 Will County announces it will play an exhibition game against the Chicago Bandits.

Sat

May-June 2011

Fri

Tue

Thu

Mon

Wed

Sun

Tue

January/Beginning of February 2011

Jan. 25 Will County signs its first player, Wisconsin-Parkside pitcher Ryan Windt.

Sun

Dec. 1 CrackerJacks president and general manager Jamie Toole announces that baseball will be coming to Will County in the summer of 2011.

May 10 CrackerJacks release its 2011 season schedule. May 31 Chicago Cubs broadcaster Keith Moreland speaks at CrackerJacks’ “Lead-Off Luncheon.” June 3 CrackerJacks play its first game in franchise history against the Chicago Zephyrs.

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Radio Coverage The Will County CrackerJacks have partnered with Ustream, the leading online live interactive broadcast platform that allows you to hear live play-by-play from anywhere in the world through a computer, and 105.5 FM The Kat for the 2011 season. Each CrackerJacks ballgame on Ustream can be heard live on the internet at www.ustream.tv/ channel/will-county-crackerjacks. In his first season, Mike Garabedian, the CrackerJacks’ Manager of Mike Garabedian Broadcasting and Media Relations, will serve as “The Voice of Will County Baseball” for the CrackerJacks’ inaugural season. Garabedian joins the CrackerJacks from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, where he serves as the play-by-play voice for several Big Red sports, including baseball, football and softball and also has experience broadcasting men’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s basketball and volleyball. He began broadcasting Denison sports in 2009. “I cannot even put into words how excited I am about this summer with the CrackerJacks,” Garabedian said. “I see a lot of talent and potential with this team and I am really looking forward to seeing how it all comes together. Jamie (Toole) and Coach Hasty have put together a great ballclub and I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to call their ballgames.” Notable games called by Garabedian include the 2010 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Baseball Tournament in Chillicothe, Ohio, and the 2009 and 2011 NCAC Women’s Basketball Tournaments in Granville, Ohio. Founded in 2007, Ustream allows anyone with an internet connection to engage with their family, friends or fans anytime, anywhere. Millions of Ustream users view and broadcast a wide variety of content, from high school sporting events to red carpet movie premieres. Notable Ustream broadcasts include major political events, concerts, conferences, movie premieres, talk shows, sporting events, interactive games, and personal milestones. Ustream’s mission is to bring people together around shared interests for amazing live, interactive experiences that build and maintain relationships. “Live internet streams are great because they can be accessed anywhere and the majority of them are free,” Garabedian said. “It will be great for the parents of the players who can’t make every game to still be involved in the ballgame even though they aren’t there.” In addition, the CrackerJacks will broadcast five ballgames on Kankakee’s 105.5 FM The Kat.

CRACKERJACKS 2011 Sponsors The Will County CrackerJacks would like to thank its sponsors for the 2011 season. CrackerJacks baseball is brought to you by:

Conrad’s Harley-Davidson Rawlings Louisville Slugger TicketLeap.com EXXON Mobil BIGS Sunflower Seeds Zephyr Hats Mathnasium Jody’s Hot Dogs & More Provena St. Joseph Medical Center Eich’s Sports YourSouthwestGuide.com HomeTown Fitness Pepsi Frito Lay First National Bank Jimmy John’s