Name: Ben Auer

School: St. Charles North

Grade: Senior

Sport: Baseball

What he did: Across two games in the Class 4A St. Charles North regional round, Auer pitched nine innings, allowing just seven hits and one run while striking out 11 batters. He also recorded three hits and two RBIs in the regional title game against South Elgin.

Auer was selected as the Kane County Chronicle Athlete of the Week based on the results of an online vote.

Here’s his Q&A with sports reporter Joel Boenitz.

How do you feel you performed in the regional round?

Auer: I think I did pretty well. I’d never started a playoff game, so the nerves were a little high going into it, but once I started settling in that first inning against Dundee-Crown, it was all smooth sailing from there. And then same thing with South Elgin. I wasn’t as nervous, because I had already had to start in the semifinal, but once I got going again it was on cruise control the rest of the way.

Was it the goal to have you start in both of the games?

Auer: Yes it was. My coaches tried to keep me under 60 pitches in the semifinals so I could keep it going in the final.

What was the mindset heading into the regional title matchup against South Elgin?

Auer: We were just kind of thinking back to how they ended our season last year and how we wanted to get back at them. We knew what they were going to try to do. The whole goal was to try and execute better than them and I think we did.

You also had three hits and drove in two runs. What was feeling of having that two-way performance?

Auer: I mean, it feels awesome, especially in that big of a game. I want to do whatever I can to help a team get a win, so it was one of the best feelings.

How did it feel to secure a regional title on your home turf?

Auer: I think it was a perfect way to end my last game playing at home. It meant a ton to all the seniors that were there, so it was awesome.

You’ve become the ace this year after losing Keaton Reinke and Matt Ritchie. What’s that been like after only pitching eight innings last year?

Auer: That was kind of the goal for me once I heard those two weren’t coming back. It’s what I prepared for all offseason and while working towards that I feel like I’ve really grown into the role. And my starts have just gotten better and better during the year.

Any superstitions?

Auer: Not really, I don’t believe in a lot of those things, I just try to have fun. I’ll usually have a Ghost energy drink before a game though, I really like the peach flavor.

What’s your walk-up song?

Auer: My pitching walk-up song was “Start Me Out” by The Rolling Stones.