May 28, 2023
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Baseball: Several local baseball players earn IHSBCA All-State nods

By Steve Soucie
Plainfield North's Brandon Bak (20) reacts after scoring against Yorkville during the Class 4A Yorkville Regional baseball final at Yorkville High School on Saturday, May 28, 2022.

Plainfield North's Brandon Bak (20) reacts after scoring against Yorkville during the Class 4A Yorkville Regional baseball final at Yorkville High School on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Bak was recently named an IHSBCA Class 4A All-State selection. (Sean King for Shaw Local)

It recently was announced that several local baseball players were honored by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association as All-State selections.

The IHSBCA selects all-state teams of 25 players for each of the four classifications in Illinois (1A, 2A, 3A and 4A).

Lincoln-Way East’s Zach Kwasny (10) greets Alexander Stanwich after his solo home run against Lockport. Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Lockport. Both players were named to the IHSBCA All-State team recently. (Gary Middendorf - gmiddendorf@shawmedia.com/Gary Middendorf)

Class 4A

Four area players earned All-State honors in Class 4A.

A pair of Lincoln-Way East players, Zach Kwasny and Alex Stanwich, were chosen to the 25-man team along with Plainfield North’s Brandon Bak and Plainfield East’s Christian Mitchelle.

Stanwich hit .468 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs in to go along with a .614 on-base percentage and 20 stolen bases.

Kwasny was a dual threat, doing the most damage on the mound where he posted a 7-2 record with a 1.47 ERA and 95 strikeouts. Kwasny also drove in 24 runs while hitting .341.

Bak was a strikeout machine for the Tigers. Bak went 8-0 with a 0.84 ERA and 128 strikeouts, with 19 of those strikeouts coming in a single outing during a win over Neuqua Valley in the sectional semifinals.

Mitchelle was dangerous with a bat and his arm. Mitchelle hit .570 with a .680 on-base percentage, hitting six home runs and driving in 34. On the mound, Mitchelle struck out 84 batters while going 5-1.

Joliet Catholic’s Luka Radicevich dives for the out against Richmond-Burton in the IHSA Class 2A championship game. Saturday, June 4, 2022 in Peoria. Radicevich was recently named an IHSBCA Class 2A All-Stater. (Gary Middendorf - gmiddendorf@shawnedia.com/Gary Middendorf)

Class 2A

A pair of local players were named All-State in Class 2A.

As a part of Joliet Catholic’s Class 2A State Championship team, All-State selection Luka Radicevich hit .339 with three home runs and 38 RBIs.

Coal City’s Abram Wills was a beast on the mound, striking out 110 batters while going 8-1. Wills also hit .325 with seven home runs.