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The 2017 IHSA Class 1A & Class 2A Baseball State Finals return to Dozer Park, home of the St. Louis Cardinals Class A affiliate Peoria Chiefs, in Peoria on Friday and Saturday, June 2-3
All eights games this weekend will be broadcast live by the NFHS Network on www.IHSA.tv by presenting sponsor Country Financial as IHSA TV veterans Dave Bernhard and Mark Lindo return to call the action.
Goreville and St. Joseph-Ogden will certainly Play in Peoria this weekend, as both schools' softball teams also qualified for state, and will be in action just across the river at East Peoria's Eastside Centre.
A brief synopsis and stat leaders on each of this weekend's finalists is provided below:
CLASS 1A
GOREVILLE BLACKCATS (26-7) vs.
PEORIA HEIGHTS PATRIOTS (22-5)
The state champs are back to defend their title, as Shawn Tripp and Goreville make their fourth state final appearance in school history, all since 2010. Many pieces from last year’s title team are back, including 6-3 junior lefty Brodie Lenon (6-1, 94 K, 0.61 ERA) who earned the win in the state title game. Lenon (.444, 32 RBI) had four hits of his own in that 17-run outburst, while fellow slugger Brant Glidewell (.371, 42 RBI) also returns.
Peoria Heights makes its first state final trip in school history, as Matt King’s club will make the four-mile trip to Dozer Park. Pitching and defense have been the Patriots postseason calling card, as they have allowed three runs or less in all five games. Tyler Gregory (8-0, 1.05 ERA) has enjoyed a phenome senior season, while left-handed senior OF Blake Begner (.420, 30 R, 30 RBI) leads the Patriots in nearly every offensive category and is undefeated on the hill (5-0, 91 K, 0.00 ERA).
VALMEYER PIRATES (27-9) vs.
SOMONAUK BOBCATS (24-1)
From 10 wins in his first season as head coach in 2012, to the first state final appearance in school history this weekend, Valmeyer head coach Greg Reinhardt has overseen the rise of a program. The Pirates can flat-out hit, as senior 3B Easton Wallace (.459, 46 RBI) has helped the team average over 12 runs per game in five postseason contests, while Phillip Reinhardt (8-1, 0.94 ERA) has assumed the pitching staff’s ace role as a freshman.
A year ago in its first state final appearance in school history, Somonauk appeared to be on the verge of winning a state championship, as they led 7-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning before Goreville rallied to claim the title. Troy Felton’s experienced squad has responded with a nearly perfect season paced by senior pitchers John Johnson (9-0, 85 K, 0.82 ERA) and Nate Wegener (4-0, 1.12 ERA), who are also two of six Bobcats regulars hitting .338 or higher this season.
CLASS 2A
ST. JOSEPH-OGDEN SPARTANS (26-7) vs.
CHICAGO CHRISTIAN KNIGHTS (39-1)
The Spartans made their first state final trip a year ago, where they dropped a heartbreaker in extra innings in the Class 2A title game. Several regulars have graduated from that squad, but Josh Haley’s seniors have stepped up in 2017, led by Colton Hale (.404, 36 R, 39 RBI) and Mason Coon (8-1, 96 K, 1.58 ERA). The Spartan’s are locked in, as their smallest margin of victory in the postseason this year has been five runs.
Chicago Christian head coach Eric Brauer has led the Knights to 23 wins or more in each of his eight seasons, but a state final berth has been elusive, until now. A 2-1 setback to 4A Lockport is all that has separated the Knights from a chance at a perfect season, which includes allowing five runs in five postseason games. Chicago Christian is led by senior 3B Tommy Moran (.418, 37 RBI, 5 HR) at the plate and senior John Vander Wall (13-0, 0.47 ERA) on the mound.
ORION CHARGERS (21-12) vs.
TEUTOPOLIS WOODEN SHOES (29-6)
Orion’s record is a bit deceiving, as the Chargers dropped six games this season by two runs or less. Head coach Jeremy Jungwirth’s club has reversed that trend of late, winning three State Series games by two runs or less. The Chargers first state final trip in school history has been fueled by fueled by junior 2B Daimon Zurcher (.380, 32 R, 22 RBI) and a balanced pitching staff headed up by senior lefty Brady Grafton (4-2, 2.17 ERA)
Perennial power Teutopolis is back at the state finals for the 11th time, including the seventh under head coach Justin Fleener, who led the program to its only state titles in 2010 and 2011. The Wooden Shoes have run off 18 straight wins entering the state finals, thanks in part to senior catcher Cody Jansen’s (.396, 34 RBI) bat and senior Lane Belleville’s work on the mound (7-0, 1.57 ERA) and at the plate (.423, 38 RBI).
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TOURNAMENT HISTORY
78th annual State Series
7th year at Dozer Park
10th year of 4-Class Series
SITE
Dozer Park (Peoria)
Directions
HOST
Peoria Chiefs
PACVB
WEATHER
Updates/delays posted on Twitter at @IHSAWeather
SCHEDULE
Friday, June 2
Class 1A Semifinals
10:00 a.m.
Goreville vs. Peoria Heights
12:00 p.m.
Valmeyer vs. Somonauk
Class 2A Semifinals
3:00 p.m.
St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Chicago Christian
5:00 p.m.
Orion vs. Teutopolis
Saturday, June 3
Class 1A Finals
9:00 a.m. - Third-Place
11:30 p.m. - Championship
Class 2A Finals
3:00 p.m. - Third-Place
5:30 p.m. - Championship
TICKETS
$6 per day
WATCH
All games available live on www.IHSA.tv
LISTEN
WSPY 107.1 FM (Plano)
Online Broadcast
Somonauk games
WPXN 104.9 FM (Paxton)
Online Broadcast
St. Joseph-Ogden games
WRMJ 102.3 FM (Aledo)
Online Broadcast
Orion games
WXEF 97.9 FM (Effingham)
Online Broadcast
Teutopolis games
RESULTS & BOX SCORES
IHSA Baseball Page
SOCIAL MEDIA
#IHSA on Twitter
Twitter - @IHSAstate
Twitter Weather Updates
Instagram - @IHSA_IL
Facebook.com/IHSA.IL
Classic IHSA YouTube Video
OFFICIAL STATE FINAL
Gear from Minerva
Photos from VIP
Balls from Wilson
Souvenir Program
STATE SUPPORTERS
Country Financial
Wilson Sporting Goods
Gatorade
MaxPreps
STUDENT SAFETY
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HISTORY & RECORDS
2017 1A State Series
2017 2A State Series
Record Book & Past Champions
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