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Huskie Baseball Summer Notebook

Behren earns All-Star selection, freshman quartet finishes second in national tournament



Matt Behren earned an all-star selection in the CICL and ranks among the league's top hitters this summer.

July 17, 2008

DeKALB, Ill. - With most of its squad participating in summer leagues across the country, several Northern Illinois baseball players have achieved a wide spectrum of accomplishments over the past few weeks during the "offseason."

BEHREN EARNS CICL ALL-STAR SELECTION: Catcher Matt Behren (Elmwood Park, Ill./Holy Cross) earned selection to the Central Illinois Collegiate League All-Star game set for July 21. A member of the Dupage Dragons, Behren is tied for eighth in the league with a .328 batting average (as of July 16) and tied for first with 11 doubles. The senior-to-be is his team's co-leader with 17 RBI.

FRESHMEN QUARTET LEADS TEAM TO NATIONAL TITLE GAME: Redshirt freshman OF Brandon House (Richton Park, Ill./Marian Catholic) and incoming freshmen C Brett Frantini (Minooka, Ill./Minooka), OF/P Jake Hermsen (New London, Wisc./New London), and P/IF Chris Wakefield (Cherokee, Ga./Cherokee) played key roles on the Illinois Sparks squad that placed second at the most prestigious 18 and under tournament in the nation. The Sparks became the first northern team ever to advance beyond the final eight in Perfect Game's WWBA 2008 Grads 18U National Championship and finished 9-1, their only loss coming in the final championship game of the tournament. The squad received the PG Pro Award, given to the team that displays the most professionalism, the most class and the best sportsmanship.

WAKEFIELD NAMED GEORGIA PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Incoming freshman P/IF Chris Wakefield (Cherokee, Ga./Cherokee) earned Pitcher of the Year honors from the Cherokee Ledger during his 2008 season. The righthander earned Cherokee County Player of the Year accolades in addition to all-region selections as both a pitcher and third baseman. During his senior season, Wakefield went 5-1 with a 0.50 ERA in 55 innings on the mound and hit .443 and slugged .918 with eight home runs and 27 RBI in 61 at-bats. Wakefield spent his senior season in Georgia after playing his first three seasons in Green Bay, Wisc.

 

 

FEENEY, STEVENS MAKE PRO DEBUTS: Northern Illinois' 2008 draftees P Trevor Feeney and SS Bobby Stevens made their professional debuts in June. Feeney, pitching for the Detroit Tigers' New York-Penn League affiliate (Class A Short Season) Oneonta Tigers, is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA through his first six outings. The righthander has 22 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 21.0 innings of work that includes four starts. Stevens, playing for the Baltimore Orioles' Appalachian League affiliate (Rookie League) is hitting .242 with 15 runs scored, five stolen bases, three doubles, one home run and four RBI through 22 games. Feeney and Stevens are joined in affiliated pro baseball by Matt German, who earned an All-Star selection in the Florida State League (Class A Advanced), is 1-1 with a 3.49 ERA, one save and 39 strikeouts in 38.2 innings over 30 appearances for the Clearwater Threshers (Philadelphia Phillies).

ALL-STAR HUSKIES: Two former Huskies earned professional all-star honors this summer. Matt German was named to the Florida State League (Class A Advanced) All-Star game and helped the West Team to a 9-3 victory with 0.2 innings of scoreless relief and one strikeout. Rob Marconi was the starting centerfielder in the Northern League (Independent) All-Star game and scored a run in a 6-5 victory by the Chicagoland team. Marconi plays for the Gary SouthShore RailCats.

CARCIONE COACHING IN CANADA: Assistant coach Tom Carcione is serving in a similar capacity for the Ottawa Rapidz of the Can-Am League. The Independent minor league dates back to 1936 and was reborn in 2004. Carcione will rejoin the Huskie staff after his summer stint in the Canadian capitol city.

SUMMER RUNDOWN: A summer league update on some other Huskie notables - Jordin Hood is batting .235 with 11 runs, one home run and nine RBI and Pat Minogue has scored six runs with five RBI for the Mat-Su Miners of the top-level Alaska Baseball League ... Dave Reynolds is hitting .298 with 13 RBI nine stolen bases and 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and one save in five mound appearances for the Dupage Dragons of the CICL. ... Also standing out for the Dragons is Tom Zelasko, who owns a 2-1 record and 3.86 ERA in 30.1 innings and 12 appearances, and Justin Behm, who is hitting .320 and slugging .440 with one home run and 13 RBI in 13 games ... Andy Deain is 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 17.0 innings and 16 appearances for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League.

For statistical updates on Huskies throughout the summer, follow the 2008 Northern Illinois Baseball Summer League Tracker link on the NIUHuskies.com baseball page. There is also a link to updated statistics of former Huskies active in professional baseball.

-NIU-