Five Chiefs receive post-season honors

Five Chiefs receive post-season honors

The Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) and the NJCAA's Region 4 recognized five Waubonsee Community College baseball players for their outstanding play this past spring. The Chiefs' Joel Johnson, Donavan Zielke and Trey Hernandez were each named All-Region First Team, while Ryan Buck and Chazz Crook received All-Region Second Team honors. Johnson and Hernandez were also chosen to the All-ISCC Second Team, with Buck selected All-ISCC Honorable Mention.

Johnson, an Oswego High School graduate, finished the spring with a .377 batting average as the lead-off hitter in the Chiefs' lineup. The left-handed hitting sophomore outfielder led Waubonsee with 60 hits and 34 walks drawn on the way to posting a .490 on-base percentage. Johnson also booked a team-leading 49 runs scored and swiped 22 bases in 22 attempts, while also registering nine outfield assists. Zielke, sophomore right-handed pitcher from Oswego East High School, won six games and struck out 63 over 51 and a third innings pitched, compiling a 4.88 earned-run-average overall. A left-handed hitter, he also went 8 for 20 at the plate for a .400 batting average.

A sophomore outfielder from Yorkville High School, Buck batted .371 on the season with six doubles, a triple and three home runs. The left-handed hitter drove in 28 runs and compiled a .533 slugging percentage and a .439 on-base percentage. In addition, Buck made seven appearances on the mound going 2-2 with a 3.81 earned-run-average over 28 and a third innings pitched. Crook, a sophomore from Orem, Utah, batted .250 with 21 runs driven in overall on the season. A freshman infielder from Oswego High School, Hernandez batted .331 with nine doubles, three triples and two homers while knocking in a team-leading 31 runs. The right-handed hitter posted a .415 on-base percentage and stole 10 bases in 13 attempts.

Waubonsee finished the season 21-33 overall and bowed out of the Region 4 Division III Tournament in the second round. The Chiefs went 5-9 in conference play to finish sixth in the league standings. However, during the season the Chiefs scored wins over nationally-ranked Niagara County (NY) Community College, Madison (WI) College, Black Hawk College and Joliet Junior College.

          

                     Joel Johnson                                      Donavan Zielke                                    Trey Hernandez                                            Ryan Buck                                          Chazz Crook