Lisle, Ill. - In a game that featured 23 combined runs scored in the first five innings, then only one run scored over the final 3 1/2 innings, the Illinois Tech baseball team's season came to a close Saturday afternoon, as the number four seed Scarlet Hawks fell to the number two seed Aurora Spartans 13-11 in an elimination game in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) postseason tournament. The Scarlet Hawks finish the season 24-18 overall. The Spartans improved to 32-10 overall, and advanced to the NACC Baseball Championship on Sunday to take on tournament-unbeaten Benedictine.

The Scarlet Hawks trailed 6-0 after two innings of play, but a six-run third inning tied the score at 6-6. Illinois Tech held an 11-8 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before Aurora answered with four runs to retake the lead, en route to their victory. Three of the Spartans' 13 runs scored were of the unearned variety.

Despite the exit from the tournament, the Scarlet Hawks completed a very successful season, improving their overall and conference win totals from last season, while holding down a top four spot in the conference standings most of the season. 

Senior Sam Sproule finished out his Scarlet Hawk career with a great tournament performance, hitting .615 over the three games the Hawks played, going 8 for 13 with 3 runs scored, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 RBI and a perfect 4-4 in stolen bases. Sproule was one of two Scarlet Hawks to be named to the NACC All-Tournament team, along with teammate Phil Trojanowski.

Aurora 13 - Illinois Tech 11
Down 6-0 entering the top half of the third inning, the Scarlet Hawks bats came to life, with the first six batters getting hits to set the Hawks offense in motion. A lead-off single by Tyler Gutsfeld and a double by Michael Paxon put runners on second and third with nobody out for Connor Blake. Blake tripled to right-center, plating both runners and cutting the Hawks deficit to 6-2. Samuel Sproule followed with an RBI single through the left side of the infield. After Sproule stole second and third base in succession, Michael Lindenmuth followed with an RBI single up the middle, pulling the Hawks within two runs. Catcher Lucas Waunn singled up the middle to put runners on first and third with nobody out. A Spartans' wild pitch scored Lindenmuth and moved Waunn into second base. After a strikeout, a Jack Friar single and a Matthew Bove hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Gutsfeld, who lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Waunn with the tying run.

After the Spartans Nick Czarnec homered in the bottom of the third inning to put Aurora back out in front 7-6, the Scarlet Hawks responded with two runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead. A leadoff home run by Connor Blake tied the score at 7-7. A trio of walks and a fielder's choice by the Spartans loaded the bases for the Scarlet Hawks. With two outs, the Hawks manufactured a run courtesy of a triple steal, with Waunn scoring on the back-end after Timmy Old stole second base and Friar stole third base, giving the Hawks an 8-7 lead. The lead was short-lived however, as an RBI double by Aurora's Nik Panico in the bottom of the fourth inning scored Nico Bermeo to tie the score at 8-8.

The Scarlet Hawks kept up their offensive attack in the top of the fifth inning. A leadoff single by Gutsfeld and a one-out walk by Blake brought Sproule to the plate, who promptly singled to left to score Gutsfeld. Blake and Sproule each took an extra base on the throw attempt to home, putting runners on second and third with one out. Lindenmuth followed with an RBI groundout to second base, scoring Blake and moving Sproule into third base. An RBI single by Waunn through the left side scored Sproule, giving the Hawks an 11-8 lead. Aurora would counter with four runs in their bottom half of the fifth inning, however, using three singles and three walks to plate four runs to retake the lead, 12-11.

The only other run in the game came in the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Spartans took advantage of a Scarlet Hawks throwing error, allowing Bermeo to reach base, and eventually score on an RBI double by Derek Angelo.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Samuel Sproule 4 for 5 with 2 RBI, 2 runs scored and two stolen bases. Named to NACC All-Tournament Team.
• Connor Blake 2 for 5 with a home run, a triple, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.
• Tyler Gutsfeld 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, 1 RBI and 1 stolen base.
• Lucas Waunn 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, 1 RBI and  1 stolen base.
• Michael Lindenmuth 1 for 4 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI.
• Phil Trojanowski with 3.1 innings of 1-run, 1-hit ball in relief to keep the game within reach. Named to NACC All-Tournament Team.

Spartans Watch

• Catcher Derek Angelo 2 for 3 with a double, 4 RBI and 1 run scored.
• Nik Panico 2 for 5 with 3 RBI.
• Nick Czarnecki 2 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs scored and 1 RBI.
• Sam Harvey with 5.1 innings in relief for the win, scattering 5 hits and three runs while striking out 8 and walking only 1.

Season Wrap-Up
The Scarlet Hawks finished the season 24-18 overall and 17-7 in NACC regular season play, an improvement over the 2023 season win totals of 22-21 and 14-10, respectively. They finished fourth in the conference standings after finishing in fifth place the prior season.

Offensive Leaders

• Batting Average: Samuel Sproule - .419
• OPS (On-base plus slugging percentage) - Connor Blake - 1.236
• On-base Percentage - Samuel Sproule - .511
• Slugging Percentage - Michael Paxson - .761
• Hits - (tie) - Samuel Sproule and Tyler Gutsfeld - 65
• Doubles - Michael Paxson - 14
• Triples - (tie) - Connor Blake, Michael Paxson, Tyler Gutsfeld - 2
• Home Runs - Michael Paxson - 15
• RBI - Connor Blake - 51
• Runs Scored - Michael Paxson - 59
• Stolen Bases - Samuel Sproule - 35(out of 38 attempts)
• Walks - Jack Friar - 28

Pitching Leaders

• Starter ERA - Cameron Bracewell - 3.93
• Reliever ERA - Phil Trojanowski - 3.06
• Wins - Cameron Bracewell - 7
• Saves - (tie) -  Phil Trojanowski and Mason Kim - 3
• Strikeouts - Cameron Bracewell - 87
• Innings Pitched - Cameron Bracewell - 73.1
• Opponents Batting Average - Cameron Bracewell - .223
• WHIP (walks & hits divided by innings pitched) - Cameron Bracewell - 1.15

Defensive Leaders

• Pitcher - Austin Richardson - 1.000 (16 chances, 7 putouts, 9 assists)
• Catcher - Lucas Waunn - .981 (213 chances, 201 putouts, 8 assists)
• Outfielder - Tyler Gutsfeld - .992 (118 chances, 114 putouts, 3 assists)
• Infielder - Michael Paxson - .971 (272 chances, 245 putouts, 19 assists)

Future Outlook

The Scarlet Hawks will be graduating 5 players from this year's squad: Connor Blake and Austin Richardson, who have both made their way into the Scarlet Hawks record book; Samuel Sproule, who became a force at the plate and on the base paths for the Hawks while playing a solid left field; Michael Lindenmuth, who nailed down the third base spot this season and came up with some huge plays in the field and at the plate this season; David Cooper, last season's starting catcher who was slowed by injury this season but his bat, glove and pitch-calling will be missed.

But Head Coach Ed Zeifert and his staff will bring back several starters and key players into next season, along with an influx of new recruits to help keep the arrow pointing up for the Scarlet Hawks. Among the probable key returners for the Scarlet Hawks are sluggers Michael Paxson and Tyler Gutsfeld, catcher Lucas Waunn, infielders Matthew Bove and Jack Friar, super utility player Mason Kim, along with pitchers Cameron Bracewell, Phil Trojanowski, Brendan Dwyer, and Alexander Lazes among others. 










From left, Illinois Tech Baseball departing seniors Connor Blake, Austin Richardson, Sam Sproule, Michael Lindenmuth and David Cooper.










From left, probable returning Illinois Tech Baseball players Tyler Gutsfeld, Michael Paxson, Lucas Waunn, Cameron Bracewell, Phil Trojanowski and Mason Kim.