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Washington Evening Journal
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Allen captains big school baseball team
Trojan senior earns top honors; MP coach Broeker selected
The 2023 high school baseball season has come and gone, and the Southeast Conference had plenty of battles. The three Union area big schools were right in the thick of the action.
Fairfield and Mt. Pleasant were neck-and-neck all year long. Fairfield won the season series 2-1, but Mt. Pleasant earned some revenge in the Substate tournament.
Washington got off to a hot start to conference play by sweeping the rival Panthers at home, but a long rough stretch proved to be the Demons’ doom.
The 2023 All-Union big school baseball team was a tough one to figure out, but in the end, one coach and 13 players were selected to the squad.
COACH: Brent Broeker, Mt. Pleasant
Coach Broeker’s Panthers were coming off the back of two-straight years under .500, but Mt. Pleasant would get back to its winning ways in 2023.
The Panthers finished just above an even record, going 13-12 overall and 8-7 in Southeast Conference play.
In the postseason, Mt. Pleasant won a two-day extra inning battle against rival Fairfield in the first round before getting knocked out by state ranked Marion in the Substate semifinals.
CAPTAIN: Tate Allen (12), Fairfield
It was clear who the leader of the Fairfield baseball team was this season. Tate Allen did everything for his team in his final year of ball, finishing as one of the most feared pitchers and hitters in the conference.
On the mound, Allen had a stellar year, going 5-2 with a 2.03 ERA and a team-leading 57 strikeouts.
At the plate, Allen served as the ideal leadoff man for the Trojans. He hit .316 on the season and finished with a fantastic .511 on base percentage. Allen hit five doubles on the year, knocked in 17 runs and stole 21 bases.
PITCHER: Ben Newton (11), Mt. Pleasant
Mt. Pleasant’s Ben Newton rose up to be a true No. 1 pitcher for the Panthers this season.
Newton went 3-3 this season and finished the year with a 1.36 ERA, best among all Panther starters. Newton struck out 37 batters on the year, which led the team.
Newton was also solid at the plate, hitting .229 with two doubles and 12 RBIs.
PITCHER: Isaac Vetter (12), Washington
The Demons didn’t have a ton of success in the win column this year, but when Washington was in a game, there’s a pretty good chance Isaac Vetter was on the pitcher’s mound.
Vetter finished the year with a 4.83 ERA and struck out 21 batters, most among all Demons. He also finished second on the team with a .311 batting average, one double and seven RBIs.
CATCHER: Carter Amos (12), Mt. Pleasant
A slow start to the season didn’t stop Carter Amos from proving he could provide a whole lot of power.
Amos hit .253 this year with six doubles, one triple and two home runs. He led Mt. Pleasant with 24 RBIs on the year.
INFIELD: Zerek Venghaus (12), Mt. Pleasant
Mt. Pleasant’s leadoff man did everything for his team this summer. Zerek Venghaus was one of the best in the conference at getting on base, finishing the year with a .372 average and a .495 on base percentage.
Venghaus hit five doubles and knocked in 14 runs at the plate and led the team with 22 runs and 10 stolen bases. He also added three wins and a 3.03 ERA on the pitcher’s mound.
INFIELD: Ethan Patterson (12), Washington
It was yet another strong year in yet another sport for Washington senior Ethan Patterson, who has become a mainstay on the All-Union squads, no matter what season it is.
Patterson’s final All-Union selection comes after he finished the year with a team-leading .329 batting average. Patterson hit five doubles and one triple, and finished the year with seven RBIs.
INFIELD: Dain Burkhart (9), Fairfield
Fairfield’s Dain Burkhart provided an enormous boost for Fairfield this season, rising to be a top SEC name in just his freshman year.
Burkhart hit .277 on the season. He had just one extra base hit, a double, but netted 17 RBIs. He stole 15 bases, second-best on the team.
Burkhart also jumped into a big pitching role, going 4-2 with a 1.48 ERA and 30 strikeouts.
INFIELD: Caden Allison (11), Fairfield
The Union had so many good catchers in the big area this year that a couple earned ‘infield’ spots, and Caden Allison certainly earned his.
Allison hit .258 this season and tallied three doubles for the Trojans. He had 20 RBIs on the year, one of three Trojans to reach that mark.
OUTFIELD: Tallon Bates (11), Fairfield
Whether it was at the plate, on the mound or in the outfield, Tallon Bates was a dangerous one for opposing teams.
Bates hit .315 at the plate this year, finishing with five doubles, two triples, one home run and a team-leading 27 RBIs. He also stole 10 bases.
He served as a starter and a key reliever on the mound, earning two wins, 31 strikeouts and a 3.42 ERA.
OUTFIELD: Payton Walker (10), Mt. Pleasant
Mt. Pleasant’s Payton Walker bursted on to the scene this year and climbed to the middle of the Panthers’ order.
Walker hit .319 at the plate this season and finished the year with three doubles, one triple, two home runs and 17 RBIs.
OUTFIELD: Payson Coleman (11), Mt. Pleasant
Another speedster for Mt. Pleasant was junior Payson Coleman, who added to the team’s outfield depth.
Coleman finished fourth on the team with a .319 average and ended the year with two doubles, one triple and nine RBIs. He also stole eight bases.
UTILITY: J.C. Sitar (10), Mt. Pleasant
Another sophomore who burst on to the varsity scene for Mt. Pleasant this year was J.C. Sitar, who provided a tough middle of the order bat of opposing pitchers to face.
Sitar, most often used as a designated hitter, hit .323 this season. He finished the year with four doubles, one triple, a home run and 12 RBIs.
UTILITY: Caleb Zieglowsky (11), Washington
Demon junior Caleb Zieglowsky was another excellent catcher in the SEC this season.
Zieglowsky used his experience at the plate, and behind it, to stand out as one of the best Washington players this summer. He hit .243 with 14 RBIs and three doubles this season.
