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Illinois Sparks Baseball Club
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IL Sparks Banquet and Awards Ceremony
See the attached forms for our first banquet and awards ceremony. Keynote Speaker if former MLB pitcher Dave Dravecky. 1st Inductee Class to Sparks Hall of Fame. Georgios Banquets, Orland Park. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
IL Sparks 2010 17U & 18U Teams
Thanks to all players that attended tryouts for the 2010 Illinois Sparks summer team. We are still sorting through the process of dividing teams. Information will be posted on this website as soon as possible. In the meantime, the dome is open from 4:00pm to 5:30pm M-F specifically for our high school aged players to work out. Beginning December 15th and ending January 15th, the dome will also be open on weekdays from 1pm to 4pm for our ex-Sparks that our currently in college or professional baseball. High-school aged Sparks players are welcome to attend those individual workouts. The dome is open from 8am to 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Team practices will start in January.
Cangelosi 2011 Win Perfect Game/WWBA AZ Underclass World Championship
Cangelosi Baseball Wins 10-2, 9/25/2009 1:15:17 PM
Cangelosi Baseball scored in five of the seven innings to defeat the Perfect Game Gold team 10-2 in early action in the Underclass Tournament.
Two young Cangelosi players in particular showed their prospect tools during the game.
LHP Kyle Wood (2011, St Laurence HS, IL) started the game for Cangelosi and pitched 2 hitless innings. Although he struggled with his control and walked 4, Wood showed a quick and clean arm action and was between 84 and 87 mph on his fastball.
SS Mason Snyder (2011, Marquette HS, IL) batted clean up for Cangelosi and hit a ringing double off the LCF fence on the big league size fields at the Diamondbacks spring training home.
Cangelosi Off to a Hot Start, 9/25/2009 5:31:50 PM
Cangelosi Baseball was as hot as the weather in their first 2 games in the Underclass championships. The Illinois players outscored their opponents 22-2 in 11 innings of play, getting 19 hits in the process.
11 different Cangelosi players have hits already, with 3B Sam Travis leading the way with 4.
Tyler House, Big Projectable LHP for Cangelosi BB, 9/26/2009 10:56:09 AM
Tyler House, a big 6-4, 185 lb 2011 southpaw for Cangelosi Baseball, threw well in Cangelosi's 12-0 win over the ABD Surf Dogs. House, who attends Mt. Carmel HS in Illinois, threw 3 shutout innings in the run rule victory, allowing 1 hit while striking out 5. House pitched between 80-83 mph with his fastball but projects to gain more velocity in the future as he fills out and matures. He also threw an upper 60's curveball and 70 mph change up.
Cangelosi Baseball Edges San Diego Storm, 9/27/2009 6:00:32 PM
The powerful Cangelosi Baseball offense couldnt' put together the big inning against the San Diego Storm, leaving 9 men on base, but they scored just enough to edge the Storm 6-4.
3B Sam Travis continued his hot hitting in the clean up spot, going 2-3 and scoring 2 runs. RF Kyle Wood drove in 3 runs, two on a first inning double.
Championship Game Blog
Cangelosi Baseball avenged a defeat to the ABD Warriors in pool play, winning the championship game of the first Perfect Game/WWBA Underclass National Championship by a 9-7 score.
Both teams were playing with short rosters in the championship game and pretty much out of pitching. A total of 8 different players took the mound for the two teams.
Cangelosi took a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when a booming triple to centerfield by SS Mason Snyder scored leadoff hitter CF Matt Trowbridge. Snyder then scored on a wild pitch. They increased their lead to 5-1 in the 3rd inning, with doubles by Snyder and RHP/3B Sam Travis being the key blows.
The Warriors, most of whose players traveled all the way from Hawaii to play in the championship, stayed in the game by scoring 2 runs in the 4th inning behind doubles by 2B Kaimann Algniza and RF Alan Baldwin, making the score 6-3
Cangelosi stretched the lead back to 9-3 in the 5th inning on a 2 runs double by 1B Collin McEnery but the Warriors again fought back, scoring 4 runs in the top of the 7th inning and putting the potential tying run on second base before Trowbridge, the 5th Cangelosi pitcher, closed the game out.
Snyder was named the Most Valuable Player. The 2011 grad from Marquette HS in Ottawa, Illinois went 8-19 at the plate with 10 runs scored and 8 Rbi's. Six of his 8 hits went for extra bases and he also played solid defense at shortstop.
Cangelosi Baseball LHP Tyler House was named the event's Most Valuable Pitcher. The 6-4, 170 lb southpaw from Mount Carmel HS, Richton Park, Illinois, went 2-0 in 7 innings, including a clutch 4 inning relief outing in the semifinals.
Steven Bajenski (May 8, 1992 – August 28, 2009)
On August 28th we lost a teammate and a friend, Steven Bajenski.
Steven was born with aortic stenosis. When he was an infant, he had surgery to temporarily correct the defect. In 2007, when he was 15 years old, they added a ballooning of the valve. In February of this year, they unsuccessfully tried this procedure again. On July 30th, he had the Ross Konno Procedure done, the same surgery that MLB player Aaron Boone had, and was doing very well. During the early morning of August 1st, complications occurred.
Although Steven was a young man that lived 17 short years, he accomplished 100 years worth during his time with us. We want to thank Steven’s family, Mark, Karen, and Paige for sharing him with us. We are so much better for knowing him, coaching him, and playing alongside him. As an organization, we wrap our collective arms around the Bajenski family to grieve together and shoulder some of their tremendous burden.
Steven Bajenski will never be forgotten in our program. Steven’s legacy will be remembered by our program in a special way to be determined at a later date.
We know that Stevie is in perfect health now and in a perfect place.
Sparks 18U Headed To Connie Mack World Series
Congradulations to the IL Sparks 18U Team of Coach Vitas, Thompson, Marino, Savas and Renner. After falling in to the loser bracket of the double elimination North Central Regional Tournament in Battle Creek, MI; Vitas' team won three games in a row with their backs to the wall to punch their tickets to Farmington, NM.
Pictured are: David Suarez, Eric Zwintscher, Pat Gannon, Anthony Maldonado, Rick Palmer, Coach Marino, Coach Thompson, Coach Savas, Coach Renner, Justing Ringo, Chris Savas, Tony O'Shea, Corey Walden, Tim Drish, Brady Renner, Bob Schuch, Jake Naumann, Jack DeAno, Pat Kaminska and Coach Vitas.
Good luck in Farmington!
Tony Zych Makes USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
Congradulations to current Louisville RHP and former St. Rita HS Mustang and Illinois Spark, Tony Zych.
Way to go!
Cangelosi Baseball 09s Take 2nd In Perfect Game's 2008 WWBA World Championship
Congratulations to Cangelosi Baseball 09's for finishing 2nd in this tournament attended by 80 teams from across the country, Canada and Puerto Rico. Perfect Game's WWBA World Championship is attended by more professional scouts and college coaches than any other single high school baseball tournament in the world. It is estimated that 700 scouts and coaches were in attendance at the home of the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals spring training complex.
Cangelosi Players: Pat Gannon LHP Brother Rice, Justin Kopale MIF/3B St. Rita, Mark Payton OF/LHP St. Rita, Luke Mottashed C/2B Cary Grove, Charlie White OF/LHP Naperville North, Steve DalPorto MIF/3B Nazareth, Matt Highland OF/MIF Herscher, Brandon Hohl 3B/MIF Lincoln-Way East, Chris Savas 3B/1B Willowbrook, Don Stopka 1B/3B Carmel Catholic, Dan Huenecke RHP Palatine, Kevin Gates RHP Chesterton, Jake Naumann RHP Naperville North, Mike Hollenbeck C Joliet Township, David Suarez RHP/3B Lasalle Peru, Pat Kaminska RHP Naperville Central, Mike Kane OF/1B Notre Dave, Anthony Andres LHP/OF St. Rita, Sam Picchiotti MIF/OF Oak Park River Forest, Jack Murphy C/RHP Oak Forest, Brian Krolikowski RHP Batavia, Brian Baldwin RHP/1B Brother Rice
Cangelosi Coaches: Dave Payton, Bill Copp, John Cangelosi, Joe Murphy, Brian Baldwin, Brian White, Jason Vitas
Cangelosi went 4-0 in pool play outscoring their opponents 30 to 8. The pool play wins were 14-1 over New Jersey PG Red, 5-4 over the Ohio Warhawks (pool & tournament favorite), 7-1 over the Dulins Dodgers and 4-2 over Team Worth.
In the round of 16, Cangelosi defeated the Florida Bombers Scout Team 4-1. In the round of 8, Cangelosi defeated the Royals Baseball Club 3-0. In the round of 4, Cangelosi defeated the Texas Scout Team Yankees 3-1. And in the championship game, Cangelosi was defeated by the ABD Bulldogs 7-3.
Congratulations to Mark Payton who was named the championship’s Most Valuable Player for his role in the middle of the batting order, outstanding defense in centerfield and leadership.
The links below will take you to Perfect Game CrossChecker Cangelosi and tournament stories:
Perfect Game CrossChecker's 2008 Jupiter Top 10 List, #1 Cangelosi Embodies Team Concept
Perfect Game CrossChecker's Tournament Blogs
IL Sparks 18s Finish 2nd at Perfect Game's WWBA 2008 Grads 18U National Championship at East Cobb
Congratulations to our 2008 18U players and coaches for finishing 2nd in arguably the most prestigious 18U tournament in the country. The Sparks accomplishment represents the first time that a nothern team has ever advanced beyond the Elite 8 in this tournament's history. This year's tournament was made up of 186 teams and players from across the country. The Sparks finished 9-1 going 5-0 in pool and 4-0 in the tournament round before its only loss in the final championship game of the tournament. John Ruettiger OF/LHP of Joliet Catholic Academy / Arizona State University was named the tournament MVP. The IL Sparks were a recipient of the PG PRO AWARD as well. The recipient of this award is the team that displays the most professionalism, the most class and the best sportsmanship.
You can visit Perfect Game at www.perfectgame.org.
PG Invitational Tournament - Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome
The IL Sparks are excited to announce that Perfect Game has invited our 17U program to participate in this invitational event at the home of the Minnesota Twins. This event will take place on June 10th, 11th and 12th before Perfect Game's National Showcase which will be held over the weekend at the Metrodome. Other programs participating in this event with the IL Sparks include the Minnesota Starz, Midwest Blazers, East Cobb and Orlando Scorpions.
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Date
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Time
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Visitor
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Home
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Location
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6/10/2008
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12:00 PM
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Midwest Blazers Scout Team
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Illinois Sparks 17U
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Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome
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6/11/2008
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12:00 PM
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Illinois Sparks 17U
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Orlando Scorpions 17U Purple
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Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome
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6/11/2008
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2:30 PM
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Illinois Sparks 17U
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East Cobb Braves 17
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Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome
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6/12/2008
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11:30 AM
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Minnesota Starz
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Illinois Sparks 17U
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Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome
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You can visit Perfect Game at www.perfectgame.org.
Sparks 10U - 15U Teams
Illinois Sparks Mission
Our mission is simple: We will strive as a program to ensure that the young men in our organization are provided professional training and instruction. Additionally, we will place a significant emphasis on exposing the IL Sparks to collegiate baseball and the necessary qualities they must possess to play at that level.
Our intent is to play at the highest level of national competition while concurrently providing the required exposure to college coaches and professional scouts. We take a great deal of PRIDE in being a Spark, not only on the field, but off the field as well. We strive to teach each of our players that no individual is larger than the team, and without each other, there is no team.
Illinois Sparks Organization
The Illinois Sparks are one of the region's top amateur programs at the 16U, 17U and 18U levels. Having succeeded on the national stage in many different venues, the program has become recognized nationally because of its talented players. This recognition is very important to the IL Sparks as we have developed many significant relationships with college coaches and professional scouts that will assist our players in achieving their baseball related goals. We are an organization that places our emphasis on creating great practice habits. We promote team play. We feel strongly that the foundation of our program comes from the strength and professionalism of our coaches, as well as the support from the players and parents of the entire organization. We are a non-profit 501C organization. Without the support from our benefactors and parents, this program would never be possible.
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