Aug. 22, 2006
Final Summer Statistics in PDF Format
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Illini senior closer Jake Toohey rode a strong second half of the spring season all through the summer, leading the Rochester Honkers to Northwoods League regular season and tournament championships, and breaking the NWL single-season saves record with 24. Toohey was named the Honkers' Pitcher of the Year as Rochester broke the NWL single-season wins record with 50 victories, besting the record of 46 held by Illini assistant coach Eric Snider's 1998 Waterloo Bucks team.
For Rochester, Toohey recorded a 0.91 ERA in 29 2/3 innings, going 1-0. He allowed just three earned runs and 11 walks while striking out 45 and allowing opponents to hit .141 while being named to both the midseason and postseason All-Star teams. Three other Illini had strong seasons in the NWL, with Mike Rohde once again starring for the Madison Mallards while Joe Bonadonna and Lars Davis led Duluth to 26 wins in the season's second half, tying Toohey's Rochester squad for the NWL record. Scott Shaw and Ryan Hastings both had solid summers in Waterloo, but the Bucks struggled to a 28-40 record.
Rohde led the Mallards with a .261 average, four homers, 25 RBI, a .355 slugging percentage and a .372 on-base percentage. Madison finished the summer in second place in the NWL South Division. Bonadonna hit .256 and was second on Duluth with 13 steals in 15 attempts, and Davis hit .223 in 94 at bats, driving in 15 and scoring 13 runs. In Waterloo, Shaw was one of three Bucks pitchers to throw over 70 innings, going 4-3 with a 2.40 ERA and a .224 opponent batting average in 71 1/3 innings. Hastings led the Bucks with 28 runs and was second on the team with a .273 average, 23 RBI, 62 hits, 22 walks and 12 steals in 14 attempts.
Elsewhere, Shawn Roof, Ryan Snowden, Dominic Altobelli and Aaron Martin's Fayetteville Swampdogs fell two wins short of the Coastal Plain League Petit Cup title, losing in the semifinals. Roof broke the CPL record for hit by pitches with 16 in 51 games. He also scored a team-high 37 runs and had a .406 on-base percentage, second on the team. After a rocky start, Martin finished 5-1 with a 1.59 ERA and four combined shutouts in 45 1/3 innings while allowing opponents to hit just .179.
In the Central Illinois Collegiate League, Ben Reeser made an impact as a midseason addition to the Twin City Stars, going 1-1 with a 2.59 ERA in 24 1/3 innings and a complete-game shutout for the CICL tournament champion Stars. Tanner Roark showed flashes for the regular-season champion Danville Dans, but finished the year 2-7 with a 6.38 ERA in 55 innings. Blake Hopkins finished the season 0-1 with a 4.34 ERA in 29 innings for the Dans.
In the Great Lakes League, Illini newcomer Daniel Webb led the Delaware Cows with a .323 average, 17 runs, 43 hits, nine doubles, 13 walks and 15 RBI. Luke Obukowicz had a tougher season in Granville, going 0-4 with a 4.93 ERA in 34 2/3 innings.
In other collegiate summer leagues, Danny Schroeder led the Pitcher Perfect squad to a Peoria Sunday Morning League title and won the regular season batting crown with a.386 average. It was Schroeder's third title with the squad and Pitcher Perfect's fifth-straight championship.
Robinson Traded to Cubs: Earlier this week, former Illini catcher Chris Robinson was traded from the Detroit Tigers organization to the Chicago Cubs for infielder Neifi Perez. Robinson will move from Advanced-A Lakeland to Advanced-A Daytona, staying in the Florida State League.
