Lombard State League Domination Continues
August 5, 2009
2009 saw the Lombard Orioles continue their domination of the Wisconsin State Baseball League. Skipper Jeff Vukovich's ball club posted a 24-8 record to claim its sixth straight title.
2009 saw the Lombard Orioles continue their domination of the Wisconsin State Baseball League. Skipper Jeff Vukovich’s ball club posted a 24-8 record to claim its sixth straight title, eighth of the last nine seasons and 10th in the last 13.
The Eau Claire Cavaliers finished second, four games back at 20-12, with the Oshkosh Giants third at 17-11. Lombard’s Nate Roberts led the league in hitting with a .421 average.
Roberts, who hit .515 for the Parkland College Cobras last spring to earn second team Juco All-American honors, is headed for High Point University this fall. Roberts led the league in hits (40), runs batted in (34) and slugging percentage (.621) in addition to leading in batting average.Brad Archambeau of the Eau Claire Cavaliers, who tied a league record with six triples this season, hit .376 to finish second in hitting. Eau Claire teammate Matt Miller was third at .370. Rounding out the top five were Nat Richter of Manitowoc .365 and Tim Patzman of Sheboygan and Will Schinagl of Addison at .359.
Schinagl was the home run champion with four. Patzman led in doubles (13) and total bases (63). Lombard’s Rick Angell led in stolen bases with 14.Kenosha Kings’ Jon Olson led pitching with a 6-0 record (three wins by shutout) and a 0.66 earned run average. Runner-up was teammate John Kleinmeyer 1.36 with Janesville veteran Tom Klawitter third at 1.78. Lombard’s Ian Kroll was the strikeout king with 58.
Eau Claire first baseman Lance Poppy set a league record by handling a record 227 chances without an error to lead the league in fielding. The former record was 220 set by Mark Zeratsky of Green Bay in 1992. Manitowoc led team hitting with a .291 average. Lombard was second at .284 and Oshkosh third at .283.
Lombard had the top pitching staff with a 3.45 earned run average and 245 strikeouts in 235 innings. Kenosha was runner up at 3.46 and Oshkosh third 3.79.
Lombard led defensively with a .974 team average. Eau Claire was runner-up .972 and Oshkosh third .970.
The Wisconsin State League is one of the premier semi-professional/amateur baseball leagues in the mid-west. In operation since 1970, the Wisconsin State League is a highly competitive league that features many of the midwest's top current and former collegiate athletes, as well as many former professional baseball players. Keep up to date on everything happening in the Wisconsin State League by following the league online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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