Vote for the 2022 southwestern Illinois Baseball Player of the Year

Vote for the Belleville News-Democrat’s High School Baseball Player of the Year. The poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 9. To vote again, hit refresh.

The BND Baseball Player of the Year poll highlights high school varsity baseball players who put in outstanding performances this spring. The nominees include previous athlete of the week winners this spring and any additional nominations from area coaches and the public. —

To be clear, this poll is not scientific. In fact, we invite you to vote as many times as you want. It’s all for fun, BND readers. People also may submit the same athlete from week to week.

We are planning to post the results later this week after the poll closes.

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Here are the player of the year nominees:

• Connor Bain, Triad High School, senior, P/CF. In the regional championship against Waterloo, Bain had a hit and an RBI while scoring 3 times before later throwing a complete-game 1-hitter while striking out 9 in a sectional championship win against Mascoutah. On the mound this spring, Bain went 6-1 with a 2.08 earned run average and 100 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings. He also is hitting .324 with 9 homers, 26 RBI and 46 runs scored for the Knights, who reached the super-sectional and finished the season 33-6.
• Dalton Boruff, Breese Central High School, senior P/2B. Boruff had 2 hits in a regional loss to Mater Dei Catholic High School. Boruff went 7-0 on the mound this spring with a 1.07 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings pitched. He also batted .381 with 5 homers, 45 runs scored and 35 RBI for the Cougars, who went 29-5.

• Brendan Brock, Mascoutah High School, senior, C. In a sectional semifinal win against Effinghman, Brock posted two hits, drove in 1 run and scored 2 runs. Brock concluded the season batting .477 with 7 home runs, 43 RBI, 57 runs scored and 16 doubles for the Indians, who reached the sectional finals and finished 29-7.

• Evan Davis, Waterloo High School, junior, SS. Davis ended the season batting .484 this season with 1 home run, 15 doubles and 28 RBI. He also pitched 6 1/3 innings over 8 games and went 1-0 with a 0.00 earned run average for the Bulldogs, who finished 16-16.
• Grant Huebner, Edwardsville High School, senior, C/OF. Huebner had a hit and scored 2 runs in a 10-0 win against Minooka in the sectional championship game. Huebner then had 1 hit in the super-sectional game, helping the Tigers prevail and reach state. Huebner is batting .422 on the season with 5 home runs, 38 RBI and 43 runs scored for the Tigers, who are 34-4 and will play in the state semifinals at 3 p.m. Friday, June 10.
• Owen Kelly, Belleville East High School, junior, P/OF. In a regional championship win against Belleville West, Kelly threw 5 no-hit innings while allowing just 1 unearned run. Kelly went 6-0 this spring with a 2.49 earned run average and 62 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched for the Lancers, who reached the sectional semifinals and finished 27-9.
• JD Kramer, Belleville West High School, senior, P/C/1B. In a regional semifinal win against O’Fallon, Kramer threw 10 innings while allowing just 5 hits. Kramer went 4-4 this spring with a 2.32 earned run average in 63 1/3 innings pitched. He also batted .309 with 15 RBI for the Maroons, who won 9 games this spring.
• Joseph Mendiola, Belleville East High School, junior, INF. In a regional championship win against Belleville West, Mendiola had a hit, 2 RBI and 1 run scored. Mendiola batted .450 this season with 2 homers, 27 runs scored, 12 doubles and 36 RBI for the Lancers, who reached the sectional semifinals and finished 27-9.
• Spencer Stearns, Edwardsville High School, senior, INF/P. Stearns threw a 6-inning, 2-hit shutout while fanning 10 and had 2 hits and an RBI in a sectional semifinal win against Belleville East before blasting a home run and driving in 5 in a 10-0 victory against Minooka in the sectional championship game. Stearns then threw 4 shutout innings while allowing just 1 hit while also collecting a single in the super-sectional game, helping the Tigers prevail and reach state. Stearns is 10-0 on the mound this spring with a 0.48 earned run average and 78 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched. At the plate, Stearns is batting .460 on the season with 8 home runs and 45 RBI for the Tigers, who are 34-4 and will play Chicago Brother Rice in the state semifinals at 3 p.m. Friday, June 10, at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet.
• Tyler Tieman, Althoff Catholic High School, senior, INF/OF/P. Tieman hit .415 this season with 3 home runs, 30 runs scored and 38 RBI. He also went 4-3 on the mound with a 3.53 earned run average for the Crusaders, who went 17-17.
• Dominic Voegele, Columbia High School, junior, P/INF. Voegele went 9-3 on the mound this spring while posting a 1.72 earned run average and registering 104 strikeouts in in 65 innings pitched. Voegele also batted .393 with 3 home runs, 33 RBI, 29 runs scored and 14 doubles for the Eagles, who finished 27-8-1 and placed third in the state tournament.
• Alex Wright, Granite City High School, senior, P/IF. Wright batted .333 this spring with 1 home run and 32 RBI while posting 3 wins for the Warriors, who won 13 games this season.

This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 6:00 AM.