Softball and baseball: Ottawa has half-dozen named Interstate 8 All-Conference; Morris, L-P well-represented

The Interstate 8 has released its spring 2024 all-conference teams, with standout performers for Ottawa, Morris and La Salle-Peru among those receiving honors.

Baseball

Ottawa’s baseball team had three players receive All-Interstate 8 accolades.

Adam Swanson and Lucas Farabaugh – both sophomores for the Pirates – were voted first-team all-conference by the coaches of the league.

Swanson was the Pirates’ top hitter this season past with a .395 batting average, three home runs and 32 runs batted in, also going 6-4 on the mound with a 3.32 earned-run average over 52 2/3 innings worked. Farabaugh pitched 17 2/3 innings and recorded one win, but it was on offense with his .318 batting average, 18 RBIs and 14 stolen bases that he made the biggest impact.

Senior pitcher Tate Wesbecker was Ottawa’s third honoree, earning honorable mention after going 1-0 with three saves and a 1.09 earned-run average over 32 innings pitched.

Ottawa’s archrival, La Salle-Peru, also had three all-conference players – first-team seniors Brendan Boudreau and Seth Adams along with honorable mentionee Jacob Gross, a junior.

Conference champion Morris had six all-conference first-team selections – Jack Wheeler, AJ Zweeres, Brett Bounds, Griffin Zweeres, Nazim Baftiri and 2024 Interstate 8 Player of the Year Cody Delfavero – and honorable mentionee Merek Klicker.

Softball

The Pirates softball team also scored three all-conference slots following its seventh consecutive 20-win season and fourth regional title over the past five postseasons.

Both Maura Condon and Kendall Lowery were voted first-team All-Interstate 8 by the coaches of the six-team league.

Condon, a junior, batted .320 this spring with four home runs, 25 runs batted in and 33 runs scored, also going 10-4 in the circle with a 3.94 earned-run average over 71 innings pitched. Lowery, a senior who also received all-state mention, hit a team-best .424 with six homers, 21 RBIs and 30 runs scored.

The player who split time in the pitching circle with Condon, Peyton Bryson, was awarded Interstate 8 honorable mention after going 8-4 with a 2.45 earned-run average over 117 innings pitched while batting .311 with 14 runs batted in at the plate.

La Salle-Peru had five players voted to the 2024 Interstate 8 All-Conference Team. Taylor Vescogni, Callie Mertes, Ava Lambert and Addie Duttlinger were selected to receive first-team honors, with Karmen Piano earning honorable mention.

Morris softball had three all-league selections, with freshmen Cami Pfeifer and Halie Olson both receiving first-team accolades. Mylie Hughes was accorded honorable mention.