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Shoen, Jahnz captain All-Area team

Jaguar teammates share Sentinel’s baseball player of the year award

Whether hitting in back-to-back spots in the Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman batting order or stepping to the mound for consecutive starts, Derek Shoen and Zach Jahnz have proven a potent 1-2 punch for the Jaguar baseball team.

The talented tandem played key roles in building Jaguar mentor Scott Chirpich’s program into a legitimate contender for both the Valley Conference and Section 2A championships during the past four diamond campaigns.

In fact, Shoen and Jahnz helped rewrite the Jaguars’ record books en route to capturing the program’s first-ever Class A state baseball appearance in 2017.

“Those two will definitely be missed next season,” Chirpich said in reference to losing the pair of highly-skilled multi-taskers to high school graduation this spring.

Jahnz closed out his stellar prep baseball career by being selected to join his coach in the Play Ball! Minnesota High School Baseball All-Star Series on June 22-23 at Chaska Athletic Park.

The hard-throwing right-hander earned his all-star bid by compiling a 4-2 record and 2.16 ERA on the strength of a team-best 50 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings pitched in 2018.

The three-time all-Section 2 selection also swung a potent bat by driving in a Jaguars-best 25 runs with a .354 batting average.

The three-time all-Valley Conference choice collected 23 hits, including one home run, four doubles and two triples, en route to crossing the plate 10 times.

While Jahnz produced the Jaguars’ third-best seasonal batting average this spring, the hard-hitting Shoen generated the team’s No. 1 batting clip of .467 to cap his senior diamond season.

The two-time all-state selection swatted a team-high five home runs and drilled seven doubles to produce a second-best 20 RBIs in 2018. The four-time all-section choice also drew an incredible 20 walks from opposing pitchers.

The four-time all-Valley Conference right-hander posted a 3-2 record and team-low 2.05 ERA by striking out 46 batters in a team-best 34 1/3 innings of work.

Both of the 2018 Sentinel All-Area baseball players of the year will continue their playing days at the junior college level next season. Shoen will hit the diamond for Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, while Jahnz will don a jersey for Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Worthington.

Here’s an inside look at the rest of the 2018 Sentinel All-Area baseball team.

Hunter Bleess (Blue Earth Area) — The hard-throwing right-hander topped the Bucs’ pitching staff with a 3-3 record and 3.67 ERA on the strength of a team-best 57 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched.

Bleess also proved an offensive threat at the plate by hitting .304 via two doubles this spring.

The junior infielder collected nine RBIs, scored 11 runs and worked out 10 walks to cap 2018.

Blake Crawmer (North Union) — The two-time All-Area choice topped the Warriors in nearly offensive category during the summer.

The all-Top of Iowa Conference selection hit a team-best .328 by generating team-leading numbers in hits (22), doubles (3), triples (1) and HRs (1).

The North Union senior scored a team-best 21 runs, was hit by a pitch seven times and topped the green-and-black attack in on-base percentage (.423) and slugging (.448) to close out his solid prep baseball playing days.

Nick Eversman (Fairmont) — The all-Big South Conference selection edged All-Area teammate Nate Kallenbach for the Cardinals’ batting crown, .362-.361, during his first season as a varsity starter.

The smooth-hitting left-handed batter co-led Fairmont with seven doubles to help produce 12 RBIs to complement 11 runs scored this spring.

The junior right-handed thrower proved a multi-tasker by playing every infield position, in addition to stepping to the mound.

Wyatt Geistfeld (Martin County West) — The all-Valley Conference first-teamer posted the No. 1 batting average — .440 — on the black-and-blue roster in 2018.

The sophomore shortstop scored 18 runs, stole 14 bases, doubled once and collected seven RBIs to cap a solid season.

Nate Kallenbach (Fairmont) — The all-Big South Conference choice made a smooth transition from shortstop to center field during his senior campaign on the diamond.

The two-time All-Area selection hit at a second-best team clip of .361 on the strength of a team-leading 26 hits, including two triples and four doubles.

The three-year varsity starter delivered a No. 2-best team total of 16 RBIs and scored 13 runs to close out his outstanding prep sports career.

Karson Legred (Blue Earth Area) — The honorable mention all-Big South Conference choice finished second on the Bucs with 10 RBIs on the season.

The junior catcher topped Blue Earth Area with five doubles and 18 walks drawn to complement a third-best team batting clip of .340.

The hard-working Legred scored 11 runs this spring, and will be a cornerstone to build around in 2019.

Bobby Lindsey (Blue Earth Area) — The all-Big South Conference player topped the Bucs with a .412 batting average via a second-best team total of 21 hits in 2018.

The sure-handed senior shortstop led Blue Earth Area by scoring 14 runs, swiped eight bases and drove in seven runs with a pair of doubles.

Lindsey compiled a 1-1 record, striking out 17 and walking six in 14 innings pitched to cap his prep diamond career.

Noah Ringnell (Martin County West) — The second-team all-Valley Conference selection topped the Mavericks’ batting order by generating 14 RBIs this season.

The senior first baseman/pitcher hit at a .318 clip, including three doubles, two triples and one HR, to complement nine runs scored.

Ringnell compiled a 3-2 record with one save and a 4.09 ERA on the strength of 35 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings pitched.

Joe Schavey (Blue Earth Area) — The hard-nosed senior paced the Bucs’ offensive effort with 22 hits and nine stolen bases this spring.

Blue Earth Area’s middle infielder finished second behind Bobby Lindsey with a .355 batting average, including a team-best two triples to go with three doubles.

Schavey collected 10 RBIs and drew eight walks during his final prep season on the diamond.

Jordan Wolter (Fairmont) — Wolter displayed his scrappiness by co-leading the Cardinals with 18 runs scored in 2018.

Fairmont junior right fielder collected 22 hits, including two doubles, to pace a .272 batting average during his first year as a varsity starter.

Wolter produced 13 RBIs and drew seven bases-on-balls during the spring campaign.

Zach Wolter (Martin Luther/GHEC/ Truman) — The Class 1A all-stater produced the Jaguars’ second-best batting average of .393 on the strength of 24 hits during the spring.

The two-time all-Section 2 choice generated four doubles and two triples to drive in 10 runs to complement scoring a co-team-best 25 runs.

The three-time all-Valley Conference selection drew 11 walks from opposing pitchers and struck out only one time in 61 at-bats.

The senior shortstop played a key role in helping the Jaguars qualify for the 2017 Class A state tournament for the first time in the program’s history.

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