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Bowan Sill, So., OF, GHEC/T/ML
Granada Huntley East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther head coach Jordan Petschke called Bowan Sill one of the "most athletic athletes in the section." In addition to anchoring center field for the Jaguars, Sill contributed heavily on offense. The sophomore slashed .462 from the plate with 24 hits - five doubles and one triple. Still got on base at a .556 mark, scoring 21 times and stealing 14 bases. Petschke expects even bigger things for Sill in the coming years.
Brock Jagodzinske, So., 2B/OF/C, MCW
Brock Jagodzinske did it all for the Martin County Mavericks this past spring. He led the team in batting average at .455. Jagodzinske was second in OBP (.571) and third in OPS (1.026). Throughout his many positions on defense, Jagodzinske finished with a perfect fielding percentage for head coach Jon Traetow.
Casey Rezac, Jr., C/P, North Union
Casey Rezac was one of the biggest production risers for North Union this summer. He contributed on all sides of the field. Offensively, Casey Rezac hit .342 with an OBP of .451. But the junior was just as deadly on the basepaths, finishing with 27 stolen bases while being thrown out only once. Casey Rezac threw out eight batters and helped the Warriors’ pitching staff call a sound game as their catcher. When not behind the plate, Casey Rezac emerged as a go-to arm for North Union, leading the team in starts and posting a 3.27 ERA. He struck out 40 batters in just under 26 innings.
Jensen Livesay, Jr., 1B/DH, Fairmont
Usually found in the No. 2 spot of head coach Don Waletich's batting order, Livesay compiled a strong season for a potent Fairmont scoring attack. The first baseman and designated hitter finished 2026 with a .397 batting average and an OPS of 1.296. He was tied for first in home runs for the Cardinals, sending six over the outfield fence, to power his 32 RBIs. Livesay also had an impressive OBP of .552 and led Fairmont with 21 walks.
Joey Crissinger, Jr., 1B/3B/P, Fairmont
Behind Livesay in the lineup was Crissinger. Crissinger did about everything you needed from an offensive perspective. You want hitting? Crissinger finished with a .494 batting average while reaching base at a .590 clip. You want power? Crissinger did that too, raking in six home runs, 13 doubles and three triples to fuel a 1.530 OPS. His 40 RBIs on 41 hits constantly kept the Cardinals’ offense in reach of mounting a monumental inning. Crissinger also helped the Fairmont pitching staff in a handful of bullpen opportunities. He posted a 2.57 ERA over 19 innings, collecting 15 strikeouts.
Joseph Hackett, Sr., C, Fairmont
Joseph Hackett was a sturdy player for Fairmont in multiple facets of the game. Hackett's presence behind the plate was second to none in the area, according to Waletich, and it showed in his play. He blocked balls efficiently and threw out opposing base runners at a 70% clip. His offensive numbers weren't too shabby either. Hackett finished with a .356 batting average with an OPS of .846. He laced six doubles and a triple, while driving in 28 runs. A complete player who did a little bit of everything.
Max Merrill, Jr., SS/P, North Union
Max Merrill was another reason the Warriors finished with the most wins since 2016. He led North Union with a .444 batting average while tacking on 11 doubles and two triples, helping his 25 RBI output. Merrill also had the highest OPS (1.182) and OBP (.529). The shortstop contributed to the pitcher’s mound with 16 innings and garnered 27 strikeouts. North Union head coach Cory Rezac said you could put Merrill anywhere on the field and he would have a positive impact.
Merritt Pomerenke, Sr., 3B/OF, Fairmont
The purpose of a leadoff hitter is to get on base any way they can. Merritt Pomerenke fit that bill perfectly for the Cardinals, leading the team in OBP at .602. Pomerenke tied Crissinger for best batting average at .494, and finished the year with an OPS of 1.147. Of his 38 hits, 35 were singles, along with two doubles and a triple. Pomerenke played a sound third base and collected the second-most putouts on the team behind Hackett.
Noah Heckman, So., P, Fairmont
Noah Heckman took over the Fairmont pitching staff during his sophomore season. The number-one innings thrower (42.1) for the Cardinals posted a 2.31 earned run average and boasted a 6-1 record. He struck out 42 individuals while holding opponents to a .201 batting average. Nearly every time Heckman got the ball in a big moment, he delivered.
Honorable Mentions
Cole Nicoson, Sr., 3B, North Union (.438 BA, 1.099 OPS, 26 RBIs)
Cooper Hoye, Jr., P/OF, North Union (.342 BA, .955 OPS, 33.1 IP, 31 Ks)
Griffin Studer, Sr., SS/P, GHEC/T/ML (.298 BA, 2 HRs, 20 runs, 4 2Bs)
Landon Schneider, So., 2B/SS/P, GHEC/T/ML (.340 BA, .492 OBP, 30 IP, 23 Ks)
Lane Kruse, Sr., C, GHEC/T/ML (.467 BA, .644 OBP, 10 RBIs)
EDITORS NOTE:
All names on the 2026 All-Sentinel Baseball Team and Honorable Mentions are listed alphabetically. The All-Sentinel Baseball and Softball Players of the Year will be announced in Saturday's edition of The Sentinel.