Players from Macomb High, West Prairie/Southeastern and Bushnell-Prairie City were named to this year’s Prairieland All-Conference baseball team in a vote by the league’s coaches.
The selections included three players named to the first team.
Macomb High junior Nick Elbe was a unanimous selection to the first team for the second straight year.
On the season, Elbe had a batting average of .522 avg, and an on-base percentage of .621. That included drawing 18 walks and getting hit by pitches 12 times.
He finished the season with 60 hits in 34 games, including 11 doubles, eight triples and six home runs. Elbe scored 50 runs, while knocking in 48, posting an on-base plus slugging (OPS) percentage of 1.534.
WP/SE junior Matthew Whitman was also named to the first team for the second consecutive spring.
The designated hitter/ shortstop hit .500 in conference play (13-of-26) including four home runs.
He recorded an OPS of 1.721 as he knocked in nine runs and scored 14. Whitman also stole nine bases.
Bushnell-Prairie City senior Connor Palm rounded out the local first team selections.
He hit .367 this season for the Spartans, recording 33 hits in 90 at-bats. That included seven doubles and two triples as he knocked in nine runs from his lead-off spot in the batting order.
Palm finished with a .919 OPS, while also recording 10 stolen bases.
On the mound, Palm pitched 49.2 innings, allowing 36 earned runs on 59 hits. He struck out 75 and walked 27, finishing the season with a 5.07 earned run average.
He was a Prairieland Conference Special Mention selection a year ago.
Three local players were also named to the second team.
MHS sophomore Jake Ogle hit .398 this season, recording 41 hits including seven doubles. He had a .508 on-base percentage that included drawing 16 walks and being hit by pitches nine times.
Ogle finished with an OPS of .974 as he knocked in 32 runs while scoring 31.
Meanwhile, MHS senior Drew Watson and WP/SE senior Austin Nelson return to the second team for the second straight year.
Watson hit .321 for the Bombers, finishing with 27 hits that included five doubles. Watson knocked in 13 runs.
He finished with a .441 on-base percentage, drawing 16 walks, while scoring 24 runs.
Nelson, who played third base and catcher for the Cyclones, hit. .370 in Prairieland play (10-of-27).
He knocked in seven runs, scored five times and stole five bases. Nelson finished with an OPS of .892.
Rounding out the list of local honorees is MHS senior pitcher Jaxon Barclay.
Barclay threw 56 innings this spring, posting an ERA of 2.75 He allowed 56 hits and 22 earned runs striking out 46, while walking 15. Barclay finished with a WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) of 1.26.
Other selections to this year’s Prairieland Conference First Team were the following players.
Illini West - Wesley Robertson, senior (unanimous); Ethan Carlisle, senior (unanimous) and Eli Bisby, sophomore (unanimous).
Brimfield/Elmwood Dane Fagerburg, senior (unanimous) and Kaeden Schatsiek, senior (unanimous) Farmington - Landon Crawford, senior and Tristan Hendy, junior.
Havana - Carter Brooks, senior (unanimous) and Jack Turner, sophomore.
LVC - Kolby Cleer, senior (unanimous).
South Fulton - Colby Martin, sophomore.
Other Prairieland Second Team All-Conference selections included the following.
Illini West - Cash Jones, junior and Austin Cramer, sophomore.
Brimfield/Elmwood Sean Crowe, senior; Layne Johnson, senior and Evan Patterson, senior.
Farmington - Bronson Atchley, senior.
LVC - Brody Thum, senior and Connor Munson, senior.
Peoria Heights - Jaxson White, freshman.
Other Prairieland Special Mention selections included the following.
Illini West - Grady Blue, junior and Aiden Hocker, senior.
Brimfield/Elmwood Brody Kenney, senior.
Farmington - Boston Smith, senior.
Havana - Oscar Jones, junior.
Peoria Heights - Sebastian Thornton, freshman.
The final Prairieland Conference baseball standings for this past spring were as follows.
TEAM Conf. All Illini West 9-0 28-8 Brimfld/Elmwd 8-1 31-6 Farmington 7-2 19-9-1 Havana 6-3 18-10-1 LVC 5-4 18-14 Macomb 4-5 22-12 W Prairie/ SE’ern 3-6 12-13-1 South Fulton 1-8 5-21 Peoria Heights 1-8 4-21 Bushnell-PC 1-8 3-28
