Evans on Class 3A first team

CNA photo by SEAN GIZA Takeoff: Kalab Evans had a .577 on-base percentage for the Creston Panthers this season, batting .433 with 23 walks. He was named to the Iowa Newspaper AssociationÕs all-state baseball team for the fourth time, as a catcher on the Class 3A first team.

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DES MOINES — Kalab Evans becomes a four-time all-state baseball player today. The Creston catcher caps his senior year this weekend in the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series in Des Moines, and does so as the Class 3A first-team catcher for the second consecutive season. As a Class 1A player for Lenox, Evans was on the first all-state team as a freshman and second team as a sophomore, when he helped the Tigers win the 1A state championship. Evans also played in the 3A state tournament in 2007 for Creston. 10 homers Evans was named to the Iowa Newspaper Association’s Class 3A first-team catcher position after a season of batting .433 with 10 home runs, four triples and six doubles. He drew 23 bases on balls. His fielding percentage was .931 with 22 assists and 11 errors, starting the season as a shortstop for the Panthers before moving back behind the plate. “We needed him back there doing what he can do to help a pitching staff,” coach Bill Krejci said. “Defensively he’s a great thrower and get really gets to popups and bunts. He’s still working on blocking pitches. The tempo of the pitcher’s delivery is a big thing in throwing out base stealers, as well as how hard you’re throwing to the plate. Those are factors that can make a big difference to a catcher, and to be honest we could have worked more on improving those things.” Working with a college team should make the future Iowa Central Community College catcher that much better, Krejci said. “When he gets to college, all they do is baseball,” Krejci said. “He will take it up another l level. He won’t have to worry about football or wrestling. He’ll be working with college pitchers. As much as he works on his game, that should be a perfect environment for him.” Offensively, Evans was a force again in 2008 for Creston’s 10-26 team. Batting third in the lineup, he stroked 42 hits, scored 37 runs and drove in 37, with a .577 on-base percentage. In 97 at-bats, he struck out only nine times. Among the team’s regular starters, only Seth Pals and Tyler Coenen fanned fewer times (four each). A year ago Evans was on the first team with a .485 average. “When we were struggling, he was trying to do so much to get us going, that he was probably swinging at some pitches he wouldn’t have normally,” Krejci said. “Still, he was on base a lot.” The second-team catcher for the second consecutive year is Carlisle junior Mikey Henrichs, who batted .385. Chase Wilkinson of state-qualifier Charles City, a .438 hitter, was named to the third-team position. One of the nominees was Denison-Schleswig senior Colin Straight, who was a unanimous all-conference selection along with Evans. Hawkeye 10 players The Class 3A first team includes several opponents of the Panthers this season. The first-team infield includes Atlantic second baseman Cole Petersen and Denison-Schleswig junior Cody Van Ness. Harlan first baseman Cody Petersen was named to a utility spot. The first team pitching staff includes state tournament starters B.J. Hermsen of West Delaware and Kyler Morgan of Carlisle, along with Conor Krommenhoek of Sioux City Heelan, where he was coached by former SWCC coach Andy Osborne. Brock Yossi of Dallas Center-Grimes joins Van Ness and Petersen on the first-team infield. Brent Stanton of Saydel is on the first-team outfield. Dallas Center-Grimes met Creston in the Iowa Central Tournament in Fort Dodge, and Saydel hosted the Panthers this season. Representing state champion Centerville on the first unit are outfielder Wallace Carter, a .553 hitter, along with pitcher-infielder Patrick Harshman at a utility spot. 3A captain West Delaware’s Hermsen was named captain of the Class 3A all-state baseball team. The senior is one of the best players to come out of northeast Iowa and was a sixth-round draft choice of the Minnesota Twins earlier this summer. He is also a Division 1 college recruit for Oregon State. Hermsen led his team to a state tournament berth with a record of 9-0 and a 0.70 earned run average. In 60 and one-third innings he struck out 114 while walking nine. He also hit .425 with 23 home runs and 71 runs batted in. He fired a three-hitter and blasted a two-run homer in the team’s 2008 state quarterfinal win over Cedar Rapids Xavier. West Delaware was defeated in the semifinals by Class 3A champion Centerville. The second team includes Harlan junior pitcher Tyler Lefeber and Glenwood senior infielder Brett Keim. Named to the third team were Glenwood senior pitcher Brett Elliff, Harlan junior infielder Jeff Hastert and Atlantic sophomore catcher Taylor Petersen. Among the Class 3A nominees was Osceola Clarke senior outfielder Jake Lampe, a .337 hitter and base-stealing threat as leadoff batter for the Indians. INA All-State Baseball Team Class 3A First Team Pitchers — B.J. Hermsen, West Delaware, Sr., 8-0, 0.45 ERA; Conor Krommenhoek, Sioux City Heelan, Jr., 6-1, 2.19 ERA; Kyler Morgan, Carlisle, Sr., 10-2, 1.72. Catcher — Kalab Evans, Creston, Sr., .433, 10 HR, 37 RBI. First Base — Nathan Ramler, West Dubuque, Sr., .406, 17 HR, 55 RBI, 26 SB. Infield — Cole Petersen, Atlantic, Sr., .500, 7 HR, 38 RBI; Cody Van Ness, Denison-Schleswig, Jr., .535, 12 HR; Brock Yossi, Dallas Center-Grimes, Sr., .463, 3 HR, 28 RBI. Outfield — Wallace Carter, Centerville, Sr., .553, 6 HR, 39 RBI; Brent Stanton, Saydel, Sr., .513, 49 RBI; Adam Feller, Charles City, Jr., .436, 11 HR, 46 RBI. Utility — Patrick Harshman, Centerville, Sr., .470, 23 RBI, 10-1, 2.57 ERA; Cody Petersen, Harlan, .469, 5 HR, 42 RBI. Second Team Pitchers — Garrett Linderwell, West Delaware, Sr., 8-1, 0.30 ERA; Colin Morgan, Oelwein, Sr., 10-2, 0.98 ERA; Tyler Lefeber, Harlan, Jr., 8-1, 1.08 ERA. Catcher — Mikey Henrichs, Carlisle, Jr., .385, 9 HR, 39 RBI. First Base — Jordan Huffman, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Jr., .533, 5 HR. Infield — Patrick Lala, Marion, Sr., .500; Dan Marshall, West Delaware, Jr., .376, 14 HR; Brett Keim, Glenwood, Sr., .424, 7 HR, 40 RBI. Outfield — Justin Gideon, West Delaware, Sr., .490, 11 HR, 45 RBI; Matt Gruhlke, Estherville Lincoln Central, Sr., .456, 7 HR, 41 RBI; Justin Uhlenhopp, Clear Lake, Sr., .545. Utility — Josh Becker, Charles City, Jr., .346, 31 RBI, 12-1, 1.37 ERA; Tanner Oliver, Sioux City Bishop Heelan, Sr., .373, 9 HR, 35 RBI. Third Team Pitchers — Levi Maxfield, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Jr., 10-2, 2.79 ERA, 110 strikeouts; Bryce Van Ahsen, Williamsburg, Sr., 8-0, 1 save, 2.24 ERA; Brett Elliff, Glenwood, Sr., 8-2, 1.56 ERA. Catcher — Chase Wilkinson, Charles City, Sr., .438, 19 RBI. First Base — John Sawhill, Jefferson-Scranton, Sr., .429, 7 HR, 43 RBI. Infield — Jeff Hastert, Harlan, Jr., .456, 25 RBI, 14 SB; Jon Close, Vinton-Shellsburg, Sr., .459, .459, 2 HR, 46 RBI; Greg Olson, Central DeWitt, Jr., .495. Outfield — Sam Stetzel, Perry, Jr., .517, 15 RBI; John Mascarello, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Sr., .439, 6 HR; Ethan Brown, Benton Community, Jr., .506, 39 RBI. Utility — Taylor Petersen, Atlantic, So., .494, 4 HR, 30 RBI; Keith Fandel, Estherville-Lincoln Central, Jr., .382, 17 RBI, 9-1, 3.29 ERA. Captain — B.J. Hermsen, West Delaware. —————— Larry Peterson can be reached at 782-2141, ext. 232 or lpeterson@crestonnews.com