Lisle Baseball Seeks to Improve Three Areas in 2012

Lisle baseball’s regional title contest against Aurora Christian exposed the one area of the Lions’ game that coach Pete Meyer kept saying needed to improve during the latter stages of 2011:

Not getting a base hit in key situations.

AC, which advanced to the Lisle sectional championship game, ended up defeating the Lions 3-2 on a walk-off home run. The Lions, however, had their opportunities to tally more runs. Lisle stranded runners in scoring position five times, including having a runner at second base on two occasions in the fourth inning.

“We were getting two-out hit after two-out hit at the beginning of the year,” said Meyer, whose team went 21-12 overall. “We just didn’t come through in the clutch with the different opportunities that we had.

“It was very tough. We knew we were playing a good team (in Aurora Christian) and we played them pitch for pitch and out for out. It was heart-breaking, but to lose on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh is especially heart-breaking.”

Kazim Khan, a junior, took the loss, but the Lions’ No. 1 starter leads a staff that will remain intact for the 2012 season. Classmate Nick Olson also returns, along with sophomore lefty Ryan Van Volkenburg. 

“We’re in a great position with our program as a whole,” Meyer said. “We have three of our top pitchers coming back, and you feel really good about that. I really feel good about what we can do there, but they all have room for improvement. Those three guys especially understand this and will work hard in the off-season.”

Olson and Van Volkenburg were named all-Interstate Eight Conference players this year (Van Volkenburg also earned all-I-8 honors his freshman season). The duo made up the heart of Lisle’s batting order, as well, with Van Volkenburg hitting third and Olson cleanup.

The Lions’ second baseman, Brian Czyl, had “a real strong year, and he crushed the ball,” according to Meyer. First baseman-outfielder Ty Howell, who’s a junior, hit fifth for the Lions in 2011.

“Howell had a good year, and he’s a strong hitter and strong defensive player,” Meyer noted.

Freshman Kevin Coppin made his presence known throughout the year, filling in at shortstop and getting at-bats as the Lions’ designated hitter.

Coppin and Czyl also can put on the catcher’s gear, so Meyer has a couple of options at this position next season. Whoever emerges as the starting catcher will take over for senior Will DeCraene, who’s been behind the plate for Lisle since his freshman year.

“He’s been our leadoff hitter three of the four years, a solid hitter, a tough out and a good receiver behind the plate,” Meyer said. “It will be hard to replace him.”

The versatility of senior Nick Thome will be difficult to replace, too. Thome started three years and could play either first or third. Ryan Burlison transferred to Lisle from Lincoln-Way West his senior year and played shortstop.

“The leadership we’re going to miss is going to be huge,” Meyer said. “They’re solid people and great role models.”

In addition to improving its situational hitting, Meyer said he wants Lisle to shore things up defensively next spring.

“Our main downfall is that we made way too many errors,” he said. “Our defense really needs to tighten up and we need to get more consistent on the mound and in clutch situations at the plate.”

Returning to prominence in conference play also is high on Meyer’s to-do list. The Lions went 8-8 in the I-8 North Division.

“We won the conference last year (in 2010) and I expect to compete for the conference title every year,” he said.