FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

2012 All-CCIW Baseball Teams

May 14, 2012 - The North Central College baseball program has been rewarded with four selections to the 2012 All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Teams. The CCIW released the teams, which were voted upon by the conference's eight head coaches, on Monday.

The Cardinals had one selection to the All-CCIW First Team, as first baseman Joe Turek made the team as an infielder. Turek, who also made the First Team as a designated hitter in 2010, led North Central in most offensive categories this season, including batting average (.328), doubles (14), home runs (5), runs batted in (44) and walks (29). He was named the CCIW Hitter of the Week on Apr. 24 after driving in 11 runs in a three-game sweep of conference rival Millikin University.

An All-Central Region selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) in 2009, Turek finished his career as North Central's all-time leader in doubles (44) while ranking third all-time in home runs (26), total bases (301), and RBI (142).

North Central also had three selections to the All-CCIW Second Team in senior outfielder Steve Hlavac, freshman utility player Ben Krusen and sophomore pitcher Kris Singh.

Hlavac batted .320 in 38 games as the Cardinals' primary left fielder, recording 10 doubles and 26 RBI. He led North Central in runs scored (32) and sacrifice flies (4) this season and ranks eighth in school history in career doubles (35).

Krusen made 10 pitching appearances, including nine starts, while also seeing time at catcher and designated hitter. He posted a 3-1 record and a 3.21 earned-run average in 56 innings on the mound, recording 30 strikeouts and ranking second in the CCIW in opponents' batting average (.209). He batted .237 with four doubles, a home run and seven RBI in 59 at-bats.

Singh, the Cardinals' No. 1 starter throughout the season, finished with a 4-3 record and 2.70 ERA in 10 starts. He ranked third in the CCIW in strikeouts, fanning 47 hitters in a team-high 70 innings.

North Central finished the 2012 campaign with a 20-19 overall record, including a 9-12 finish in CCIW play.