Baseball team adds five seniors

The Illinois baseball team has received oral commitments from at least five seniors, including a Missouri first-team all-stater.

Outfielder Scott Sommerfeld of Manchester, Mo., was selected to the 2008 Class 4A all-state team by the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association.

As a junior, the Parkway South High School standout batted .475 with 20 RBI and a .506 on-base percentage.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder was named to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro second team and was runner-up in voting for Suburban West Conference Player of the Year.

Sommerfeld said he chose the UI over Missouri, Florida International and St. Louis.

"Ever since I was 6, I've always wanted to play in the Big Ten," he said. "Both my cousins went (to the UI) about eight years ago. I have a family background there. And most of my family lives in Chicago."

Sommerfeld also has played first base and catcher. He said UI coaches project him playing any of three positions in college.

A look at the other Illini commitments:

Brandon Hohl, Mokena: The shortstop led Lincoln Way-East to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association summer championship in July, delivering an RBI double and scoring the winning run in the title-clinching 3-2 victory against Chicago Brother Rice. Afterward, Hohl was named to the all-tournament team.

The 6-1, 180-pounder played third base for his 17-and-under summer travel team, the Illinois Sparks, coached by former Illini second baseman Dave Payton.

Hohl said he chose Illinois over Evansville.

Matt Milroy, Batavia: The Aurora Marmion Academy center fielder was named Aurora Beacon News Player of the Year after hitting .467 with seven home runs and 41 RBI as a junior.

The powerful left-handed hitter compiled a .900 slugging percentage and hit .595 with runners in scoring position. Of his 42 hits, 22 went for extra bases.

"A lot of credit goes to my teammates for getting on base and making the pitcher want to throw strikes more," Milroy said.

The right-handed thrower also contributed on the mound, holding opposing batters to a .198 average and striking out 77 in 521/3 innings.

Milroy said he turned down a full ride from Ohio University to accept UI coach Dan Hartleb's scholarship offer.

"When you talk to Coach Hartleb, you automatically have a great deal of respect for him," Milroy said. "He's down to earth and gets straight to the point."

Davis Hendrickson, Macomb: The center fielder hit .468, with five home runs and 39 RBI last spring for Macomb High.

A left-handed hitter and thrower, Hendrickson was named to the Peoria Journal Star's 2008 high school all-star team.

The three-year varsity starter is the son of Mark Hendrickson, acting head football coach at Western Illinois. Davis Hendrickson has lived in Big Ten country all his life, moving from Iowa – where his father coached on the Hawkeye staff – when he was in the second grade.

"Once I moved to Illinois, I became a big Illinois fan," he said.

Hendrickson said he also was recruited by Notre Dame and Purdue.

Seth Schwindenhammer, Bartonville: The right fielder hit .427 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI last spring for Limestone High, joining Hendrickson on the Peoria Journal Star all-star team.

Schwindenhammer, a left-handed batter, said he also had an offer from Eastern Illinois. His interest in the Illini began when he first attended UI baseball camps as a freshman.

"I know they have a very good baseball program," he said. "I just liked everything about (the UI). It was my top school no matter what, even before recruiting started."

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