Rochester High School outfielder and left-handed pitcher Blake Thompson committed to the University of Illinois Springfield baseball program before it produced its first winning season and made its inaugural Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament appearance.
“(Recruiting coordinator Jordan Banfield) told me right off the bat it’s going to be one of the upcoming programs,” Thompson said. “He told me straight up, ‘We’re going to take the Midwest over, so you can either come along for the ride and be a major factor at UIS or you can commit somewhere else and look back kicking yourself.
“I definitely want to be along for the ride.”
The Prairie Stars’ success, including a 28-24 final record, validates Thompson’s choice.
Thompson is one of the top hitters in the Central State Eight Conference. At the plate, he leads Rochester with a .424 batting average. On the mound, he has a 1.50 earned run average.
Thompson chose UIS in January after receiving offers from NCAA Division II and III and junior college programs. He is one of seven players who recently signed with the Stars.
Thompson was featured by The State Journal-Register on May 10, 2014.
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