Baseball 2/8/2024 9:48:00 AM

Millikin Baseball Picked to Win 2024 CCIW Title

DECATUR, Illinois—The Millikin University baseball team was picked to win the 2024 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) title in the preseason coaches' poll released by the CCIW on February 8.

In a vote of the conference's head coaches, the Big Blue received five first place vote and 59 total points. Augustana was picked second with three first place votes and 55 points.

Millikin returns 27 players including eight starting position players from last year's team that went 26-17 overall and 11-7 in conference play. The Big Blue return three starting pitchers that have earned CCIW All-Conference First Team selections in the last two seasons and six pitchers that made more that 10 appearances in 2023.

2024 Preseason CCIW Baseball Coaches' Poll
1. Millikin (5 first-place votes), 59 points
2. Augustana (3 first-place votes), 55 points
T3. Illinois Wesleyan (1 first-place vote), 49 points
T3. North Central, 49 points
5. North Park, 28 points
T6. Carroll, 26 points
T6. Wheaton, 26 points
8. Carthage, 17 points
9. Elmhurst, 15 points

"I am very excited about this group, having 15 seniors and so many talented pieces returning," states Millikin Head Coach Brandon Townsend. "This group will be challenged all season with our schedule in and out of conference. I am excited to see how we perform and how we respond to the challenges we will face."

Millikin returns all four starters on the infield led by junior third baseman Kyle Gibson (Niles, Niles West H.S.) and first baseman junior Andy Niebrugge (Teutopolis, H.S.) who both earned CCIW All-Conference First Team and ABCA\Rawlings All-Region honors. Gibson was a 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Winner and led Millikin in hitting last year with a .404 average with nine doubles, five triples, two home runs and 29 RBI. He had 23 stolen bases and a .983 fielding percentage. Niebrugge hit .346 with 16 doubles, nine home runs and a team high 42 RBI.

Junior shortstop Liam McGill (Bloomington, H.S.) and senior second baseman Tommy Shaw (Elburn, Kaneland H.S.) return to shore up the middle of the diamond for Millikin. McGill was named to the CCIW All-Conference Second Team in 2023 setting a school record for stolen bases in a season with 43 and stolen bases in a career with 58. He hit .319 with 29 RBI. He ranked second in NCAA Division III in sacrifice bunts with 15 and was sixth in stolen bases. Shaw hit .314 with 11 doubles and one home run driving in 41 runs. Shaw had 19 stolen bases.

Returners in the Millikin outfield include sophomore Sam Bushur (Teutopolis, H.S.) who earned CCIW All-Conference First Team honors and was named the conference's First-Year Student Athlete of the Year last season. He it .318 with two home runs and 35 RBI along with 14 stolen bases. Junior Tyler Gade (Rochester, H.S.) returns as well after starting 27 games in center field. He hit .316 with 13 stolen bases before having his season cut shot by injury.

Senior Kelby Golladay (Decatur, MacArthur H.S.) returns after filling most of the designated hitter duties last year. Transfers Ben Comes (Spokane, Wash., Centralia College) and Hayden Stork (Danvers, Kankakee CC) will battle for at-bats at DH and as pinch-hitters.

Senior Ryan Janssen (Nokomis, H.S.) returns after making 42 starts at behind the plate.
Janssen hit .264 last year and drove home 33 runs while handling a pitching staff that had a team ERA of 3.64. Senior left-handed hitter Lucas Ryan (Chatham, Glenwood H.S.) returns after see action last season in 22 games providing depth in the outfield and at catcher.

A major strength of the 2024 Big Blue should be the pitching staff. Senior starters Drew Detmers (Chatham, Glenwood H.S.) and Matt Wilson (La Mirada, Calif., H.S.) return after earning All-Conference First Team honors last season. Detmers was 6-2 last season with a 2.84 ERA recording 69 strikeouts. Wilson went 7-2 with a 3.58 ERA and 51 strikeouts. Graduate student Caleb Buehrle (Wildwood, Mo., St. John Vianney H.S.) returns after missing most of 2023 with an injury. Buehrle earned CCIW All-Conference First Team recognition in 2021 and 2022. He was 8-4 with a 3.65 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 2022. Last season he was 2-2 with a 3.21 ERA in five starts.

Other returning pitchers that made 10 or more appearance last season include senior Landon Johnson (Florissant, Mo., Hazelwood West H.S.) who was 3-1 in seven starts (10 appearances) with a 2.59 ERA. Senior Drew Sutton (Wentzville, Mo.., H.S.) is back after making 23 relief appearances with a 2.68 ERA. Senior Sean Shook (Normal, Normal West H.S.) returns after making 17 appearance in 2023 with a 3.93 ERA. Junior left hander Max Simpson (Evansville, Red Bud H.S.) also returns after making 16 appearances including two starts posting a 2-1 record with a 3.45 ERA. Graduate students Christian Badorek (Bloomington, Normal Community) and Jacob Bailey (Lombard, Glenbard East H.S.) should also see innings this season after each making seven relief appearance in 2023. Freshmen Brody Stonecipher (Champaign, Centennial H.S.) and Kam Ross (Savoy, Centennial H.S.) will be in the mix for innings on the mound this season. Ross could also see some time in the Big Blue outfield.

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Players Mentioned

#30 Christian Badorek: RHP; 6' 3"; Graduate Student; R/R

#29 Jacob Bailey: RHP; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#45 Caleb Buehrle: RHP; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#24 Drew Detmers: RHP; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

#21 Tyler Gade: OF; 5' 10"; Sophomore; L/R

#19 Kyle Gibson: INF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R

#36 Kelby Golladay: 1B/P; 6' 1"; Junior; R/R

#31 Landon Johnson: RHP; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#6 Liam McGill: MIF; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

#25 Andy Niebrugge: 1B/P; 6' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

#20 Lucas Ryan: C/OF; 6' 0"; Junior; L/R

#5 Tommy Shaw: INF; 6' 1"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#30 Christian Badorek
: 6' 3"; Graduate Student; R/R
: RHP

#29 Jacob Bailey
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#45 Caleb Buehrle
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#24 Drew Detmers
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#21 Tyler Gade
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; L/R
: OF

#19 Kyle Gibson
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#36 Kelby Golladay
: 6' 1"; Junior; R/R
: 1B/P

#31 Landon Johnson
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#6 Liam McGill
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: MIF

#25 Andy Niebrugge
: 6' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: 1B/P

#20 Lucas Ryan
: 6' 0"; Junior; L/R
: C/OF

#5 Tommy Shaw
: 6' 1"; Junior; R/R
: INF