Raiders Baseball Team Collects Conference Honors

The Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference named Raiders head coach Bill Fratto as its Coach of the Year. Fratto guided the Raiders to a first place finish in the conference with an 11-3 record. He also received the award in 2006, when the Raiders last won the Illinois Skyway.

“Winning the award is nice, but it’s all about the talent on the team,” said Fratto. “I also couldn’t have won it without my assistant coaches Mickey Scala and John Guarnaccia and pitching coach T.J. Nall. They made my job easier.”

In addition, Ken Lowden was named Pitcher of the Year and 10 players received first team and second team all-conference honors. Besides Lowden, shortstop Ryan Tuntland, outfielders Tyler Palmer and Dan Lauria, second baseman Brett Synek, and pitchers Derek De Young and Troy Mannebach were named to the first team. The conference honored third baseman William Fisher, catcher Ryan Concialdi, and outfielder Joe Igyarto as second team selections.

“This is the most players we’ve had named to the All-Conference Team and that tells you how good this squad is,” said Fratto.

The Raiders take a 36-15 record into the postseason this weekend when the team hosts a sectional that includes Prairie State College (39-10) and Moraine Valley Community College (16-24). The double-elimination tournament starts at 9 a.m., Saturday May 15, when Moraine Valley takes on Prairie State. Oakton plays back-to-back games against Prairie State at 12 p.m. and Moraine Valley at 3 p.m.

The sectional championship will be played on Sunday, May 13.