Baseball: Bobby Kuntzendorf named Beacon-News Player of the Year

By Paul Johnson For Sun-Times Media June 18, 2012 5:34PM

Aurora Christian pitcher Bobby Kuntzendorf went 10-1 with a 1.44 ERA this season. For his efforts, he has been named The Beacon-News Baseball Player of the Year. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: June 19, 2012 2:21AM

Despite compiling arguably the greatest career in Aurora Christian history ? and a senior year worthy of a repeat nod as The Beacon-News Player of the Year ? all Bobby Kuntzendorf can think about is how it ended.

He rolled into the Class 2A Coal City Sectional semifinals at 10-0, putting together a 24-3 record in three varsity seasons on the mound. But it all fell apart late in a 7-4 loss to Herscher. Weeks later, it?s still fresh in Kuntzendorf?s mind.

?I think about it all the time still,? Kuntzendorf said. ?It?s that one outing every year that I don?t do well and it came in an unfortunate situation. When we got to the park, I just felt weird. I had that throwing error to third that opened everything up. We fell apart from there. But I wouldn?t have changed anything. I love all the guys I played with.?

Sure, it was a bitter ending for Kuntzendorf and the Eagles, but he helped take the program for quite a ride the past three years. This season, the Eagles were 26-9. Kuntzendorf was a huge key, both on the mound and at the plate.

He wound up 10-1 with a 1.44 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP. In 63 1/3 innings, he struck out a whopping 117 batters, allowing 24 hits and walking 25. He threw no-hitters against East Aurora and Immaculate Conception. In short, he was dominant as usual.

?Every time out we expected double-digit strikeouts, a couple hits allowed, holding a team to very few runs if any and giving us an opportunity to win the game,? ACS coach Andy Zorger said. ?I guess I?d have to say (we expected it) based on his junior year being so dominant. It?s hard to expect somebody being undefeated until the last game of the year. Dominating stuff. We knew if we scored three or four runs, we would win the game.?

While this is not a lifetime achievement award, a look at his three-year stats is definitely in order. In 41 appearances (35 starts), the Northern Illinois recruit wound up 24-4 with a 1.17 ERA and an 0.90 WHIP. In 200 1/3 innings, he struck out a mind-boggling 343 batters, walked 84 and allowed 95 hits.

?It?s pretty cool,? Kuntzendorf said of his accomplishments. ?Honestly, instead of putting up those numbers, I would have rather gone to state and gotten a ring. But it?s cool to see the numbers. I hope I helped the younger kids out. I hope to see the program excel throughout the years to come.?

Kuntzendorf?s career as a hitter is likely done as he figures to focus on pitching at NIU, but he was one of the area?s best hitters for three years, too. He hit .365 with six home runs, 33 RBI and 30 runs scored this year. In his career, he hit .368 with 15 home runs, 25 doubles, 88 RBI and 70 runs scored in 274 at-bats.

?It?s too bad in a way, because he?s got the talent to be a position player as well,? Zorger said. ?With his pitching, I can see why (Northern) wants to focus on that.?

Kuntzendorf is on his way to starting the Huskies portion of his career already. He and the program?s other newcomers already had orientation in DeKalb last week.

?Of course I?m nervous,? Kuntzendorf said. ?It?s a huge jump. It?s a bigger setting than high school. I?m a little nervous, but I?m excited because I?m hoping to get a chance to play as a freshman.?

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