Four Collinsville High School baseball players earned a spot in five positions on the 2014 Southwestern Conference All-Conference teams.

Photo by Roger Starkey

Toronto Blue Jays draftee and Mizzou recruit Tanner Houck was the lone first-teamer, earning the honor as a pitcher. The 6-foot-5 right-hander was named third-team All-Conference as a first baseman.

Shortstop Grant Bauer was named to the SWC Second Team. Aaron Pesker earned third-team honors while pitcher and outfielder Kyle Reeves was named to the Third-Team as a utility player. Junior Mitch Reising finished second on the Kahoks with a .320 average and was also deserving of All-Conference recognition, Trapp said.

Houck is the first player to be drafted out of CHS since Kenneth Lutz was drafted by the Reds in the fourth round of the 1999 draft, according to The Baseball Almanac. This season for the Kahoks, Houck went 6-3 with an ERA of 1.72, 113 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 65 innings pitched.

Houck’s 12.17 strikeout average led the conference by more than two strikeouts. His 113 strikeouts were good for second in the conference and his 6.65 strikeouts per walk were a league best. Houck tossed seven complete games, also tied for tops in the SWC, and spun two shutouts.

Bauer, the only Kahok underclassmen on the All-Conference teams, was also recently named to the Senior American Legion All-Star team, where he helped the Illinois Team to 1-0 victory over the Missouri All-Stars.

CHS Head Coach Pete Trapp said that, although offensive numbers are typically the primary consideration for All-Conference selection, Bauer was also chosen for his defensive prowess.

“I had all of his defensive numbers (for the other coaches to see) because he was an outstanding defensive shortstop,” Trapp said.

Bauer was not, however, chosen as a defensive specialist. His .379 average was best on the Kahok team. Despite missing several games to injury early in the season, he also led Collinsville with 36 hits and 10 stolen bases

Peskar earned third-team honors on the strength of a .308 batting average, 20 runs scored and 17 RBI. He swiped eight bases without getting caught. Peskar also made a diving catch in centerfield against Belleville West on April 29 that he and teammates will probably still be talking about at their 20th high school reunion.

When not flinging a 93 mph fastball from the mound, Houck played third base and first base. His .300 average, seven doubles, 14 RBI and 18 runs scored earned him the nod as the first-baseman on the SWC Third Team.

Quincy University recruit Kyle Reeves led the Kahoks with a 1.60 ERA, good for the ninth in the Southwestern Conference. He recorded a 5-3 record and tossed 57 innings.

Despite Reeves’ impressive performance on the mound, he was not named as one of the conference’s top seven pitchers. Trapp said the Southwestern Conference was deep in talent this year, especially on the mound.

“Everyone’s ace probably could have been All-Conference,” Trapp said.

Reeves inclusion as third-team utility player was in recognition of his contribution to the Kahoks, Trapp said

“What he was able to do for the success of our team was pretty outstanding,” Trapp said.

Southwester Conference 2014 All-Conference baseball teams