Allison Coach, Newton Captain | Southeast Iowa Union

The 2024 Southeastern Conference baseball race ended up being a two-horse race down to the wire.

Fairfield and Mt. Pleasant were tied all year atop the SEC. Washington pulled off a couple big wins, including a big home win over the Trojans, but in the end, it was Fairfield that held firm.

The 2024 All-Union big-school baseball selections were tough, but the final lists reflect the final standings in the SEC, as Fairfield leads the way with the most selections. However, one Mt. Pleasant senior earned captain honors.

Coach: Josh Allison, Fairfield

The Fairfield 2024 baseball team returned to the top of the SEC for the first time since 2019.

The Trojans, led by a strong group of veterans, went 22-12 overall this season and won the SEC with a 12-3 record.

Coach Allison’s team clinched the conference with a big 13-1 win at Mt. Pleasant on June 20, and a three-game sweep of Keokuk a week later, before defeating Washington in a rain-suspended game to clinch the sole title.

Captain: Ben Newton, senior, Mt. Pleasant

Like Fairfield, Mt. Pleasant’s baseball team won 20-plus games for the first time since 2019, and a big reason was star pitcher Ben Newton.

Newton had an astonishing 9-1 record this season on the mound, finishing the year with a 3.54 ERA. He finished the season with 55 strikeouts.

At the plate, Newton hit .341 with three doubles, one home run and 26 RBIs.

Q: Dain Burkhart, sophomore, Fairfield

Fairfield’s Dain Burkhart started the year as the expected ace and lived up to expectations this season.

Burkhart led the team in wins, going 5-3 with a 4.31 ERA on the mound this year. He struck out 29 batters.

Burkhart was also among the Trojans’ top hitters. He hit .375 this year with four doubles and 29 RBIs.

Q: Nate Konczal, senior, Fairfield

Fairfield senior Nate Konczal took a huge step forward in his final year on the mound for the Trojan baseball team.

Konczal finished the summer with a 4-2 record, leading the Trojans with a 1.82 average and striking out 25 batters.

At the plate, Konczal hit .278 with six RBIs.

C: Caleb Zieglowsky, senior, Washington

One of the best players behind the plate this season was once again Demon senior Caleb Zieglowsky.

Zieglowsky hit .364 on the season with four doubles, one home run and 16 RBIs. He led the Demons in both batting average and RBIs this summer.

INF: Cason Miller, junior, Fairfield

Fairfield’s Cason Miller returned to the baseball field after being injured all of last season, and the junior made the most of his first summer back.

Miller hit .333 with a team-leading 12 doubles. He hit one triple on the year and drove in 26 runs while scoring a team-leading 39 times.

INF: Luke Beenblossom, senior, Washington

Washington shortstop Luke Beenblossom was the Demon baseball team’s second-leading hitter this summer. He hit .333 with two doubles and 13 RBIs on the year.

Beenblossom appeared on the mound eight times for Washington. He did not record a win this season, but struck out 19 batters.

INF: Payton Hagans, senior, Mt. Pleasant

Mt. Pleasant shortstop and pitcher Payton Hagans made his mark on the Panther baseball team, hitting .337 in his final season at the plate.

Hagans had five doubles, two triples and a home run in the postseason this year, while driving in 25 runs.

Hagans was also one of the Panthers’ best pitchers, finishing the year 4-1 with a 3.14 ER and 59 strikeouts.

INF: JC Sitar, junior, Mt. Pleasant

Panthers first baseman JC Sitar was once again a standout hitter for the Mt. Pleasant baseball team this summer.

Sitar hit .327 on the year and led the team with 10 doubles. He hit a triple, a home run and finished with a team-high 30 RBIs.

Sitar promises to be one of the top hitters in the SEC next year when he begins his senior season.

FROM: Aidan Kreuter, senior, Fairfield

One of the toughest outs in the Southern Conference was senior outfielder Aidan Kreuter, who led the Trojans with a .397 batting average.

Kreuter had three doubles and a triple this year, while driving in 16 runs. He was 3-3 with a 5.39 ERA on the mound, striking out 24 batters.

OF: Tallon Bates, senior, Fairfield

Fairfield’s Tallon Bates had another solid year at the plate, finishing the summer with a .354 batting average.

Bates hit five doubles and two homers this year, including one in the postseason. He finished the year with 19 RBIs.

On the mound, Bates went 4-1 this season. He finished the year with a 4.97 ERA and 29 strikeouts.

OF: Payton Walker, junior, Mt. Pleasant

Mt. Pleasant junior Payton Walker was a solid hitter in the middle of the order for the Panthers boys this summer.

Walker hit .305 this season with four doubles, one triple, one home run and 24 RBIs. He also led Class 3A in hits by pitches with 23.

Walker was also strong on the mound, going 4-4 ​​with a 3.67 ERA and 50 strikeouts.

UTIL: Caden Allison, senior, Fairfield

Fairfield senior Caden Allison was one of Southeast Iowa’s top RBI players of the summer, scoring 32 runs to lead the Trojans this year.

Allison hit .337 this season with five doubles and one triple in her senior year of playing high school basketball.

UTIL: Zach Newton, junior, Mt. Pleasant

Mt. Pleasant junior infielder Zach Newton was one of the team’s best hitters this summer, batting .356 to lead the Panthers in batting average.

Newton finished the season with four doubles and 27 RBIs. He was also effective on the mound, going 2-3 with a 5.15 ERA and 29 strikeouts.