Gatlin Voted All-N4C Second Team

N4C Postseason Awards
Gatlin Bio
Gatlin Stats

PALATINE, Ill. – Harper College men's basketball player Marcus Gatlin (Chicago, Ill./Curie) added one more accomplishment to his already impressive sophomore season as a Hawk. The point guard was recently voted North Central Community College Conference (N4C) Second Team All-Conference.

Gatlin was recently named Second Team All-Conference. (Jim Cummins)

"I am incredibly proud of this honor that has been awarded to him. To be voted All-Conference by the coaches of the N4C is a tremendous accomplishment," said Harper head coach Justin Welke.

The 5-foot-9 point started all 31 games for the Hawks and  averaged 18.0 PPG (second on team), 6.3 RPG (first on team), and 5.5 APG while averaging 36.9 minutes a game (fourth in nation). Gatlin shot 73.1 percent (179-of-245) from the free throw line and was second in the nation with the 179 makes from the foul line.

In 14 conference games, he averaged 20.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 5.1 APG while playing 38.6 MPG. He scored a career-high 33 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out eight assists in a Feb. 10 game at College of DuPage and scored 17 or more points in 10 of 14 league games.

"Our conference is arguably the strongest in the entire nation, so for Marcus to be considered one of the top players in the conference is a true testament to the caliber of player that he is," Welke said. "Add this award to his accomplishments in the classroom and the character that he has displayed, and you have one heck of a great young man destined for greatness."

Harper Bats Lead Team to First Win

DES PLAINES, Ill. – The Harper College softball team had an unbelievable day at the plate in a doubleheader at Oakton Community College on Sunday afternoon. After a heartbreaking 11-10 loss in game one to the Owls, the Hawks rebounded for a 14-9 victory, their first win of 2016.

The Hawks (1-9) had 35 hits in 77 at bats in the two games (.455 team average) and did not strike out at all in either game. 

In game one, Harper scored six runs in the third inning to take a 7-2 lead. Jordan Dallmann (Roselle, Ill. /Lake Park) hit her first homer, a solo shot, and Danielle Reptowski (Hanover Park, Ill./Schaumburg) had an RBI triple in that frame. The Hawks added to the lead in the fourth inning with RBI singles by Isabelle McGuinnis (Arlington Heights, Ill. /Hersey) and Kristen Serviss (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) to make it 9-2. 

The Owls' big inning came in the fifth inning. They sent 10 batters to the plate and scored seven runs, capped off by a two-out grand slam by pitcher Atorena Michael. They took a 10-9 lead on a sixth inning homer from Emily Bernath. 

The Hawks did not give up when they trailed by one in the seventh inning. Shortstop Sandra Portogallo (Elk Grove Village, Ill. /Conant) smacked a two-out RBI triple to tie the game at 10-10. However, in the bottom half of the inning, Bernath had a walkoff RBI single to give the Owls the victory. 

Harper got two hits apiece from McGuinnis, Serviss, Jill Hoffman (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey), and Courtney Russ (Lake Zurich, Ill. /Lake Zurich). Emily Butler (Prospect Heights, Ill./Hersey) was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Dallmans was 4-for-5 with three runs scored and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

The Hawks had 35 hits in two games at Oakton CC on Sunday afternoon. (Jim Cummins)

The Hawks came out swinging again in game two. Dallmans's RBI triple in the first inning put the Hawks up 1-0. Oakton tied the game with a homer in the bottom half of the inning, but Harper kept scoring with one in the second, two in the third, and three in the fourth. The Hawks led 7-5 after four innings. 

In the fifth inning, Harper sent 10 to the plate and scored five runs, highlighted by Dallmann's two-run double. The Hawks led 12-5 into the sixth inning, but Oakton got back in the game with four runs. But in the top of the seventh, Dallmann continued her monster game by socking a two-run homer to push the Harper lead to 14-9. The sophomore was an incredible 4-for-4 with a double, two triples, a homer, six RBIs, four runs scored, and six RBIs. The catcher also recorded 10 putouts. 

McGuinnis (1-8) shut down the Owl attack in the bottom half of the seventh to preserve the Hawks' first victory. She struck out eight batters and only walked one in seven innings of work. 

Portogallo also had an impressive game two, going 4-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and five runs scored. Butler and McGuinnis each had two hits and two RBIs, and Hoffman had another two-hit performance. 

Next up Harper is a trip to Madison College on Tuesday afternoon. The Hawks and WolfPack (17-12, 5-2 N4C) play a doubleheader at the Madison College Softball Complex starting at 3 PM. 

Unpredictable Weather Causes Baseball Cancellations

Updated Schedule

PALATINE, Ill. – Due to the unpredictable Chicago weather, the Harper College baseball team was unable to get in any games over the weekend and also had its games scheduled for today postponed. 

The weather forced the cancellation of all Harper baseball games over a four-day stretch. (Dion Martorano, Journal & Topics Sports)

The Hawks were scheduled to play Triton College at home on Friday afternoon, but those games were moved back to Saturday due to weather. The weather on Saturday once again caused a postponement of the games against Triton to Monday. However, due to unplayable field conditions and the frigid temperatures today, the games were once again cancelled. The makeup date for those games will be Monday, April 25. 

On Sunday, the Hawks were also unable to play Moraine Valley Community College. No makeup date has been announced yet.

Harper will be back on the diamond on Tuesday afternoon at College of DuPage (19-4, 5-1 N4C). First pitch of game one is set for 2 PM.

McCabe Swinging Confidently in Second Year

McCabe Bio
McCabe Stats

PALATINE, Ill. – Harper College softball player Jessica McCabe (Itasca, Ill. /Prospect ) is one two returning players from last year's team. As a sophomore, McCabe has elevated her play and leads the team in several offensive categories, including batting average. For this reason, she is the eighth Harper College Athlete of the Week for the 2015-16 school year.

McCabe's improvement from last year to now has been impressive. As a freshman in 2015, she recorded 11 hits, 16 runs, three doubles, one triple, one stolen base, 12 walks and 12 RBIs. In just eight games so far this season, McCabe already has 10 hits in just 22 at bats for a team-high .455 average.

She also is tied for the team lead in runs (4), doubles (1), stolen bases (1) and is second in both triples (1) and RBIs (4) while holding a .591 slugging percentage. The Hawks opened the season with six games at the Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont, and the outfielder had at least a hit in five of those games.

She was 3-for-4 with an RBI and stolen base against College of DuPage March 5 and 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs against Prairie State College later that day.  In the two games the Hawks have played outside to date, McCabe recorded hits in each contest and scored a run.

McCabe is the eighth Harper College Athlete of the Week for the 2015-16 school year. (Kevin Tiongson)

For McCabe, the biggest factor to her success this season has been confidence.

"I'm confident at the plate and not worried about missing," she said. "I'm focusing on making every swing a 100% good swing."

Defensively, she has not been tested too much in the outfield yet this season, but she does have two assists to her credit already.

McCabe is majoring in marketing and will finish up her Associate of Arts degree over the summer. She plans on transferring to Western Michigan University in the fall.

"This will probably be my last year, so I want to go out with a bang and make my last year a good year. I have that responsibility to be a team leader and help lead the team," McCabe said. "We need to focus on being positive and never giving up. We need to have that energy and drive throughout the whole game."

Baseball Drops Doubleheader at Rock Valley

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Harper College baseball team lost two games to conference opponent Rock Valley College on Tuesday afternoon.

The Hawks (0-8, 0-6 N4C) lost 13-2 in five innings in game one. The Golden Eagles (9-11, 3-3 N4C) led 8-0 after two innings before Harper scored twice in the third inning to cut into the lead. Paul Kramolisch (/Bolingbrook) doubled home B.J. Wingerter (Prospect Heights, Ill. /Hersey), and he later scored on an RBI groundout from Justin Reaves (Chicago, Ill. /De La Salle).

Rock Valley responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a commanding 11-run lead. Starter Jason Fidder pitched scoreless fourth and fifth innings to close out the game. He gave up two runs on five hits with four strikeouts in five innings. Harper starter Christian Poulsen(Schaumburg, Ill. /Schaumburg) (0-3) lasted just two innings, giving up eight runs (two earned) on six hits.

The Hawks lost two games at Rock Valley College on Tuesday afternoon. (Jim Cummins)

In game two, the Hawks had a season-high eight hits, but it wasn't enough as they lost 6-3. Trailing 5-0 through five innings, Harper mounted a comeback and cut the deficit to three runs. The Hawks loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh inning but could not convert.

Poulsen had a standout day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. Wingerter, Paul Kramolisch (/Bolingbrook), David Dugger (Matteson, Ill. /Rich Central), Nick Kouzios (Crystal Lake, Ill. /Prairie Ridge), and Jeremiah Mack (/Westinghouse) all recorded a hit. Kouzios drove in two runs with a single in the sixth inning, and Reaves had the other RBI. Adam Kowalski (Arlington Heights, Ill. /Buffalo Grove) (0-1) threw six innings for the Hawks. He gave up four earned runs on eleven hits and struck out three.

The Hawks will play at Oakton Community College (10-6) on Wednesday. Originally scheduled to be a doubleheader, the two teams will now play a single nine-inning game beginning at 2 PM in Des Plaines.

Hawks Shut Down by Madison

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MADISON, Wis. – The Harper College baseball team struggled at the plate and in the field on Saturday afternoon against N4C foe Madison College. The Hawks failed to score a run in either game, committed nine total errors, and lost by the scores of 7-0 and 14-0.

David Dugger (Matteson, Ill. /Rich Central) provided a spark offensively in the first game, as he was 2-for-3 with a triple. Christian Poulsen(Schaumburg, Ill. /Schaumburg) and Nick Leone (Elmhurst, Ill. /York) had the other hits for the Hawks (0-6, 0-4 N4C). Harper had a hard time solving Madison starter Brandon Parr, who threw a complete game and struck out five batters.

The WolfPack (7-8-1, 2-0 N4C) scored three runs in both the fourth and sixth innings to take command. Bryce Plate was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs in the game.

The Hawks struggled at the plate in game two as well, going a combined 3-for-16 as a team. B.J. Wingerter (Prospect Heights, Ill. /Hersey), Paul Kramolisch (/Bolingbrook), and Branden Davis (/Rich East) each had singles. The WolfPack's Alec Haluzak (3-0) pitched four scoreless innings to earn the win.

Madison capitalized on eight Harper errors and a big day at the plate from right fielder Chris Lund (3-for-4, six RBIs). Seven of the 14 runs surrendered by Harper pitchers Clint O'Neal (Farmer City, Ill./Blue Ridge) and Eddy Valenzuela (Melose Park, Ill. /West Leyden) were unearned. O'Neal (0-1) last just 2 2/3 innings, giving up eight runs (seven earned) on five hits and five walks while striking out two.

The Hawks return to conference play on Tuesday with an N4C doubleheader at Rock Valley College (7-11, 1-3 N4C). First pitch of game one is set for 2 PM in Rockford.

Harper Bats Quiet in Losses at Joliet

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

JOLIET, Ill. – The Harper College baseball team failed to generate much offense on Friday afternoon in their conference opener at Joliet Junior College. The Hawks managed just six hits total in two games and dropped both, 10-0 and 9-1.

Harper managed just six total hits in two losses at Joliet on Friday. (Jim Cummins)

In game one, the Hawks (0-4, 0-2 N4C) managed just two hits off Wolves (9-12, 2-0 N4C) starter Matthew Taller. Taller pitched five innings and struck out six batters. Sophomores B.J. Wingerter (Prospect Heights, Ill. /Hersey) and Matty Donovan (Chicago, Ill./Saint Patrick) had the only hits for Harper.

Harper starting pitcher Christian Poulsen (Schaumburg, Ill. /Schaumburg) (0-2) lasted four innings, surrendering three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Harper totaled four hits in the 9-1 loss. Poulsen was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, and Paul Kramolisch (/Bolingbrook) had the lone RBI for Harper. The Wolves outhit the Hawks 12-4. Harper starter Travis Lindquist (Madison, Wis. /James Madison Memorial ) (0-2) surrendered nine runs on 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work, but only three runs were earned.

Joliet starting pitcher Patrick Kenny pitched six innings of two-hit ball and struck out eight Hawks batters. Shortstop Thomas Smith was 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

The Hawks have a quick turnaround, as they will travel to Madison College (5-8-1, 0-0 N4C) on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at noon. The games were originally scheduled to be played at Harper College.