Centralia Sports Hall of Fame

2002 CHS Baseball Team
The Centralia Sports Hall of Fame
2013 Team Winner

FRONT ROW L-R: -- Danny Siegler, Pat Bone, Justin Miles, Tyler Heck, Lance Marcum, Gavin Mitchell, Brian Dinkelman, Todd Bauer BACK ROW L-R: – David Fults: assistant coach, Matt Rovenstine, Josh Roetemeyer, Tyler Rueter, Kyle Langenfeld, Wayne Dersch, Tim Aydt, Warren Knepp, Sean Vincent, Derek Harlan: assistant coach, Matt Kottmeyer: head coach

   Coached by Matt Kottmeyer and Derek Harlan, no Centralia baseball team in school history has won more games than the 2002 Orphans.

   The squad posted a 29-5 record and won the South Seven Conference title by going a perfect 10-0. Infielder-pitcher Brian Dinkelman was named the conference Most Valuable Player. Dinkelman, hitting. 451, was one of two regulars to hit more than .400 for the season, with the other being outfielder Tyler Heck (.449). Heck, who later went on to play at Purdue University, led the team in home runs with six while catcher Todd Bauer (who joined Dinkelman and pitcher Lance Marcum as McKendree College recruits), drove home a team-best 30 runs.

   Marcum led a deep pitching staff by going 9-2 with a scant ERA of 1.24. He also tossed no-hitters against Freeburg and Cahokia during the '02 campaign. Dinkelman, a middle infielder by trade, added seven wins and two saves to the cause while Justin Miles posted a 5-0 mark with an ERA of 1.25.

   After claiming a regional title, the Orphans had their season come to an end with a loss to powerful Highland in a Class 2A sectional game played at Highland. Many of the players on the roster helped Centralia Post 446 claim the 23rd District championship in the summer as members of the Centralia Post 446 American Legion baseball team.