Hartman named BDC MVP

<span>One of the quietest guys on the Chester High School baseball team recently made a lot of noise.</span>

<span>Yellow Jacket junior catcher Luke Hartman has been named as the Black Diamond Conference MVP, one of six all-conference selections for Chester after a 21-9 season.</span>

<span>Hartman also earned a First Team, All-BDC nod as well. Joining Hartman on the First Team was teammate Cody Eggemeyer. Austin Welge and Jordan Berner were named to the Second Team, while Hunter Howie and Christian Mitchell got Honorable Mention honors.</span>

<span>"For him, I think it's a massive accomplishment because he's only a junior and I believe the western side (of the BDC) was better than the eastern side," said Chester coach Jeremy Blechle of Hartman. "Luke's a quiet guy, he leads his own way. It's not big-time vocal, it's laid-back leadership."</span>

<span>Entering the Class 2A postseason, Hartman was batting .395 with 10 doubles, two triples, a home run and 22 RBIs. He led Chester with a .479 on-base percentage and also went 4-for-4 on stolen base attempts.</span>

<span>Statistics for the team's Red Bud Regional games against Sparta, Gibault Catholic and Nashville were not available.</span>

<span>"It feels good," Hartman said of being named MVP. "I don't really know, it's hard to describe. It's not really something that came across my mind."</span>

<span>Hartman started for Chester as a sophomore, helping to lead the Yellow Jackets to the championship game of the Harrisburg Sectional in 2014.</span>

<span>"He was a starting catcher then and had some big-time hits," Blechle said. "Luke will continue to try and get better, stronger and faster and it will be an exciting thing to watch and coach."</span>

<span>Looking toward 2016, Blechle could potentially return the team's leading hitter (Jordan Berner) and the conference MVP next season. Berner batted .397 during the regular season with eight home runs (including a grand slam), six doubles and 36 RBIs.</span>

<span>"It's a luxury," Blechle said. "The fact that we'll have the returning conference MVP and the big bat, that's the two pieces that you need to continue to have a strong program."</span>

<span>Now currently playing for Steeleville Post 480 in Senior Legion ball, Hartman was a 2-hole batter for Chester and is now batting cleanup for Post 480.</span>

<span>"He thrives in that position," Blechle said of Hartman's No. 2 spot in the order with the Yellow Jackets. "We had him in 5 at one time, we had him in cleanup at one time. The thing about Luke is he is also one of our better baserunners."</span>

<span>Blechle said no "big" schools have inquired about Hartman yet, but Blackburn College in Carlinville has been mentioned as a possibility for the next level.</span>

<span>"I know he's pretty serious about Blackburn," he said. "(Chester teammates) Hunter Howie and Jake Lochhead also go there. We'll be actively searching for a good fit for him and I definitely see him playing at the collegiate level."</span>

<span>In terms of building on the recognition for next year, Hartman said it wouldn't change his mindset much.</span>

<span>"You try to keep playing the game you love and help your teammates out," he said.</span>