Last season was uncharacteristically average for the Oak Park and River Forest High School baseball team.
The Huskies finished 17-18 and – for the second consecutive year – lost the opening game of the IHSA Class 4A state tournament.
However, head coach Kevin Campbell said he feels there’s reason to be optimistic about a turn in fortunes.
“One thing that has really stood out is we have a core group of guys that love being on campus in our facilities working together,” Campbell said, entering in the third season. “I have guys that want to stay long after practice wanting to work more. This is a team any coach would love to be around on a daily basis.”
OPRF returns 15 players. Senior outfielder Mason Phillips (.322, 20 RBI, 14 stolen bases last year) is a four-year varsity starter, while junior infielder Ethan Moore (.367, 30 RBI, 14 SB) is a three-year starter. Senior Carlo Lissuzzo, who plays multiple positions, had a team-high .429 batting average and is described by Campbell as a “Swiss army knife.”
“Carlo just makes things happen for us regardless if it’s at the plate, on the bases, or in the field,” he added.
Seniors Cole Benson (5-0, 3.50 earned run average in 2023) and Luke Gotti (4-1) are the Huskies’ top returning pitchers. OPRF will look for mound contributions from seniors Wilson Kruse and Declan Waters and sophomore Johnny Nelson.
Other Huskies looking to play key roles are juniors Brady Green, George Holland, Timmy Leark, Joseph Leshnock, and Kendall Wallace, along with seniors Eddie Bravo and Ryan Slade.
OPRF opens the season March 14-16 at the PBR East Metro Classic in Edwardsville, near St. Louis. It begins another rigorous schedule that includes games with New Trier – who finished third in last year’s Class 4A state tournament, Joliet Catholic, and Lake Park. There’s also the annual showdown with Fenwick, May 16, at Triton College.
The West Suburban Silver looks strong as Downers Grove North and Lyons Township look to battle the Huskies for the conference title.
“We want to be a 25-plus win team and capture the WSC Silver title,” Campbell said. “Then win game one of the playoffs and build off that.”
Oak Park-River Forest junior Joseph Leshnock slides into third during baseball practice. The Huskies look to improve from a 17-18 record last year. 
Oak Park-River Forest junior infielder Ethan Moore bunts during baseball practice. Entering his third year as a varsity starter, Moore hit .367 with 30 RBI in 2023. 
Oak Park-River Forest utility player Carlo Lissuzzo runs the bases during baseball practice. Lissuzzo posted a team-high .429 batting average for the Huskies last year. 
Oak Park-River Forest senior pitcher Wilson Kruse fires during baseball practice. The Huskies are looking to improve from last year, when they finished 17-18.
FENWICK MOVES UP TO CLASS 4A
After winning back-to-back Class 3A sectional championships, this season, Fenwick finds itself in Class 4A.
But the good news for the Friars (17-17 in 2023) is that with 18 returning players, they feel ready for the challenge.
“We’re very thankful to have such great experience and leadership from our upperclassmen,” said Fenwick coach Kyle Kmiecik, entering his second season. “They understand what it takes to compete at a high level and are great mentors for our younger players.”
Pitching seems to be Fenwick’s primary strength this spring as nearly every hurler who contributed to a 3.18 earned-run average last year is back. Senior Mike Sosna, a University of Chicago commit, gained valuable experience last summer while pitching for the Polish National 18U team in the European Baseball Championship Qualifying Tournament in Ashbourne, Ireland. He posted a 0.94 ERA and had 21 strikeouts en route to being named the tournament’s Best Pitcher.
Seniors Joey Krzak and Justin Pinkowski are other reliable mound options for the Friars.
Fenwick’s lineup is filled with contributors up and down. Senior outfielder Ian MacKinnon led the Friars with a .378 batting average last season and added 17 stolen bases. Junior infielder Ryan Lazewski batted .343 and had a team-high 36 hits along with 15 steals, while senior infielder Josh Wicker batted .326 and swiped 12 bases.
Other players to watch are senior catcher Finnley Koch, who is a three-year varsity starter; juniors Luke Hickey, Ben Jarnecke, and Tanner Malchow; and seniors Andrew Henderson, Gabe Kotwasinski, and Will Gladden. Gladden, a varsity contributor as a sophomore, is returning from an injury that cost him all of last season.
The Friars opened the season at Stagg on March 12 after deadline. Following a game at Maine South, March 16, Fenwick has its home opener, March 18 at the Priory Campus in River Forest at 4:30 p.m., versus Libertyville.
Correction March 13, 2024, 8:15 a.m.: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of the athlete in the lead photos. He is Declan Waters, and the photo has been updated. We apologize for the error.