Grafton, Wis. – Lakeshore Chinooks VP/GM Dean Rennicke has announced that 2016 Northwoods League All-Star catcher Tim Dalporto (Kent State University) and the team’s 2016 Robin Yount Award winner, outfielder Joe Duncan (Eastern Illinois University) will return for the 2017 Northwoods League campaign.
Tim Dalporto will return to Lakeshore after completing his junior season with the defending Mid-American Conference Champion Kent State Golden Flashes. In 2016 for Lakeshore, Dalporto gave the team an added boost in June when he arrived after his team finished NCAA Tournament play. The 6’3, 200 pound catcher and third baseman was selected to play in the Northwoods League All-Star game after hitting .287 and posting an on-base percentage of .308 with a .406 slugging percentage in the first half of the season. “DalPo” finished the season hitting .278 and getting on base at a .346 clip while leading the team in doubles with 13 and driving in 25 runs to finish third on the team. Dalporto’s impact on the lineup extended beyond his numbers, as he notched two walk-off hits (both coming within a span of four games) and numerous clutch at-bats, while handling one of the league’s top pitching staffs when he played behind the plate.
A product of Nazareth Academy in Chicago, IL, Dalporto played in 76 games in his first two seasons for Kent State. Playing mostly behind the plate, Dalporto will look to continue to improve his hitting after posting a .252 average with 15 RBI as a freshman and hitting .276 with 16 RBI as a sophomore.
Joe Duncan shared the Lakeshore’s 2016 Robin Yount Award with Owen Miller as the players best living up to the standard of the Hall of Famer. Duncan brought a blue-collar work ethic to the field every day, playing in 64 games and notching a team high 258 at-bats while patrolling the outfield in center and left. Duncan hit .264 with nine doubles and 21 RBI and was second on the team with 18 stolen bases. Leading off or hitting in the number two spot of the lineup, Duncan was an Opening Day starter and finished the season going 2 for 5 in Lakeshore’s 1st Round playoff loss to Wisconsin Rapids. As a speedy and solid defender, Chinooks fans can expect to see plenty of Duncan throughout the 2017 summer.
The 6’2 junior from Highland, IL was named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman team in 2015 when he hit .303 as the leadoff batter for the Panthers. He improved to .332 as a sophomore and stole a team-high 18 bases, which leaves him tied for 5th on EIU’s list for stolen bases in a season.
You can catch your first glimpse of the 2017 Chinooks roster on Saturday, June 3rd when Lakeshore takes on the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at 6:35pm at Kapco Park. Season tickets, mini game packages, and group tickets are all currently on sale. Single game tickets go on sale to the public in early May. For tickets and more information, call 262-618-4659 or visit lakeshorechinooks.com.
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 160 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Chinooks as your favorite team.