Six members of the Illinois Springfield baseball team were named to the All-GLVC teams on Tuesday, including five first-team selections. The Prairie Stars will begin GLVC Championship Tournament play on Wednesday afternoon.
Mark Kattula | R-Sr. | 1B | Shelby Township, Mich.
Mark Kattula earned first-team honors at first base, leading the GLVC in hits (77) and ranking fourth in batting average (.399). He also ranks eighth in runs scored (46), sixth in RBIs (49), and sixth in doubles (18). The redshirt senior has struck out just 15 times in 189 at-bats. Defensively, he has recorded 169 putouts, four assists, only three errors, and turned 10 double plays. Kattula was a first-team All-GLVC designated hitter in his first year with UIS in 2024.
Kattula is also the team's James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honoree. As the team's nominee, he is eligible for the university's James R. Spalding Individual Sportsmanship Award, which will be selected from all UIS honorees at the end of the year.
Ethan Bowers | Jr. | SS | Vernon Hills, Ill.
Ethan Bowers earned first team All-GLVC honors in his debut season with the Prairie Stars. He batted .326 with 59 hits, including 11 doubles and 10 home runs, and drove in 32 runs. He also ranked among the GLVC's leaders in several categories: fourth in assists (108), seventh in stolen bases (21), and ninth in runs scored (44).
The team's everyday shortstop posted a .935 fielding percentage with 49 putouts and helped turn 14 double plays.
Ivan Dahlberg | Jr. | C | Minooka, Ill.
Ivan Dahlberg repeated as a first team All-GLVC selection following another standout season behind the plate. He hit .348 in the regular season with a team-best 14 home runs, also leading UIS in runs scored (45), walks (35), and slugging percentage (.709). He's driven in 38 runs and reached base at a .484 clip.
Dahlberg ranks among the league's top hitters: sixth in slugging, fifth in home runs, second in walks, and ninth in on-base percentage. Defensively, he has recorded 254 putouts and 21 assists, and ranks seventh in the GLVC with 10 runners caught stealing.
Mark Decicco | Jr. | RHP | Crystal Lake, Ill.
Mark Decicco, a first-time All-GLVC selection in his debut season with the Prairie Stars, was named to the first team after delivering clutch performances down the stretch in conference play. The right-hander found his stride at the right time, finishing the regular season with a 6-4 record and a 4.02 ERA over 53.2 innings, including three complete games in 10 starts. He leads the GLVC in opponent batting average (.193) and ranks among the top 10 in ERA, strikeouts (70), and wins (6).
Seth Masters | R-Sr. | LHP | Orland Park, Ill.
Masters, a first-team relief pitcher, has been dominant out of the bullpen. After 13 appearances, he holds a 1.69 ERA with nine saves—leading the GLVC and ranking second in UIS single-season history. He's allowed just 15 hits and four earned runs across 21.1 innings, with 26 strikeouts and a .190 opponent batting average.
Masters was a second-team All-GLVC starting pitcher in 2022. He now ranks third on the program's all-time saves list with ten.
Esteban Hernandez | Gr. | RHP | Yuma, Ariz.
Hernandez, a graduate transfer, earned second-team honors as a starting pitcher. The team's usual game-one starter is 5-0 with a 5.72 ERA over 12 starts. He's pitched 56.2 innings, striking out 48 and holding opposing batters to a .281 average.
The Prairie Stars open play in the GLVC Championship Tournament on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. against No. 7 seed Missouri S&T. The game will take place at Mountain Dew Park in Marion, Ill.