Lemont’s Kyle Cyr, Mark Kornacker sign baseball National Letters of Intent

2/3/2010

Mark Kornacker (left) and Kyle Cyr should play important roles for head coach Joe Rodeghero's team this spring.

Lemont High School seniors Kyle Cyr and Mark Kornacker have both signed National Letters of Intent to play college baseball at the NCAA Division II level in Spring 2011. Cyr will play for Palm Beach Atlantic University, while Kornacker will attend Lewis University.

Cyr and Kornacker helped head coach Joe Rodeghero’s team to a successful season in 2009, and both are expected to be major contributors this spring. Last year, the two helped the Indians to a 17-10 record and an IHSA Regional crown. The squad also finished 13-3 in South Suburban Conference (SSC) play, and won the SSC Blue title.

Cyr enjoyed a terrific junior year in 2009, leading the team in a number of offensive categories. He batted a team-high .467 with five home runs and 31 runs batted in, all of which were team bests. He also led the team with 29 runs scored, 18 extra-base hits, six triples and an .822 slugging percentage. He not only starred as a right fielder, but was also successful in 15 appearances on the mound. He posted a 2-1 record in 25.0 innings pitched, allowing just 16 hits while fanning 34 batters (9.52 per seven innings). An All-SSC selection, Cyr was also named to the all-area teams by the Joliet Herald-News and Southtown Star. As a sophomore, he batted .293 with a home run, seven RBIs and 14 runs scored.

Cyr has been a three-sport standout at Lemont High School. In 2008, he was a member of the school’s boys’ golf team, which finished sixth at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals. This past fall, he traded in his golf clubs for shoulder pads, and quarterbacked the Indians to a 10-2 record and an SSC Blue title. He accounted for 19 touchdowns in all (10 passing, eight rushing, one punt return), and finished the year with 1081 yards of total offense (390 rushing, 691 passing).

Cyr will play for head coach Gary Carter at Palm Beach Atlantic, an NCAA Division II independent and member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) located in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Sailfish went 10-36 last season, but a buzz surrounds the program this season with Carter, a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, taking over the squad. Carter is an 11-time All-Star and two-time league MVP who was a member of the 1986 World Champion New York Mets.

Kornacker played third base and served in a utility role last spring. He batted .286 with 13 runs batted in and 14 runs scored, while also totalling six extra-base hits (five doubles, one triple). Additionally, he enjoyed a terrific summer playing for the Illinois Sparks, hitting .369 with 17 RBIs and 21 runs scored.

Kornacker will play for head coach Tim McDonough, who is entering his third season at the helm of the Lewis baseball program. Last season, McDonough guided the Flyers to a 20-32 record, which included an 8-16 mark and fifth-place finish in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) play. The team’s 20 wins were its most since the 2002 season.

For more information, contact Director of School and Community Relations Tony Hamilton at (630) 243-3280.