Many happy returns for Voitik

The wide smile on the face of Joliet Junior College second baseman Ryan Voitik was undeniable.

Voitik had made sure that the Wolves' baseball team was not denied a third straight trip to the NJCAA Division III World Series.

The former Minooka High School standout played a role in JJC defeating host Waubonsee Community College 2-1 Monday in the Region IV Tournament final. The victory not only completed a 4-0 run through the tournament for JJC, but punched its ticket to the World Series which begins Saturday in Tyler, Tex.

"You can't believe how happy I am right now," Voitik said moments after the tournament-clinching win. "Now we get the chance to go back down to Texas and maybe take care of some unfinished business. This has been on our minds since Day 1, but we knew that we couldn't afford to look ahead."

Voitik and the Wolves (45-11) begin play in the eight-team, double-elimination Division III World Series at noon Saturday. That's when JJC takes on Maryland's Montgomery College-Germantown. JJC finished 5-2 at the national tournament last year, including a 9-2 victory over Montgomery College-Germantown.

Voitik, who had two hits in Monday's win against Waubonsee, was a member of a JJC team last season which finished second to Tyler (Texas) at the World Series. After splitting a pair of games with Tyler, JJC fell to the hosts in a winner-take-all championship game.

Ironically, Tyler was eliminated in region play and won't be at the World Series. Powerful Richland, Texas, will be, however.

"We realize there won't be any easy games in the Series," said Voitik, who bats second in a JJC lineup averaging 7.8 runs per game. "The coaches have us on a very even keel. We never get big heads. They won't stand for it."

An oversized ego has never been a problem for Voitik, who plays third base. Keeping things in perspective has been a staple for the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder.

After playing a big part in Minooka and coach Jeff Petrovic tying for third place in the 2006 Class AA state tournament, Voitik enrolled at JJC.

But a bout with mononucleosis put Voitik on the shelf for a majority of the 2007 season. He came back late in the year, played in the Region IV Tournament and saw limited time in the World Series.

"It got to be pretty bad and very frustrating last year," he said. "I'd go to our games and watch everyone else play. Knowing I couldn't play made it even tougher. It was especially difficult when we made that great run late in the season and we went to the World Series.

"Not being able to help your teammates can get you down. I wanted to come back this season and do everything to stay healthy."

Voitik's .350 batting average, 50 RBIs and 13 doubles have more than added fuel to JJC's offensive tank. Along the way, Voitik was switched to No. 2 in the batting order behind Coal City's Brandon Howard, who was the Region IV Tournament MVP.

"Ryan's had quite a second year here," JJC coach Wayne King said. "When we flip-flopped Ryan with Brett Velen -- from the No. 5 hole to No. 2 -- in the batting order, I think that really picked us up. Ryan has been hitting second behind Brandon for more than half the season now.

"When Howard gets on first, Ryan can either bunt or hit to the right side. We'll often hit-and-run since he uses the bat so well. We know that Ryan will put the ball in play and that's been one key to our success."

In the region final against Waubonsee, Voitik singled in the first inning and laid down a bunt single in the eighth. His bunt moved Howard, who had doubled, over to third. Joliet Township's Ed Koncel doubled inside the third base bag to plate Howard with the game-winning run.

"You do what you have to do to get a win," Voitik said. "We're doing most everything right. And that's the way it should be at this stage of the season. In most aspects, I think we're clicking on all cylinders. Everybody's doing their job and that means so much. This victory over Waubonsee was a team win all the way."

Ryan's older brother Mike was the Wolves' starting second baseman last season. Mike, now at the University of Iowa, was an all-conference and all-Region IV selection last season.

"There was no sibling rivalry or anything like that with Mike," Ryan said. "We always wanted each other to do well. We rooted for each other, no matter what we were doing."

Voitik hopes to walk on at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale next season.

But first, he has desires of gaining a national championship ring in the next week. The World Series concludes May 22.

"I think we have a good chance to go down to Texas and win it all," he said. "The pitching is doing well, we're playing solid defense and picking up the baseball. I think we can do some damage."

Watching Minooka, again one of the area's top teams, have another good season broadened Voitik's smile even more.

"We help set a good foundation my years at Minooka and coach Petrovic was tremendous," Voitik said. "Coach (Derrik) Rapsky was also very instrumental in my development during high school.

"And then here at JJC, Coach King has helped me improve my skills in many ways."

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