It’s always exciting to see stories about our guys succeeding at the next level. This past week, three former IE players rose to the top: Zach Dillman, Cam Careswell, and Sam Tatum have accomplished feats that are each an impressive statement for our academy.
“I love to see our guys achieve success, and each one of these former players has proven their ability, and what’s better, watching them play, you see their love the game and how much fun they are having,” commented Todd Clausen, director of player development. “These guys are off to an impressive start and I can’t express how excited I am for them.”
Dillman Named NJCAA D1 National Player of the Week
Zach Dillman, a 2020 alumnus, earned NJCAA D1 National Player of the Week for Week 1 after a solid week for State Fair Community College. In 6 games, Dillman hit 6 home runs with 12 RBIs while batting .526. He hit 6 home runs the two prior weeks, which combined for 12 home runs in 14 games and earned him the top spot on the NJCAA National Leaderboard for home runs.
Dillman signed to play at Missouri State. After spending the fall 2020 season at Mo State, Dillman transferred to SFCC in order to avoid the Covid backlog and earn playing time. His choice has proven invaluable for his development and playing career. Dillman played in all 46 games for the Roadrunners’ 2021 season and finished the season batting .344 (157 AB) with 9 home runs.
Dillman recently announced that he will continue his education and baseball career at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Careswell Opens SEC Career and Earns Standout Performer of the Weekend
Cam Careswell, a 2021 IE alumnus and freshman at the University of Missouri, started his SEC career with a bang. In his first career start for Mizzou, Careswell was 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs. He earned 2 starts on the weekend, finishing the weekend series 3-for-8 with 3 doubles and 3 RBIs. His clutch performance in game one secured the win, setting up the team for the series sweep and earning Careswell the RockMNation.com Standout Performer of the Weekend.
Tatum Batting .333 on the Season
Sam Tatum has earned a starting role for the Mules and continues to contribute to the team’s success. The 2018 IE alumnus has appeared in 8 games for the Mules, racking up 6 hits and 1 home run on 18 at-bats, scoring 6 RBIs and 9 runs.
