Prep baseball: All-Area player of the year O'Connell did it all for Eau Claire Memorial
Jun. 21—The Eau Claire Memorial baseball team needed a mid-season spark. It got one with a coveted rivalry victory.
The Old Abes were 5-5 through their first 10 games of the season. The stop-and-start campaign was derailed by poor weather, and Memorial couldn't get into a groove. But when the time came to square off with longtime foe Eau Claire North at Carson Park, it was just the boost the Old Abes needed.
Memorial won the second game of that series in walk-off fashion, 5-4. It was no surprise that infielder Dylan O'Connell had a hand in that victory. The versatile shortstop, often at the heart of Memorial's success over the last couple of years, had a pair of hits to help his side get their season on the right track.
"I'd say the North series was kind of a turning point for us," O'Connell said.
"We did the same thing last season too: We started kind of slow and kind of waited for that one big game that we have, which we always do. We just went out there and had a lot of fun, and our confidence just increased from there."
After defeating the state-ranked Huskies, Memorial went on to win 12 of its next 16 games.
Whether it was as a hitter or a pitcher, O'Connell had a knack for coming up big for Memorial. The senior hit .376 with four doubles, a triple, three home runs and 18 RBIs this spring. As a pitcher, he had a 1.43 ERA with 57 strikeouts across 48.2 innings.
O'Connell was a first-team all-state selection for the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association and earned co-player of the year honors in the Big Rivers Conference. He's also the Leader-Telegram's All-Area player of the year.
"I don't tend to look at individual stats much, but I felt like I met my own expectations," O'Connell said. "I was just playing for my teammates, and the cards kind of fall in place when you do that."
O'Connell was pivotal in Memorial's run to the Division 1 state semifinals in 2021, and drew increased attention as a senior this year. It didn't slow him down at all. He was one of the top two-way players in the state.
The Old Abes naturally came into the season with high expectations after reaching the state tournament last year. They ended up finishing second in the Big Rivers and winning a regional title this spring, ultimately seeing their season end in the sectional semifinals.
"I don't think the outcome was really what our team was looking for, but I think there are a lot of positive takeaways you can take from it," O'Connell said. "A lot of the seniors got a lot better and got a lot closer. We made a lot of memories, because we're just out there playing baseball with your best friends. So it's just a win-win no matter how many games you win or lose. It was a positive experience all around."
A cold and wet spring perhaps cooled off some of the team's momentum from its hot finish to 2021. Like most teams around the state, the Old Abes saw much of their early season schedule either wiped out by the weather or played in sub-optimal conditions.
"It was definitely frustrating at times," O'Connell said. "For our first games, we pulled up in Mauston and there was snow all over the field. We were brushing and shoveling snow for an hour just to play. So it was hard to get in a groove that first month."
But as the temperatures rose, so did Memorial. The Old Abes had a nine-game win streak in May, and won a regional title in thrilling fashion when Luke Erickson hit a walk-off single against River Falls in the playoffs.
O'Connell did in that game what he often does when he's on the mound. He threw six strong innings against the Wildcats, marking the fifth time in the season that he logged as many frames.
O'Connell is set to play Division I baseball at the University of St. Thomas next year. He's playing for the Eau Claire Pizza Hut Post 53 Legion baseball team this summer before heading off on his next chapter.
"I'm going to enjoy my summer a little bit here," O'Conell said.
