Region IV baseball is good. Really, really good.

Morton College coach Chris Wido attest to that. A year ago, Wido guided the Panthers to 32 wins and Morton College wasn't part of the Region IV playoffs.

The Panthers are in this year and they appreciate the opportunity to be part of the Region IV playoff field.

"It's a testament to how tough our region is and how many good teams there are," Wido said. "The guys are definitely hungry to prove something after not making the playoff last year after a successful season."

The Panthers are part of a three-team sectional at McHenry with Moraine Valley. McHenry (40-9) is seeded second, Morton College (33-22) seventh and Moraine Valley (15-30), 11th.  All games are 9-inning contests.

The Panthers open the double-elimination tournament against Moraine Valley at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday, May 13th) and then have to come back right back and face the nation's 19th-ranked team at noon. The tournament was pushed back a day because of rain.

"It's an all-Skyway sectional," Wido noted. "We can't look past Moraine Valley. They're a scrappy team and have been playing well lately. And McHenry is McHenry. We've got to be firing on all cylinders and not give away anything."

Offense is the word behind Morton College's successful season. The Panthers are top 10 in 10 different offensive categories, starting being second with 495 RBI. Morton College is third in runs scored (542), hits (627) and total bases (999). The Panthers are fourth in extra-base hits (213), fifth in slugging percentage (.580) and batting average (.364), sixth in doubles (128) and home runs (74), and ninth in on-base percentage (.465).

Freshman first baseman Miguel Cantu became the first Panther in 28 years to be named the Skyway's MVP. He's hitting .460 with 17 home runs and 87 RBI. His 87 RBI is second nationally and 17 round-trippers tied for sixth.

Cantu was one of three Panthers selected to the Skyway's First Team. Sophomore catcher Alex Brodie (.375, 11 HR, 52 RBI), who just committed to NCAA Division II Shorter in Georgia, and freshman left fielder Ryan Jenkins (.416, 7 HR, 52 RBI) also were Skyway First Team selections as well.

Sophomore pitcher Ludovic Messier (4-3, 4.50 ERA) was named Skyway Second Team, while Honorable Mention status was bestowed on freshman shortstop Luke Brabham (.371, 3 HR, 47 RBI) and freshman pitcher Jeremy Fox (6-5, 2.95 ERA).

The Panthers dusted themselves off after a seven-game losing streak to close the regular season with back-to-back wins over Bryant & Stratton and Oakton this week.

"The little streak didn't dictate who we are as a team," Wido said. "More importantly, the guys stayed positive. They knew all things even out. We're looking forward to this opportunity."