Meet the 2024 All-Nebraska baseball team (2024)

Falling just short of a second consecutive state championship doesn't diminish what the players from Lincoln East accomplished this season.

The Spartans finished 32-2, losing to Millard West 4-3 in the Class A final. Their only other setback was a 4-3, extra-inning loss to Millard South on April 5.

Most of the players returned from the East squad that defeated Millard West in the 2023 final, becoming the first Lincoln team to capture Class A in 46 years. Coach Mychal Lanik's Spartans then went all the way to the American Legion World Series final last summer, nearly becoming the first Nebraska team since 1939 to win the title.

"Millard West was a really hungry team in that final," Lanik said. "You could tell they felt the sting of losing in last year's championship."

Five Spartans made the All-Nebraska first team this season, only the fifth time that a quintet from the same squad has been honored. The other four were Omaha Northwest in 1983 and 1994, Omaha Creighton Prep in 1994 and Millard West in 2001.

Representing East are pitchers Carter Mick and Paul Shortridge, infielder AJ Evasco, catcher Jeter Worthley and designated hitter Garrett Springer. Mick, Evasco and Worthley return from last year's first team while Shortridge moves up from the 2023 second team.

"Even though we came up just short at the end, it was an incredible season for us," Lanik said. "Those players gave us a lot of great moments."

The Class A champion Wildcats, who finished 33-5, are represented by infielder Tyson Lewis and utility player Nick Venteicher. Both also are returning first-teamers.

"Tyson and Nick were both great senior leaders for us," Millard West coach Steve Frey said. "It was a credit to our whole team that we played 38 games and they stayed focused all the time."

The other repeat selections are infielder Kale Fountain of Norris and pitcher Colin Nowaczyk of Elkhorn North. Fountain is the first player to be named to the first team all four years.

Also on the All-Nebraska team are Drew Grego and Ty Smolinski of Bellevue West, Jace Ziola of Omaha Skutt, Maddox Meyer of Malcolm and Danny Wallace of Papillion-La Vista South. Grego was on the second team last year.

Mick, a Nebraska signee, went 8-1 this season. He had a 1.13 ERA and was third in Class A in strikeouts with 65.

Shortridge, who will play collegiately at Grinnell in Iowa, won nine games and had an ERA of 1.21. He combined with Mick and Thomas Fraley to win 25 of the Spartans' 34 games.

Evasco, a Kansas State commit, was the No. 3 hitter in East's powerful lineup. He batted .480 and led the state in RBIs with 54 — three short of the state record — and was second in runs scored with 45.

Worthley, one of four underclassmen on the first team, batted .426. The Michigan pledge also scored 41 runs and is recognized as one of the state's top defensive catchers.

Springer, who hit cleanup for the Spartans, will play collegiately at Missouri State. He batted .433 and was third in the state in RBIs with 43.

Mick and Shortridge will be playing for East's Legion team this summer but the other three are not.

"We'll have a different look," Lanik said. "But I'm optimistic and I know our guys will have a lot of fun."

Lewis, an Arkansas commit, batted leadoff for Millard West and hurt opponents in several ways. The All-Nebraska co-captain led Class A in batting average (.496), runs scored (53) and was tied for the home run lead (8) while also posing a stolen-base threat (31).

He also was named the state's baseball player of the year by MaxPreps for the second straight time.

Venteicher, a Creighton signee, played third base and was the Wildcats' closer. He batted .378 and capped his varsity career by reaching base four times in the championship game and pitching the final two innings to earn the save.

Fountain, an LSU commit, batted .474 for the Class B champion Titans. The All-Nebraska co-captain had 31 RBIs and led Class B with 43 runs scored.

Nowaczyk, a Nebraska commit, was a double threat for Elkhorn North. He batted .512 and led the state with 10 wins on the mound.

Grego, another Husker pledge, batted .457 for Bellevue West. He scored 42 runs and stole 24 bases.

Thunderbirds' teammate Smolinski, a Kansas State signee, batted .412. He was second in the state in RBIs with 47 while belting nine doubles and four homers.

Ziola, a 6-foot-1 junior, went 6-1 for the SkyHawks. The Nebraska pledge had a 0.89 ERA in 31.1 innings and struck out 54.

Meyer was a key reason why Malcolm was able to repeat as Class C champion. The UNO signee went 9-0 and was the winning pitcher in the final, tossing a five-hit complete game in a 3-2 victory over Elkhorn Mount Michael.

Wallace, who is pledged to Oklahoma State, batted .380 for Papio South. He had six doubles and five home runs.

Nominations by coaches and observations by World-Herald sportswriters determine the honor teams.

* — indicates honorary co-captain

Carter Mick

Lincoln East • Pitcher• Senior• 8-1

Paul Shortridge

Lincoln East• Pitcher• Senior• 9-0

Jace Ziola

Omaha Skutt • Pitcher• Junior• 6-1

Maddox Meyer

Malcolm • Pitcher • Senior• 9-0

*Tyson Lewis

Millard West• Infielder• Senior• .496

*Kale Fountain

Norris • Infielder• Senior• .474

Drew Grego

Bellevue West • Infielder• Junior• .457

AJ Evasco

Lincoln East • Infielder• Senior• .480

Jeter Worthley

Lincoln East • Catcher• Junior• .426

Danny Wallace

Papillion-La Vista South • Outfielder • Junior• .380

Colin Nowaczyk

Elkhorn North • Outfielder/Pitcher • Senior• .512/10-0

Ty Smolinski

Bellevue West • Outfielder/Infielder • Senior• .412

Garrett Springer

Lincoln East • Designated hitter • Senior• .433

Nick Venteicher

Millard West • Utility• Senior • .378

P — Brady Ferguson, Millard West, Junior, 6-1

P — Tanner Foertsch, Elkhorn South, Senior, 6-2

P — Tanner Apgar, Papillion-La Vista, Senior, .366/8-0

P — Karter Chamberlain, Lincoln Southwest, Senior, 5-3

INF — Gage Olsen, Plattsmouth, Senior, .508

INF — Nick Glantz, Bellevue West, Senior, .423

INF — Mason Wisnieski, Malcolm, Junior, .515

INF — Nick Rogge, South Sioux City, Senior, .437

C — Landon Sandy, Lincoln Southwest, Junior, .323

OF — Mike Wheelock, Omaha Creighton Prep, Senior, .368

OF — Troy Peltz, Lincoln East, Junior, .318

OF — Chris Thiessen, Elkhorn North, Senior, .404

DH — Caleb Williams, Omaha South, Junior, .465

UTIL/P — Michael Sall, Omaha Creighton Prep, Senior, 5-2