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Lochlan Hansel, a reliable presence for George Rogers Clark High School’s baseball team, will be on the mound for his senior year, 2024.

To the excitement of players, coaches, and others, he will continue playing once he graduates.

Hansel, a primary anchor of the George Rogers Clark High School pitching staff, signed last Monday, Nov. 20, to play at Rend Lake College in Jacksonville, Il.

“I am excited to announce my commitment to further my academic and athletic career at Rend Lake CC to play baseball,” he said via Twitter in a recent post. “I would like to thank my family, teammates, and coaches who have supported me along the way.”

In 2023, the George Rogers Clark pitching staff led the 10th Region with a 2.32 team earned run average (ERA) during the regular season.

Along with other pitchers, including the recently graduated Keyonte Back and fellow returning senior Jordan Soliz, Hansel was seen as one of its key members.

The senior star, whose work includes training with Winchester native and former Chicago White Sox pitcher Matt Ginter, shined in 2023 with several wins and saves in over a dozen appearances.

He also shined as a sophomore in 2022, throwing a seven-inning complete-game victory in a 10th Region semifinal matchup as the Cards defeated Nicholas County.

While used both at the beginning of games and out of the bullpen, arguably his best appearance in 2023 came against then-two-time defending 10th Region Champion Campbell County during a doubleheader on Apr. 1.

Against a squad that finished 2023 as 10th Region runner-up with a 29-10 record, Hansel entered late in a one-run game with the Camels threatening to score.

Using only six pitches, Hansel was able to get the final two outs and keep the potent Camels’ offense from scoring as GRC held on for a 2-1 victory.

Head coach Eddie Brooks, entering his first year as GRC’s baseball coach, spoke highly of Hansel when asked what attributes he brings to the team.

“His overall competitiveness, his [willingness] to win, [and] willing to do whatever [is needed] to get the job done,” Brooks said. “He is all in, which is going to bode well for him in the future.”

Rend Lake College, a member of the Illinois Public Community College System (ICCS), was chosen by Hansel for several reasons.

“Everything’s close. You can literally walk out of your dorm, and you’re almost on the baseball field, which is amazing,” Hansel said. “It’s a good community [with] great coaches.”

He also expressed his satisfaction with last Monday’s event.

“Today’s ceremony was great. I had a lot of my teammates…grandparents, family members, [and] two amazing coaches that have been there since the beginning,” he said.

With Hansel hoping to ultimately earn a Division 1 scholarship, Brooks acknowledged that the future looks bright.

“I think the ability is there,” Brooks said. “He’s got the size [and] he’s got the velocity.”