The Dunlap baseball squad sits atop the Mid‑Illini Conference with a 25‑6 overall record and an 11‑2 conference slate that has them on the brink of their first outright league title since 2019.
A pivotal matchup on May 20
Dunlap will host Metamora on May 20, a game that could seal the championship and cement the team’s place in recent school history.
Junior Eli Michanicou has become the offensive engine, batting .358 with 34 hits, eight doubles, two homers and 22 RBIs, while also anchoring the rotation with a 0.83 ERA, 51 strikeouts and just 10 walks over 33.2 innings.
Fellow junior Carter Lippens has emerged as the staff ace, posting a 9‑0 record, a 0.52 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 54 innings, increasingly relying on deeper outings and trust in his defense.
Coach Eric Stone describes the team as embodying a ‘warrior mentality,’ noting that the players’ work ethic and collective drive have turned early‑season promise into a sustained push toward the postseason.
The momentum extends beyond the diamond, with the town of Peoria rallying behind a program that has posted back‑to‑back regional titles and 28 wins over the past two seasons, setting the stage for a deep run in June.