GLEN CARBON - Ben Sink, who is a senior pitcher and outfielder for the Father McGivney Catholic High School baseball team, signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Illinois-Springfield to play baseball in 2027 in a ceremony held at the Griffins Den, the school's student lounge, on Oct. 29, 2025.
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Sink had a successful junior season in 2025, hitting .344 with two home runs and 37 RBIs, and also had a great season on the mound, going 6-0 in eight appearances as a pitcher, starting seven games, completing two, with a 1.50 ERA, walking 16 and striking out 55 batsmen in helping the Griffins to a 35-4 record, losing in the IHSA Class 1A state final in a heartbreaker 6-5 to Ottawa Marquette Catholic on June 7, 2025, at Illinois Field on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.
Sink is a Byron-Carlson-Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for the Griffins.
In his post-signing ceremony interview, Sink had many practical reasons why he cast his lot to play for the Prairie Stars.
"It was one of the few offers I had," Sink said, "and I decided it was going to be the best fit for me and my family. I get to go play baseball with my best friend (Issac Wendler, who also signed with UIS ."
McGivney head baseball coach Chris Erwin is quite proud of Ben's efforts at center field.
"He is also an outstanding pitcher and pitched two super sectional games and will be our No. 2 pitcher in the spring," Erwin said. "He also hit .340 this past year with 10 stolen bases. He is nearly unhittable on the mound with an ERA of 1.50. He has a great demeanor and is focused at the plate, and is all business on the mound. He does a great job."
The Griffins were promoted to Class 2A for the upcoming season, but Sink still feels the ingredients are there for another state run.
"We're looking to make a run here in 2A," Sink said. "I think we've got the pitching, the hitting to make another state appearance."
Sink was attracted to UIS because of the campus size, its baseball program, and head coach Chris Rodriguez.
"It's a small campus, but it's beautiful," Sink said, "and I was really attracted to the head coach. We had a lot in common, and he seems like he wants to get to work."
Sink also considered Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Olivet Nazarene College in Bourbonnais, and St Xavier University in Chicago. He plans on majoring in biology, with a look at enrolling in premed school or a physician's assistant. He also may bypass those options and enlist in the military instead.
Sink has many fond and positive memories of playing for the Griffins, but his favorite was the state run from last season.
"Probably the state run we had last year," Sink said. "I know we came up short, but I think we'll be able to get it his year. This will be the senior guys' last shot to do it. I think we will, so we've got a good chance at it."
