ELGIN, IL – The Metropolitan College Summer Baseball League hosted All-Stars from the Chicago Suburban League on Tuesday night at Hoffer Field on Judson University’s campus. The Metro League All-Stars, managed by long-time Wheaton White Sox manager Bill Slight, won 3-1 over the CSBL. Matthew Kozlak (Illinois Indians, Roosevelt University) was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after collecting two hits and driving in the game’s decisive run.
The day started with the first annual Metro vs. CSBL All-Star Home Run Derby. The Metro League had strong showings by Anthony Bragg (Wheaton White Sox, North Park University), Ethan Bloom (Crystal Lake Cardinals, Lewis University) and John Heilenbach (Crystal Lake Cardinals, Villanova University). Bragg would win in round two with four majestic shots over the left-center wall. The Metro League outscored the CSBL 12-6 throughout the entire derby.
The Mayor of Elgin, Dave Kaptain, was on hand to throw out the first pitch in front of a crowd of 200 fans including members of the Crystal Lake Little League who helped shag fly balls during batting practice and the home run derby. The Metro League got off to a quick start. Alec Gamboa (Crystal Lake Cardinals, Fresno State University) started the game with a scoreless first. The scoring started in the bottom half of the frame with back-to-back hits from Austin Kordik (Palatine Bulldogs, Hope College) and Kozlak. Kordik was moved to third on a fly ball from Heilenbach and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Bloom.
The offense on both sides was stymied for the next six innings. The CSBL threated in the 2nd inning but failed to capitalize due to the clutch pitching of Adam O’Malley (Rockford Rays, Rockford University). The Metro League held the CSBL hitless through the next 4 innings. Ryan Pfutzenreuter (Des Plaines Patriots, Villanova University), Ian Koch (Crystal Lake Cardinals, Western Illinois University), Mike Stellmack (Akadema Athletics, Aurora University), and Evan Blunk (Wheaton White Sox, North Central College) all worked perfect innings for the Metro League. On the day, Metro League pitchers struck out eight and walked one while only allowing one run on five hits.
The scoring resumed in the bottom half of the 8th for the Metro League. Thomas Norton (Illinois Indians, University of Illinois-Chicago) started the two run inning with a line drive hit to center field. He would later steal second base and Ryan Fish (Windy City Prospects, Jefferson College) would draw a one out walk. Kozlak would drive in the winning run on a base hit through the right side scoring fellow Indian Norton that also moved Fish to 3rd on the throw home. Fish would score an insurance run in the next at bat on an RBI sacrifice fly by Tyler Wypiszenski (Des Plaines Patriots, Case Western Reserve). The Metro League hitters ended the day with six hits and two walks.
Gamboa recorded the win with Cody Pazik (Illinois Indians, Oakton Community College) earning the save for the Metro League. The Metro League regular season wraps up this week with the league’s end of the year tournament starting on Friday, July 22nd at Judson University’s Hoffer Field. Stay tuned to the www.metrocollegebaseball.com for tournament updates!
