The National Division All-Stars only had two hits Wednesday during the annual BJCL All-Star Game hosted by the KC Royals at Kauffman Stadium, but that was enough to power a 2-1 win against the American Division All-Stars.
MSBL Royals C Zach Dillman (Lee’s Summit West/Avila) had the only RBI in the game, coming on a fifth-inning single off Ban Johnson Legends RHP Eddie Freidel (Liberty/McKendree [Illinois]) that provided a 2-0 lead and gave the National Division squad the insurance it needed to withstand a ninth-inning rally.
“I kind of had an idea he was going to go slider just because of the way the at-bat set up, what I swung at, what I left and kind of where he went before,” Dillman said. “… Luckily, I hit it well enough to squeak it through.”
Dillman was behind the plate in the ninth when the American Division squad loaded the bases and finally broke through with an RBI walk by Milgram Mustangs CF Ryker Edwards (Smithville/JCCC).
But Creche Innovations Stars RHP James Hays (Pleasant Hill/Fort Scott CC) wriggled out of his self-created jam to preserve the one-run win.
“It’s a fun challenge to understand your pitchers on short notice and get to know them and try to pitch to their strengths,” Dillman said.
Dillman, who earned MVP honors for producing the game-winning RBI single, had taken part in charity batting practice at Kauffman Stadium before, but playing on the field in a real game was a dream come true.
“Being a hometown kid, playing on this field, catching where Salvy (Perez) caught, hitting where (Alex) Gordon hit — it’s just really cool,” Dillman said.
As MVP, Dillman will throw out the honorary first pitch before the Royals game on Friday, July 19, against the Chicago White Sox.
NKC Apartments Giants RF Koen Gakstatter (Blue Valley West/McPherson), who started the game for the American Division All-Stars, was the only player with two hits in the game. Creche Innovations Stars DH Brody Hufft (Park Hill South/JCCC) reached base twice — a single and a walk — for the National Division All-Stars.
Creche Innovations Stars RHP Jesse Scholtz (Grain Valley/Park) picked up the win. He scattered two hits in 1 2/3 shutout innings, spanning the first and second innings.Gakstatter’s Giants teammate, RHP Jacob Merithew (Fort Osage/UCM) struck out the side in the seventh inning on 14 pitches only to be upstaged an inning later when Adapt PT Prospects RHP Gavin Wilhelm (Seaman [Kansas]/Washburn) threw an immaculate inning — three strikeouts on nine pitches.
