Home BaseballRiver City Rascals Loveless Takes MVP As the Frontier League Experienced All-Stars Beat the Rookies 8-3

Loveless Takes MVP As the Frontier League Experienced All-Stars Beat the Rookies 8-3

by

O’FALLON, MO – The 2018 Frontier League All-Star Game took place at CarShield Field in O’Fallon, MO in front of a big crowd of 3,092 baseball fans. First pitch was at 7:21 pm and gametime temperature was  87 degrees. This is the third Frontier League All-Star hosted by the River City Rascals in their 20 year existence.

The Frontier League Experienced All-Stars beat the Rookie All-Stars by the score of 8-3. The MVP voting was unanimous for Derrick Loveless of the Normal Cornbelters. Loveless played the whole game, he went 2 for 3, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB. Loveless was also given a custom glove by Rawlings for winning MVP.

Thomas Dorminy of the Washington Wild Things started the game off for the Experienced All-Stars. Dorminy struck out Kadkholdaian, then gave up a hit to Trenton Hill. Hill was left stranded at first. Rookies starter, Liam O’Sullivan of the Joliet Slammers, didn’t fare so well in bottom half of the first inning. O’Sullivan gave up two consecutive singles to James Harris and Santiago Chirino before surrendering a 3 run bomb to dead center to Derrick Loveless. Chris Iriart added a solo homerun over the left field bleachers. Experienced led 4-0 after the first inning.

Steve Hagen came in for the Experienced All-Stars and gave up a one out homerun over the right field scoreboard to Kelvan Berges. Payton Lobdell took the mound for the Rookies. He walked Harris and then gave up a one out RBI double to right center to Santiago Chrino. After two innings the Experienced squad led 5-1.

Zac Westcott took the mound for the Experienced All-Stars, after a quick out Westcott gave up a solo homerun to right center to Evansville Otters Ryan Long. Westcott gave up a single to Kadkhldaian and a double down the left field corner to Fulton. Fans thought Kadkhldaian was going to score but ended up getting the stop sign from his third base coach. Westcott got out of the jam after McEachern flied out to left field. Randy Wynne took the mound for the Rookies to start the bottom of the third inning. Wynne started out the inning striking out Towns then gave up a long double to left center to Chris Iriart. Collins struck out looking and Shepard grounded out to short. After three innings the Experienced All-Stars led 5-2.

Taking over pitching duties in the fourth inning for the Experienced All-Stars was Jordan Desguin. Desguin gave up a double to right center to Benard and then an RBI single up the middle to Jack Parenty before getting out of the inning on a ground out to second. Max McNabb took the hill for the Rookie All-Stars in the bottom of the fourth. Harris hit a one out double then Derrick Loveless muscled up for for a two run shot, his second homerun of the game. After four innings the Experienced still led 7-3.

Sean Renzi took over in the top of the fifth for the Experienced All-Stars. Renzi got two quick strike outs before surrendering a single to Fulton. The Rookies stranded Fulton after McEachern struck out. It took to the middle of the fifth inning before a Rascals representative took the field. Joe Iorio of the Rascals took the mound for the Rookies in the bottom of the fifth. Iorio threw the first one, two, three inning of the game for either team. Experienced All-Stars continued to led 7-3 after the fifth inning.

Alec Kisena from the Grizzlies took over in the top of the sixth for the Experienced All-Stars. Kisena kept the good pitching going, setting the Rookie All-Stars down in order. Rascals Rookie All-Star Jonny Ortiz took over in the bottom of the sixth and a first pitch fastball to Toby Thomas of Evansville was slammed into the left field bleachers for a solo homerun. Experienced All-Stars added another in the sixth and led 8-3 after six.

Kyle Tinius took the mound to start the seventh inning for the Experienced All-Star and set the Rookies down in order. Jonathan Tripp began the bottom of the seventh pitching for the Rookies. Tripp matched his pitching counterpart, setting the Experienced squad down in order. Experienced All-Stars continued to lead 8-3 after seven.

John Michael Knighton pitched a scoreless top of the eighth for the Experienced All-Stars. Rookie’s pitcher Cody Mincey gave up a leadoff double to the Home Run Derby Champion Trae Santos and Thomas followed it up with a single. Harris then hit into a 3-5-3 double play and Santos stayed put at third. Mitchell Aker came in for relief for Mincey with two out for the Rookie All-Stars. He walked Loveless but got Rascals catcher Jurgella to ground out to first. The Experienced All-Stars continued to lead 8-3 after eight.

Zach Stecker began the ninth for the Experienced All-Stars, Rookies outfielder Kevin Suarez hit a one out double to right center. But Stecker escaped the jam to give the Experienced All-Stars an 8 to 3 win. The second half of the Frontier League season resumes Friday, July 13th.

+ posts

Related Articles