West erupts in 7th to beat East
A seven-run seventh inning helped send the West Division to an 11-4 victory over the East Wednesday night at UC Health Stadium in Florence, Ky., home of the Freedom in the Frontier League.
Nik Balog of the Evansville Otters was named Most Valuable Player after the first baseman hit two home runs and drove in five for the West.
Four players from the Washington Wild Things were picked to participate in the game: right-handed pitchers Zac Grotz, the team’s closer, Trevor Foss and Ricky Rodriguez, and outfielder David Popkins.
Popkins gave the East an early 1-0 lead when he sent a one-out pitch over the fence for a solo home run. It was the only hit for Popkins, the right fielder, in four at-bats.
The three Wild Things pitchers did not get into the game.
The East had a 3-1 lead heading into the seventh on the strength of Popkins’ home run and solo home runs by Windy City’s Taylor Smart and Lake Erie’s Jose Barraza.
Balog connected on an 0-1 pitch from Lake Erie right-hander Mike Devine for a three-run homer to give the West a 5-3 lead. Balog added a two-run shot in the eighth off Chandler Jagodzinski, another Lake Erie right-hander.
Normal’s Santiago Chirino went 2-for-2, scored twice and drove in a run for the West. Southern Illinois Alex De Leon went 3-for-3 and scored twice.