After the 2020 high school season was canceled, the players for the 18u Silvestri team finally had a chance this weekend to take the field. The team traveled to Springfield, Missouri for the Mid-America Baseball Southwest Open.
The team proved that missing the high school season did not disrupt their timing. 18u Silvestri finished with a perfect 5-0 record and cruised to a championship win, defeating Rogers Mountaineers Baseball Academy 12-1. Cam Careswell took the win against the Mountaineers, pitching 5 innings, where he struck out 5 and gave up 1 run.
The team dominated on both sides of the ball in all 5 games, scoring 57 runs while giving up only 22. Jon Stanley led all pitchers, throwing a complete game against NW Arkansas Prospects. Stanley gave up 2 runs while striking out 4 batters.
Cooper Greenwood also stood out on the mound. Greenwood pitched 6 ⅓ innings in relief, with 3 innings against Willard Varsity and 3 ⅓ against the SW Tigers. Between the 2 games, Greenwood struck out 10 while giving up only 1 earned run.
Greenwood entered the semi-final game against the SW Tigers with the score tied 6-6. He struck out 5 and allowed no hits to hold the Tigers.
In the bottom of the 6th inning against the Tigers, with the score tied, AJ Russo led off with a base-hit single. Matt Poling followed him with a line drive to left field, scoring Russo from first.
The defensive highlight of the weekend belonged to Isaiah Frost. The centerfielder capped off a solid outing with 2 amazing catches to end the game against the Tigers. In the top of the 7th, Frost made a diving over-the-shoulder catch to spoil a hard line drive hit by the lead-off batter. Then, with two outs and the tying run on first, Frost ended the game on a diving catch in the right-center gap.
Chase Taylor and Zach Dillman led the team at the plate. Both had 9 hits on the weekend, with Taylor booking 9 RBIs and Dillman leading the team in extra-base hits with 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 home runs.
Hitting highlights from the weekend
- Doubles (19): Careswell (2), Dillman (3), Frost (3), Greenwood, Jacobs, Latlip (5), Poling (2), Stanley, Taylor
- Triples (5): Dillman (2), Frost, Latlip, Russo
- Home runs (3): Clark, Dillman (2)
Pitching and hitting were backed up with solid defense in all 5 games. In the championship game versus the Mountaineers, shortstop Keaton Latlip made several impressive plays including a double play. AJ Russo also made 2 hustling catches in right field to keep the Mountaineers off the board.
“We were really pleased with how the boys played this weekend,” said Todd Clausen. “They came into the weekend after an extended offseason, but we were confident the boys would play well. Everyone worked really hard to be ready, and their hard work showed on the field. We have a pretty tough schedule next weekend and I’m certain after what I saw this weekend that the boys will be ready.”
The team is back in action next weekend, June 17-21, in the 5 Tool/Chad Wolfe Classic, which is being played in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Follow Five Tool on Twitter for live updates.