PBR Future Games: Day 2 Recap

July 31, 2015

By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

Westfield, IN- Day two of the PBR Future Games was an up and down one for Team Illinois. Team Illinois came out on top in game one against Team Select. The final score was 4-1 and was highlighted by some elite Illinois arms.

In the top of the second inning of game one 6-foot-4, 190-pound 2017 right-handed pitcher Erik Kaiser (Waterloo) created some early buzz and got momentum rolling in Team Illinois’ direction. Kaiser struck out the side and sat an easy 87-90 mph with the fastball. Long, loose, easy arm action from an over-the-top slot. Ability to get downhill with the fastball at times. Feel for a 12/6 curveball with depth and ranged between at 71-74.

Feeding off that momentum in the bottom half of the second inning, Illinois got a one out single by 2017 left-handed hitting first basemen Thomas Farrell (St. Laurence). He proceeded to score from third a few batters later on an unconventional first and third base-running play. 2017 Michael Gunartt (Niles West) left early on a steal attempt of second base, Team Select pitcher stepped off, turned and gave the ball up to the second base-men. Farrell read the play early, took off for home as soon as the pitcher turned his back and scored the first run of the game with ease. 2017 Dylan Jones (Oswego East) scored the second run of the inning after he reached on a walk, stole second base, advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher and eventually advanced to home on a two out wild pitch while 2017 infielder Ryan King (Brother Rice) was hitting.

In the top of the third inning broad shouldered 6-foot-2, 185-pound left-handed pitcher Reid Detmers (Nokomis) picked up where Kaiser left off. He struck out the first two batters he faced looking and got a line out to first to end the inning. Detmers pounded the zone with life on his fastball which sat 86-88 mph. Mixed in a curveball at will, sitting 71-72 mph.

Following up Detmers was quite possibly the most electric arm of the day for team Illinois in 2017 right-handed pitcher Brady Corrigan (Plainfield North). The right-hander has a loose, quick arm. Athletic delivery and a lot of life on his fastball. Induced a groundout to short, then proceeded to strike the next two batters out swinging. Corrigan challenged hitters with a fastball that ranged between 88-90 mph and a wipeout slider that sat 77-79 mph. Slider was pretty much untouchable in his one inning of work.

Athletic 2017 6-foot-3, 175-pound right-handed pitcher Mark Diluia (Marian Central Catholic) kept the show going for Team Illinois on the mound in the fifth inning. He worked a three up, three down inning and was extremely efficient. Fastball sat 86-88 mph with late life and heaviness at times. Flashed a plus slider that resulted in swing and misses. Long and loose arm. Is going to be of high-interest to a lot of schools after today’s inning of work.

2017 infielder Zion Pettigrew (Mount Carmel) hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning to plate a run and make the score 3-0 Illinois. In the seventh 2018 infielder Brandon Comia (Sandburg) lined a double down the right field line. He later scored on a double hit by 2017 switch-hitting infielder Sam Faith (St. Charles North). Team Select scratched across a run in the seventh but it would not be enough as Team Illinois defeated Team Select 4-1 in game one.

Comia ended the game 1-2 with a double and a run scored. Faith was 1-3 with a double and an RBI.

Game two was a bit of a different story for Team Illinois. Team Illinois took the loss 10-5 against Team Missouri. Free bases doomed Team Illinois throughout the game. Pitching and defense was not as crisp as game one.

Illinois however held a 4-2 lead after the second inning, in large part due to a three run first inning started by 2018 outfielder Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel). Left-handed hitting Thomas started off the bottom half of the first inning taking a two-strike pitch deep down the left-field line for a stand up double. Ryan King followed up Thomas with a shot to the right-center field gap resulting in an RBI triple. Next up was Comia who battled to draw a walk and later advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Zion Pettigrew grounded out to second plating King and moving Comia up to third-base. With two outs in the inning Thomas Farrell (St. Laurence) came to the plate and hit a clutch RBI single, plating Comia for the third run of the first inning.

Team Missouri would go on to score four runs in the fourth inning and four runs in the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.

The final run in game two for Illinois came in the sixth inning when 2017 left-handed hitting catcher Max Rosenthal (New Trier) mashed a ball to deep right-center field for a triple. He later would score groundout by Alek Thomas.

Another highlight from game two was the one inning stint on the mound by 2017 Right-handed pitcher and outfielder Dylan Jones. Fastball had lots of life ranging between 84-86 mph and touching 88. Showed feel for a curveball that sat 66-69 mph with some depth. Jones did not allow a hit and had one strike-out in his inning of work.

The final score of game two was Team Missouri 10, Illinois 5. Illinois ended the day 1-1 and plays team Indiana Saturday at 5pm in the last game of the PBR Future Games.

PBR Future Games: Day 2 Recap

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