The Speaker Division All-Stars, including six Brazos Valley Bombers players, fell to the Hornsby Division stars, 3-0, in the Texas Collegiate League All-Star Game Monday night at Lupton Stadium on the campus of TCU.
The Hornsby All-Stars picked up all three runs in the sixth inning on a home run by Derek Wiley. In fact, other than the Hornsby sixth, which saw them collect three runs on three hits, the two teams combined for just seven hits. The Speaker Division was held to three hits, one of them by reserve first baseman Will Basom.
In a game dominated by pitching, Bombers hurler Casey Whitmer served as the Speaker starting pitcher and proved he was worthy of the honor. Only a Bryan Holaday flair to left broke up his perfect first inning, which also featured two strikeouts. Since each All-Star squad listed nine pitchers, one to pitch each inning of the game, Whitmer’s evening was done after the opening frame.
Reliever Tyler Davis got his turn in the fifth and turned in a scoreless inning of his own. Davis gave up just one single in shutting down the Hornsby All-Stars.
Basom, who was named the TCL Player of the Month for June but was named to the team as a reserve, entered the game in the sixth and registered his single in the eighth. For the game, he went 1-for-2.
Joseph Towns served as the Speaker Division starting third baseman, giving the ball a ride to the track in the first inning but coming up hitless in three at-bats.
Keith Stein entered the game in right field to open the sixth inning with Basom and went 0-for-1. Mark McGonigle, the Speaker reserve designated hitter, was hitless in two plate appearances.
Prior to the game, McGonigle was one of six players to participate in the TCL All-Star Home Run Derby.
The Brazos Valley’s All-Star break comes to an end Tuesday when the team makes a trip to Coppell to make up a doubleheader against the Copperheads. The Bombers will enjoy another off-day before returning to action at Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark for a blockbuster three-game stretch, featuring Thirsty Thursday on July 12, Fireworks Friday on July 13, and Bombers T-shirt Giveaway Night on July 14.