After once representing Trojan red and Panther purple, five Park Hill and Park Hill South alumni stepped on the turf at Kauffman Stadium for the Ban Johnson League All-Star Game on August 1.
Park Hill South had three former players – Luke Fricker, Alex Rodriguez and Cade Meek – play for the American Division, while Park Hill alum and brothers Jake and Joe Daneff were on the National Division. The contest was mostly one-sided with the Americans coming out on top 15-2, which included scoring 11 straight runs in the opening two innings.
Park Hill South graduate Alex Rodriguez was on the winning National Division Team that defeated the American Division Team in the Ban Johnson All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium on August 1.
Rodriguez, who is a short stop at Park University, was a key contributor in the Nationals’ 8-run second inning. Rodriguez went up to bat twice in the inning, including being the first batter, when he started off with a single.
The former Panther eventually crossed home plate to score a run and then went back to the plate for another at bat with a comfortable 8-0 lead on the board. Rodriguez connected with a fly ball to left field, resulting in a 2-run double.
Meek made his first appearance at the plate in the top of the sixth inning when he singled on a ground ball past the American Division’s shortstop. The St. Ambrose University (Iowa) catcher went one for two on the day.
Meek and Rodriguez were both selected to the all-star game after being on the same Ban Johnson League Team during the season. The duo led the BJ Legends to the best record in the division, 18-9, where they went to the divisional playoffs and fell to the Regal Plastic, the team that Fricker played for all season.
Fricker pitched for one inning in the all-star game and didn’t give up any runs. The 2022 Park Hill South graduate will be playing with Johnson County Community College next season after leading the Regal Plastic to an 18-9 record and runner-up in the Ban Johnson League Champion where it fell to the BJ Raiders in three games.
The Daneff brothers started in the infield in the all-star game after they led the Creche Innovations Stars to a 17-10 record. Joe and Jake Daneff will be playing at Emporia State University next season.
The American Division scored in five of the first six innings before they were scoreless in the final three innings as the National Division scored all two of its runs in the second inning. Both teams had two errors on the day, with the American Division having a 15 to eight hit margin.