Fennell in all-state game
East Butler's Ryan Fennell earned a trip to Harrisburg. Mars' Tyler Dean thought he'd done the same.
They were the only two Butler County American Legion baseball players among the 56 participants in the Pennsylvania All-West Showcase held Wednesday at Pullman Park.
Legion officials selected 21 of the players through a series of workouts and a four-inning simulated game to head to Harrisburg for the Pa. American Legion All-Star Game at 2 p.m. July 25.
Fennell, East Butler's first baseman headed to La Roche College in the fall, singled up the middle in his lone plate appearance Wednesday and played errorless ball for an inning at his position. He was one of two first baseman selected for the all-state game.
"It's hard, the way they do this," Fennell said. "You sit around for an hour, you can't get loose, then you get one at bat against a pretty good pitcher.
"I'd prefer to just play a regular game. But this was cool ... I wanted to see what the competition would be like with other Legion players from outside the area."
Fennell hit a 2-0 pitch sharply over the mound and into center field against John Rossi of Center Monaca, one of four pitchers selected for the all-state game.
Dean, a right-hander from Mars, was not selected despite a dominant mound appearance. Each of the eight pitchers in the All-West Showcase pitched to seven batters in an inning.
The 5-foot-10, 150-pound Dean threw 21 pitches, 17 for strikes. He allowed a ground ball single to center off the bat of West Hempfield's Tim Norris — also among the 21 selected — struck out three batters and retired the other three on infield grounders.
"I thought I was among the top four pitchers there. I felt like I earned it, but apparently not," Dean said. "I did the best I could."
Dean will be a senior at Mars this year. He was 4-3 with a 3.17 earned run average for Mars High School last spring, recording 46 strikeouts in 36 innings.He pitches for Springdale's Palomino team along with Mars Legion this summer."I want to pitch in college and I'm trying to get as much exposure as I can," he said. "I'm not very tall, but if you use your whole body, you can pitch."I wasn't nervous out there at all. I'm always comfortable when I pitch."Fennell said he was not concerned about being picked for the all-state game."I'm already going to play in college, so it doesn't matter to me all that much," he said. "Just the fact Tyler and I are the only two local kids here is a nice accomplishment."Freeport senior Jake Campbell, a third baseman for Kiski Valley, struck out in his lone plate appearance and was not selected to advance.Knoch graduate and La Roche coach Chase Rowe was among 18 college coaches on hand at the showcase. Scouts from the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers were there as well."Ryan's slimmed down some and he's in great shape," Rowe said. "It's good to see he's already getting prepared for the next level."Events like this are the first level of recruiting. Seek and identify potential players. I'm sure we'll follow up on some of these kids."Slippery Rock University coach Jeff Messer made his 26th apperarance at the showcase."Four or five kids here are legitimate college baseball players," Messer said. "I remember seeing Matt Clement at one of these (showcases) years ago, but it's not quite the same now."There used to be 25 to 30 Division I scouts at this event every year. Today, there's two (Youngstown State and Ohio University). With travel ball, Palomino ball ... really good players have a lot more options now."
Here are the 21 players selected from Wednesday's American Legion All-West Baseball Showcase at Pullman Park to participate in the Pennsylvania Legion All-Star Game July 25 in Harrisburg:<B>Pitchers</B>Ryan Minteer (Peters Township), Tyler Swarmer (Kiski Valley), Samuel Snyder (Penns Valley), John Rossi (Center Monaca)<B>Catcher</B>Corey Anderson (Millcreek), Matt Emge (Blackhawk), Jess Cogan (Fox Township)<B>First Base</B>Ryan Fennell (East Butler), Ryan Uhl (St. Marys)<B>Second Base</B>Jory Okerlund (Smethport), David Gaisbauer (Uniontown)<B>Shortstop</B>Jordan Weinzievl (St. Marys), Trey Stover (Beech Creek)<B>Third Base</B>Nicholas Lassak (Lilly), Jonathon Corcoran (Springdale)<B>Outfielders</B>Lucas Nicholas (St,. Marys), Donald Sippel III (Springdale), Scott Zuback (Beech Creek), Matthew Wolczko (Kiski Valley), Justin Quiggle (Fox Township), Tim Norris (West Hempfield)
