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Tournaments  | Story  | 6/22/2019

MN Iceman start strong in Iowa

Annika Wall     
Photo: Kyle Law (Perfect Game)

MARION, Iowa – There’s a lot of things that coaches learn about their athletes simply by being around them, but that didn’t matter to Greg Evgen. Evgen stepped in at the WWBA 15u Prospect Meadows National Championship to coach MN Icemen 15u Sutterer and helped the team come away with a record of 2-0 in the first day of pool play.

“I’m usually coaching the first-year kids and because of weddings and calendar schedules, they asked me to fill in,” Evgen said. “This is the only tournament I’m with them. I didn’t even know all of the kids’ names, so that’ making it difficult, but the whole Icemen program lets the kids work together. It’s unique.”

The Icemen started off the tournament with a five-inning, 8-0 victory over Slammers Baseball that came down to good baserunning and clean defense. The team stole four bases, two of which came from Derrick Smith, who scored off an error in the opening inning. In the second, Tyler Robillard started the momentum by driving a fastball to left field. Robillard advanced to second off a ground ball to second base and Devin Hornbacher followed with a walk.

Leadoff batter Kyle Law saw his opportunity with a 1-2 count, waited on a 58-mph curveball and drove the ball down the right field line, resulting in a two-run double. After pitcher Aaron Smith recorded three strikeouts in the top of the third, the Icemen were back at the plate and proceeded to score a trio of runs. After tacking on two in the fifth, the Icemen ended the game with a shutout win.

“We didn’t make errors. We had some timely hitting, put timely pressure on the defense by running,” Evgen said of the win. “They made the momentum. When you have good, quality at-bats and the kids put themselves in a position, then it makes it really easy to just wave them around when we’re at third.”

The Icemen continued their momentum in their second game of pool play, defeating the Cangelosi Sparks 7-1. Currently, the Icemen sit at the top of their pool after scoring 15 runs while only giving up one. MN Icemen 15u Spencer, one of the program’s other teams, finished 1-1 and sit fourth in their pool.

MN Icemen Sutterer will face the MN Millers and Elite 15u Premier on Sunday to round out pool play. Spencer’s team will face Sticks Baseball Academy and Morris Chiefs.