Resilient Canes Win Regional 6-4

Jordan Posway

The 10u Pro Player Hurricanes of McHenry, Illinois emerged victorious in the 2015 Perfect Game Super25 Great Lakes Regional tournament in Lynwood this past Memorial Day Weekend, but the real story was how the team responded to an early defeat at the hands of the Chicago Mudcats this past Saturday.

“We played that second game uninterested and we did not support each other,” said Coach Mike Cohn, “…we had a real heart to heart after that game because we weren’t real focused on the game and weren’t playing team baseball.”

It is easy to lose confidence as a team after giving up two very costly runs during the final inning in just the second game of a tournament, but Coach Cohn used this game as a way to challenge his team. He emphasized the importance of helping each other out through tough times and dared his players to “be the best teammates they can be”. As a one loss team early in the tournament, the importance of their next game on Sunday afternoon could not be overstated.

“On Sunday, our back were against the wall, and the only way we were going to win was with a positive attitude and exceptional effort.” Cohn said. ““They responded Sunday morning, Sunday night, and they kept it rolling into Monday”

To say the Hurricanes responded would be an understatement. Over the next two games, the Canes dropped 13 runs on both the Oak Lawn Lightning and the Indiana Playmakers while only surrendering one run total during said games.

The Pro Player Hurricanes are a very balanced team, but throughout the rest of the tournament, they relied heavily on their biggest asset –pitching.

“This weekend, we used eight pitchers. We walked five batters and struck out 38. We were really strong on the mound, and that really carried us through some tough spots,” said Cohn.

One of those pitchers, #23 Dimitri Angelakos, did not allow a single run all weekend after appearing in three games for a total of eight innings pitched. Angelakos went right after opposing hitters, throwing three times as many strikes as balls all tournament. Their coach described his performance this weekend as “outstanding”, but the collective effort of their pitchers was even more impressive.

In their fourth game of the tournament against the Indiana Playmakers, #21 Joey Crowley, #19 Jayden Benson, and #25 J.R. Nelson combined for a no hitter in the 13-0 shut-out victory. Needless to say, the Hurricanes were the ones making plays in this contest. Michael Dabe, a player who Coach Cohn aptly described as “a consistent presence at the plate” was a perfect 3/3 on the day with singles in each of the first three innings.

In addition to being a special shortstop and a lights-out pitcher, J.R. Nelson proved his worth offensively this weekend by sporting a .667 average with 10 RBIs and an absurd 1.500 OPS. The offensive production of the Canes was also bolstered by Dimitri Angelakos and #9 Cooper Cohn who drove in five RBIs a piece.

While every player on the Hurricanes contributed during the tournament, #99 Mikey Clingingsmith could not participate on the field as he broke his toe the weekend before. However, the injury did not stop Mikey from motivating his teammates. He contributed in his own unique way as the Canes surely needed his energy in their final game.

During the latter half of their 6-4 semi-final victory over Morris Baseball, the coaches found out that none other than the Chicago Mudcats, who dealt the Hurricanes their only defeat of the tournament, earned a spot in the regional championship game. Coach Mike Cohn used two words to describe the emotions of his team when he broke the news to his players—“fired up.”

Tied 3-3 through three innings, the Hurricanes looked to create some separation. The Canes rode a crucial three run 4^th inning to take the lead into the 6^th inning, but this time, the Mudcats couldn’t recreate their late game heroics. Coach Cohn’s team embodied the spirit of “team baseball” as five different players had at least one RBI in their 6-4 championship win. It was a perfect way to end what Cohn described as “a roller coaster of a weekend.”

“We challenged them to embrace the day, to play for each other, to play for our organization, and to play for the love of the game. To see them take those words and run with it has got to be one of the biggest thrills of my youth travel coaching career.”

While this was a gratifying win for the 10u Great Lakes Regional champs, the team’s expectations remain the same:

“The expectations are to keep getting better, keep working hard, and keep improving individually and as a team. We don’t necessarily set goals by wins or by tournament championships, we just preach to our players every day to work hard no matter what we are doing”

The Pro Player Hurricanes now boast a 24-8 record this season. With the regional championship win, the Hurricanes earned a berth in the 10u Perfect Game Super25 National Championship scheduled for July 10-15 in Marietta, Georgia.

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