All that remained in the annual American Legion Fifth District All-Star Game was the final score.
The recipient of the most valuable player honor had been decided earlier.
Oak Grove Post 379’s Kyle Thornton doubled to lead off the bottom of the first inning to spark a nine-run second inning, crushed a three-run homer and hit a two-run single as the American League coasted to a 17-7 victory at Hidden Valley Park Saturday night.
Thornton finished 3-for-3 with five RBIs and scored two runs.
“I thought I might have a chance (of winning the honor),” Thornton said. “But I didn’t want to get cocky. It’s something I can brag about to my two brothers.”
Thornton will be a senior at Odessa High School. His two older brothers – Cole and Drew – played baseball at Truman High School.
The American League finished with 15 hits. Stevenson Urick of the Lee’s Summit Post 188 Auxiliary Outlaws contributed two singles and two RBIs. Christian Velez of Hi-Boy Drive In/Post 340 powered the National League with two singles and two RBIs.
The National League jumped on Kramer Kidd of the Robert L. Clour Post 189 Bulldogs for four runs in the top of the first inning.
But the American League answered with three runs in the bottom of the first. The AL clinched the win with the nine-run second inning on only four hits, including two by Thornton. Four walks and a hit batter kept the big inning going. Independence Post 21’s Arron Ray was the losing pitcher.
“It was fun,” said winning pitcher Blaine Hines of Blue Spring Post 499/Fike. “I talked to all of the guys. It was nice to be the winning pitcher.”
Ben Briant (Blue Spring Rod’s Sports A’s), Matt Ritchie (Oak Grove) and Kevin Wright (Lee’s Summit Post 189 Pirates) didn’t allow a hit in facing only 17 batters over the final five innings.
Oak Grove’s David Richards tripled in the seventh inning and scored the final American League run.
FIFTH DISTRICT ALL-STAR GAME LINESCORE
AMERICAN LEAGUE 17,
NATIONAL LEAGUE 7
National 401 200 000 — 7 8 3
American 390 013 10x — 17 15 0
Kidd, Ray (2), Bacon (2), Dunn (4), Spilker (5), Sanchez (6), Booth (7), Apgar (8) and Clifton, Jones (4) and Tucker (6): Hill, Hines (2), Huismann (3), Briant (5), Ritchie (7), Wright (9), and Urick and York (6). W-Hines. L-Ray. HR: Thornton, Oak Grove Post 379.
ALL-STAR ROSTERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE SPRINGS ROD'S SPORTS A'S
Chace Ellis
Matt July
Ben Briant
