southlandvikings.com

For a league that is known for high scoring contests, the Midwest Collegiate League All-Star Game was just the opposite. The South Division All-Stars pulled out a 3-2 victory over the North Division All-Stars at Benedictine Stadium on Wednesday, July 11. Southland Viking first baseman Chris Stevens was named MVP after going 2-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.

Stevens was one of eight Vikings named to the All-Star roster and he and his teammate, Alec Ornelas proved to be the best of the best at the plate. Ornelas also had two hits and an RBI. Ornelas and Stevens were a part of all three runs scored for the South Division squad. The rest of the Vikings All-Stars didn't fare so well. Elliott Armstrong, Shane Brown and Joey Migliaccio combined to go 0-8 at the plate and the rest of the South Division All-Stars got five hits. The South outhit the North nine to six.

Will County's Ben Gullo got the win for the South Division while three Vikings' pitchers made an appearance. Brandon Duplessis went one inning and gave up a hit and a walk, but allowed no runs. Chris Chigas also threw an inning, striking out one and surrendering one hit. Jonathan Rosario pitched a third of an inning and struck out the only batter he faced. Charlie Naso, the fourth Vikings All-Star on the mound, was unable to play due to injury.

Despite being in last place in the South Division, the Vikings had the most players on the All-Star roster and then proved they deserved the honors. All three runs scored involved a Viking hitter and the three pitchers combined to throw 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball. Southland is currently 13-16 and 5.5 games out of first place. The Vikings will take on the Will County Crackerjacks at 7 p.m. on Thursday night at Brennan Field on the campus of Lewis University.