By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
After a few-year hiatus, the Elmhurst American Legion Post 187 baseball team has returned to action.
Under the direction of coach Mike Biondo, an assistant coach with the IC Catholic Prep baseball team, the Post 187 Muddogs draw players from various local high schools, including York, IC Catholic Prep and Fenton. The team practices and plays its home games at IC Catholic Prep’s Plunkett Athletic Complex.
“We’re looking good,” said Biondo. “We’re going to be solid with our pitching. We have eight guys who can pitch and we have three who are true starters.”
That pitching staff includes the likes of Austin Reed (IC Catholic Prep), Brendan Russ (IC Catholic Prep), Austin Gelsomino (York), CJ Slowinski (IC Catholic Prep) and Tim Beecroft (Fenton). Fenton alum Alejandro Orosco will provide help in relief and play shortstop.
Biondo noted the team’s offense will get a kick start from York’s Nick Lee (CF-RF), as well as IC Catholic Prep’s Griffen Eichhorn. York’s Mike Bernal will catch with IC Catholic Prep’s John Hoffman seeing time behind the plate as well.
“We have a mix of good pitching and good hitting,” said Biondo. “We’ll be aggressive out there and steal, hit and run and bunt and run. We’ll play a lot of small ball and mix that in with the big hits.”
Biondo also noted the roster is split evenly between recently graduated seniors and incoming seniors. “We have 1 freshman in college, seven seniors and the rest are juniors and we have one sophomore,” he said. “It’s a good mix right down the middle.”
Post 187 is part of the 11th District in Illinois. The district is a bit lighter with the announcement that the Richmond American Legion would not field a team this season. That leaves the 11th District with four teams: Elmhurst, Elgin Post 57, Lake in the Hills Post 1231 and Wheaton Post 76.
Post 187’s regular season runs from early June until early July. Wheaton hosts the 11th District tournament and the 2nd Division tournament in July.
The Muddogs will face the likes of Morton Grove, Arlington Heights, Mt. Prospect, Lake in the Hills, Elgin, Highland (Ind.), Wheaton, Wauconda, Streator, Frankfurt, Kenosha (Wis.) and Round Lake during the regular season.
“We’re excited,” he said. “We have 17 players on the team, which is good for the first year. We’re anxious to get going and get games in and see how we fare against the competition. I think we have the potential to do really well.”
The Muddogs were scheduled to open the season earlier in the week against Morton Grove on the road at Niles North High School and Arlington Heights at Rec Park. Post 187 is scheduled to play tonight at Mt. Prospect at Prospect High School. The team’s home opener is Monday at 7:30 p.m. under the lights at Plunkett against Arlington Heights.
