Minooka Junior High celebrates state baseball title

MINOOKA – It was the fourth inning in the state championship game. Minooka Junior High School and its opponent, Charleston Middle School, had yet to score. Charleston switched pitchers and in the fifth inning, Minooka’s bats came alive as the team scored seven runs in one inning.

“It was simple. They had to change pitchers because of pitching limits and just ran out of pitching, but we still had pitching left,” MJHS head baseball coach Kyle Hasler said.

With a police and fire escort into Minooka, the MJHS baseball team brought back the Illinois Elementary School Association 2016 Class 3A baseball championship title – the sixth in school history.

Tuesday afternoon, parents, students and players filed into the MJHS gym to congratulate the team for its 9-3 victory Saturday in East Peoria.

Hasler stood before the crowd, his team at his side, as he recounted the two-day tournament.

First, Minooka faced Mount Zion Junior High School, which was by far the closest game throughout the tournament. The game against Mount Zion went back and forth, as the opponent tied up a Minooka two-run lead, then Minooka went ahead by one, and Mount Zion once again came back for a 3-3 tie. A home run in the sixth inning confirmed a 4-3 win for Minooka.

Hasler said in the next game against Bourbonnais Upper Grade Center, the Minooka boys came out with their bats blazing for an 11-1 triumph.

Then, it was time for the championship game against Charleston.

Minooka pitcher Kyle Walter said, “the team had been solid and on point with strong pitchers. We had a lot of adrenaline because we were at state and need to have everything go perfect.”

Minooka shortstop Ben Stoner said Hasler told the team to try their hardest and stay focused.

Stoner said after the game he was “happy, excited and on top of the world.”

On Tuesday, Minooka School District 201 Board of Education President Jim Satorius spoke about the team.

“We have great sports teams in the district. Our coaches do a great job teaching the basics from the bottom up, and it shows when these kids get to higher levels as well,” Satorius said. “This is a great team and I want to congratulate them on a job well done.”