by Nick Deranek – Studstill Media News/Sports Director
PEORIA — On a beautiful Friday afternoon in June at Dozer Park for state semi-final action, it would always be days like today that Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks would say, “Let’s play two!” I will say that is something I enjoy about Illinois High School baseball, or high school sports in general here. Once you make it into the final four, you get to play two games. Back in Indiana, it was win or go home every game throughout the state tournament from the game one in the sectionals (regionals) all the way to semi-state (state semi-finals).
While the stands may not be too crowded, the boys on the diamond were ready to go in what Saint Bede Athletic Director Tom McGunnigal and myself agreed on earlier in the day, an awesome experience to have the opportunity to play in a professional baseball park. At Dozer Park, home to the Saint Louis Cardinals low-A team, the Peoria Chiefs, outside the left field wall is one of Illinois’ prestigious companies in Caterpillar, center field is the Peoria skyline, and out right field you can see the Illinois Route 40 and Interstate 74 bridges, which goes over the vast Illinois River. Inside of the walls, it’s 310-feet down both foul lines, where the walls go roughly 20 feet high, the left field power alley has an eight-foot wall, the right field alley a 14-foot wall, and the center field wall stands 400-feet from home plate.
Enough about the atmosphere. Any baseball fan can just imagine how nice it is in a ballpark, big or small. But on this day, it’s more of the atmosphere relating to the players.
Saint Bede came into today rolling through the playoffs
