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frankfortstation.com sports
the frankfort station | July 18, 2019 | 35
Going Places
Frankfort’s Malley using summer ball to prep for Evansville
JOE BIELANSKI, Editorial Intern
Frankfort resident and
Class of 2019 Marist graduate
Max Malley is extending
his playing career
beyond his hometown as
he looks forward to playing
baseball at the University
of Evansville.
Malley was a two-year
varsity player while at
Marist. During his career,
Malley put up numbers
that were a great help to
the team.
This spring, Malley hit
.377 with a home run, 25
RBI and 23 runs while
playing catcher and all
over the infield for the
RedHawks.
Malley chose Evansville
because he knew that the
coaches were the right fit
for him.
“I will enjoy being with
the coaches,” Malley said.
“When I visited, they had a
lot of energy and it was fun
to be around.”
The University of
Evansville is a Division
I school that competes in
the Missouri Valley Conference.
To prepare for the next
step, Malley is currently
playing in the Midwest
Collegiate League. The
MCL is a wooden bat summer
league for NCAA
athletes with remaining
colligate eligibility. Malley
plays for the Southland
Vikings out of Chicago
Heights.
He was named to the
MCL All-Star Game.
Malley said there is a
Frankfort’s Max Malley is playing with the Southland
Vikings in the Midwest Collegiate League this summer
before heading to the University of Evansville. STEVE
MILLAR/22ND CENTURY MEDIA
large difference in competition
between high school
and the MCL.
“It’s definitely faster,”
Malley said. “The game
and everything when it
flows, you need to get
ground balls and go to
first base. I’ve seen this
kind of pitching with
travel ball. I’ve seen upper
90’s, so I’m used to
the pitching aspect of it.”
While also getting used
to the faster pace, the summer
league is also an opportunity
to work on areas
that need improving.
“I’m always working on
my hitting,” Malley said.
“Just try to get better at
bats, and really read every
pitch. You have to take
one at a time, you can’t
rush and look ahead when
you’re trying to hit.”
The MCL is also an opportunity
for Malley to
improve on the physical
aspects of playing college
baseball.
“I have to get used to
nine innings of catching,”
Malley said. “That’s how
long the college game is,
and it’s a grind. I plan on
playing primarily catcher
once I get to college.”
While anxiously looking
ahead, Malley realizes that
he needs to stay in the present.
Everything he has done
has built up to this moment
and he doesn’t want to miss
a thing. He is ready for
whatever happens next, on
and off the field.
“I’m just grateful to play
college baseball,” Malley
said. “This is what every
athlete dreams of. I’m
also grateful to play in the
MCL and help myself get
prepared to play at the next
level. I’m ready for whatever
comes next in my
baseball career.”
Going Places is a weekly
summer series featuring area
athletes who are committed
to play sports in college.
Youth Sports
Frankfort
players help
Orland A’s
win tourney
Staff Report
The Orland Park A’s
10U softball team recently
won the Illinois Gold
Summer Qualifier softball
tournament in Casey
Junction. The team went
undefeated to win the
championship.
The A’s include Frankfort
residents Casey Twietmeyer,
Mackenzie Bacha,
Maddie Henry, Cassidy
Jagielski and Ella Slager.
The Orland Park A’s 10U softball team won the Illinois
Gold Summer Qualifer softball tournament in Casey
Junction. Pictured are (back row, from left) coach Carrie
Twietmeyer, coach Liz Jagielski, head coach Steve
Twietmeyer; middle row: Lindsey Gerhardstein, Gianna
Shoenecker, Casey Twietmeyer (Frankfort), Mackenzie
Bacha (Frankfort), Maddie Henry (Frankfort), Cassidy
Jagielski (Frankfort); front row: Samira Matarieh, Megan
Potenza, Leighton Gutsch and Ella Slager (Frankfort).
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Sports Briefs
Locals a part of Midwest
Collegiate League All-Star
Game
Frankfort resident Max
Malley and Mokena resident
Nate DeLoian – a
Lincoln-Way West graduate
– were selected to the
East Division squad for the
Midwest Collegiate All-
Star Game.
The players were honored
before the game on
Saturday, July 13, but
strong storms forced the
game to be canceled after
just an inning at Oil City
Stadium in Whiting, Ind.
Malley, who graduated
from Marist this spring,
has been a force at or near
the top of the lineup for
the first-place Southland
Vikings.
DeLoian has been a
fixture on the Northwest
Indiana Oilmen’s pitching
staff.
Fire Starters soccer league
at Frankfort Park District
The Fire Starters staff
will hold an instructional
program for beginning
and novice youth players,
ages 4 to sixth grade,
from Aug. 6 to Oct. 19
at Commissioners Park.
Register by July 24. Players
will meet either Tuesday
or Thursday nights,
as well as Saturday mornings.
Fees: $100 residents,
$105 nonresidents. Information:
Frankfort Park
District, (815) 469-9400
or visit frankfortparks.
org.
Frankfort Park District
hosts baseball lessons
Fred Freberg, a member
of the College Baseball
Hall of Fame, provides
one-on-one, 30-minute lessons
for all ages at Founders
Community Center,
140 Oak St. Lessons are
$25 per session and can be
Freberg will contact participants
to schedule the
lessons once they are registered.
Contact the Frankfort
Park District at (815)
469-9400 or visit frankfortparks.org.
Sports camps at Lincoln-
Way East
Lincoln-Way East is
hosting camps, open to
various ages, in badminton,
baseball, basketball,
cheerleading, cross
country, dance, football,
golf, lacrosse, soccer,
softball, swimming, tennis,
track, volleyball, and
wrestling throughout July.
Visit lwe.8to18.com for a
schedule and details.
Sports Briefs are compiled
by Sports Editor Steve Millar,
s.millar@22ndcm.com.