North Montgomery baseball was well represented by both junior ace Jarrod Kirsch and Sophomore Cade Cole Wednesday afternoon at Loeb Stadium. The Charger duo were selected to participate in the Futures Game which is in played in conjunction with the North/South All-Star Game put on by the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association. The top 60 Sophomores and Juniors from around the state are invited to play in the showcase that took place on Wednesday. The two Charger teammates were both on the red team that played in game two of the afternoon. Each saw time on the mound, and got two plate appearances in the batters box, while both also played an inning at first base. Their red team defeated the white team by a final score of 7-3 and Kirsch and Cole helped in the win.
Cole got the first action of the two as he batted in the top of the first inning. With a runner already at third base, the Charger sophomore slapped a single back up the middle to get his team on the board. He’d later come around to score in the same inning. In the second inning Cole pitched a shutout inning and did a good job of stranding a runner in scoring position after an error.
Kirsch in his two plate appearance grounded out and walked. After he drew the base on balls, Kirsch was able to slide into second with a steal. On the mound in the fourth inning Kirsch did allow two runs, but managed to pick a runner off a first and end his inning of work with a strikeout.
After the game the North Montgomery duo noted how they enjoyed the experience of being able to represent the Chargers and share the field as teammates yet again.
“This experience was a blast,” Kirsch said of getting to be amongst some of the top juniors in the state. “From the time I got here this morning, you couldn’t have asked for anything better than to be here with some of the top talent in the state. We all were able to just have fun playing baseball and it’s something that I’ll remember for sure. “
Cole, who’s dad Ryan Cole played at Loeb stadium for four years with Lafayette Jeff, noted how it was something special to get to play on the field that his dad called home.
“It was a an awesome feeling to be selected and just being apart of this,” he said. “There was a lot of competitive baseball players here today and for me to experience this and be amongst those competitive players was pretty cool. The key for me today was just being able to have confidence in my stuff. It can be easy to get nervous with some top scouts and being amongst these top players. I just channeled my inner confidence and went right at guys on the mound and at the plate.”
Cole also noted how he was able to feel more relaxed on the Futures Showcase by having a fellow teammate in Kirsch there with him. The two began to form a bond this past season with the Chargers and that carried over into their final appearance of the season on Wednesday.
“Jarrod is like a big brother to me,” Cole said. “I’m always looking up to him and to be playing out here with him one more time this year is pretty cool. I know we’ll both use this experience here to just continue to get better. My goal is to be back here next year.”
The goal for Kirsch on the other hand in his final season will be to be representing the Chargers in the North/South All-Star game which the top seniors in the state are selected to play in. “This will help me just fuel the fire that I got inside of me,” Kirsch said. “I know that if I put in the work necessary that I can be back here next year playing in the North/South All-Star Game. That’s what it’s all about for me.”
