Dirtbag baseball is back, and with a lot of new names on the roster as well! Week one didn't really start off the way the team thought they would with a 2-2 record, but there is much to be excited about. Due to COVID, the Dirtbags returned several 2020 seniors to their roster, Travis Schoonover, Joe McGruie, Anthony Agne,Jared Jonesplus the addition of Tim Brokop who was a member of the 2017 Joliet Dirtbags. Lack of experience was the one thing the Dirtbags were entering the 2020 season with.

 

The Dirtbags have definitely shown that they can hit, the team came out day one swinging the sticks, but declined in game 2 and 3 although they still out hit their opponents in those games. The staff is very confident that once the season gets going and the players get into a bit of a rhythm it will be hard to stop the bags. Adam Landsman (St. Thomas)is off to a hot start this year with a .556 average with 2 home runs and 4 RBI's. Three other newcomers have stepped up with some clutch hitting as well, Caleb Anderson (Concordia University of Chicago)with 4 RBI's in week 1 and Jeremy Conforti (College of DuPage)also with 4 RBI's. Carter Gledhill (Concordia University of Chicago)added his name to this list with a 4 RBI game against Crystal Lake this past weekend, putting him at 5 RBI's and 1 HR during week one. 

 

The pitching staff is off to a good start as well, with Jared Jones (Saint Xavier University)and Craig Weins (University of South Carolina)returning as the leaders of the pitching staff, both have a 0.00 ERA Jones with 10 K's and Weins with 2 K's. Tim Brokop (Saint Xavier University)has returned to the Dirtbags after spending two years in another league, he brings with him hometown friend Ike Speiser (Kentucky Wesleyan),both players have shown that they could be the teams "closers". This pitching staff has a lot of talent, and once the arms are back to mid season form it will be hard to earn runs against this group. 

 

Stay tuned for more updates on the Dirtbags this season, as they will travel to Oswego this Thursday, than host the Westmont Red Sox and Acceleration this weekend at Joliet Catholic.  

 

Twitter: @Joliet_Dirtbags

Twitter: @DBagsLive (ran during games for live updates by our pitchers)

 

Instagram: Joliet_dirtbags