Two Great Bend youths are headed to Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City in September to compete in one of 30 regional competitions in Major League Baseball’s Pitch, Hit & Run youth skills competition, competing for a spot in the finals at the World Series in October.
Ten-year-old Baze Hogan and 14-year-old Carson Umphres were among 13 youngsters who took the field at the Great Bend Sports Complex Tuesday, July 6. It was one of several local competitions in the area and there were eight age divisions - 7/8-year-olds, 9/10-year-olds, 11/12-year-olds and 13/14-year-olds, in both baseball for boys and softball for girls.
To qualify for the regional competition in Kansas City, a participant’s total score must be in the top three in their age group over a four-state region which includes parts or all of four states - Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska. Hogan reached the top three in the region in the 9/10-year-old softball division and Umphres placed in the top three in the 13/14-year-old baseball division.
The regional competition will take place at Kaufmann Stadium Saturday, Sept. 18. They will compete in the morning, then have the opportunity to attend the Royals game against the Seattle Mariners that evening with a family member.
Great Bend Recreation Commission Assistant Superintendent Chris Umphres said the Rec has hosted one of the local competitions since 2007. Only twice previously have Great Bend youth advanced to the regional competition - Logan Zecha in 2007 and Kale Kern 2018.
About Baze Hogan
Ten-year-old Baze Hogan, who is entering fifth grade at Holy Family Elementary School, competed in softball this past summer for the local Quicksilver softball team. Next summer, she said, she will compete with the Wichita Renegades traveling softball team.
In addition to softball, Hogan said she enjoys playing basketball, and has also in the past played flag football and golf.
She said she excited for the opportunity to play on a Major League Baseball field, as well as having the opportunity to see the Royals, a team she follows at home, play in person.
Her mother, Kristy Blakeslee, said she is proud for her daughter to have the chance to compete.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Blakeslee said. “To know that she’s one of the top three out of a four-state area is a neat deal.”
About Carson Umphres
Fourteen-year-old Carson Umphres, entering his freshman year at Great Bend High School, competes athletically in both baseball and basketball, though he says baseball is his primary focus.
Carson said he entered the competition as chance to compete with friends.
“(We) just did it because we thought it’d be fun, and we wanted to compete against each other,” Carson said.
Knowing he is one of the top three in his age group across the region, though, made the experience that much more rewarding.
“You don’t always get the chance to walk onto a Major League field,” he said.
Chris Umphres, his dad, is excited not only for his son, but for the chance for Great Bend to be represented at the regional competition by two youngsters.
“I think it’s cool to get to see where you’re at across the region,” Chris said.
About MLB Pitch, Hit & Run
In MLB’s officially-sanctioned youth skills competition, participants compete not only against others at the local level, but against all others in their age group in the region. The top three scorers in each age group in each region are invited to compete at one of 30 regional competitions held at the home stadiums of each of MLB’s 30 big league clubs. The top three scores in each age group across those events are then selected to compete in the finals, held in October during the MLB World Series.
Participants compete in three different events – pitching, hitting and base-running.
In the pitching event, participants stand 35 feet away in the softball division and 45 feet away in the baseball division, and throw six pitches at a stationary strike zone target. Participants receive points for each pitch that hits the target. Both Hogan and Umphres hit four out of six targets in the throwing competition locally.
In the hitting event, a ball is placed on a tee at home plate and participants have three swings to hit the ball as straight and as far as they can from home plate. Only their farthest hit counts toward their total score. Hogan tagged the ball 60 feet 9 inches, while Umphres obtained a distance of 269 feet.
In the running event, participants are timed from a standing start beginning at second base or an equivalent distance, running from second to third base, and rounding third base to home plate, for a total distance of 120 feet. Hogan amassed a time of 6.93 seconds, while Umphres came in at 5.81 seconds.
Scores from the three events are then combined to obtain a total score.
