Worth the wait

Stallions capture La Grange Men’s League title

By Steve Metsch

Pitching, defense and patience paid off for the Brookfield Stallions baseball team.

A complete game by starting pitcher Jon Kleinmeyer and several clutch plays on defense helped the team win its first championship Sunday in the La Grange Men’s Adult Baseball League.

The Stallions beat the Brookfield White Sox, 12-7, on the Babe Ruth Senior Field at Sedgwick Park in La Grange on Aug. 11.

“It was big. This is our 10^thyear in the league and our second time making it to the championship (game). We finally won for the first time ever. The defense was great behind me,” Kleinmeyer said.

Stallions catcher T.J. Little tags out the White Sox’ Angel Garcia. In a battle of Brookfield teams, the Stallions won, 12-7, to claim the La Grange Men’s Adult Baseball League title on Aug. 11. Photo by Steve Metsch.

The Stallions led 6-0 early. The White Sox trimmed that to 7-6 before the Stallions pulled away.

“I could have pitched better. The White Sox put up some hits on me. I’m getting older,” Kleinmeyer, 29, said. “I’m tired. I need a beer.”

Pitching well under pressure is not unusual for him.

Back in 2008, Kleinmeyer’s pitching helped Brookfield’s Western Conference Babe Ruth team win the state championship. “We lost in the regional championship to the Hammond Chiefs,” he recalled.

When he’s not playing baseball, Kleinmeyer drives a truck for Cintas Uniform Services.

Joe Hnojsky led the Stallions with three hits Sunday. Kyle Halverson added a triple and a double. The team won 18 of its last 20 games, and swept through the La Grange MABL playoffs.

After losing its first playoff game, the White Sox won four straight games to advance from the losers bracket and play for the championship game.

Had the White Sox won, they would have forced a second game on Sunday. By finishing second, the White Sox won $250. For winning first place, the Stallions received $500,

“I think we’re just going to go to the bar and run up a huge tab,” Kleinmeyer added with a smile.

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Steve Metsch

Steve Metsch is an award winning veteran reporter who previously worked for the Daily Southtown Newspapers, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. Metsch is a writer and editor at the Southwest News Newspaper group based in suburban Chicago, and a freelance writer a health magazine, the Suburban Life, the Naperville Sun, and other organizations.
Email Steve Metsch at [email protected]