Hallfin, Olevitch Lead Park Legion Baseball to Two Wins

TJ Hallfin and Jack Olevitch pitched gems on Friday, July 13, as the St. Louis Park Legion baseball team whitewashed Sartell 10-0 and clipped Yankton, South Dakota, 2-1.

The wins were part of the Gopher Classic Legion tournament July 13-17, which is the largest Legion baseball tournament in the United States. Fourteen sites throughout the metro were used, including the North St. Paul location where St. Louis Park played all their games.

Hallfin struck out five over the first three innings and only allowed four hits in the five-inning blowout. Hallfin, who will be a junior at this fall, was pitching in his first Legion baseball game after playing well this summer on the junior Legion team. The results couldn't have been better. Jack Borderwick, Parker Stennes, Jake Lukasavage, and Jacolbi Courington-Meier helped produce a seven-run explosion in the second inning.

Olevitch tamed the Yankton bats in going seven innings to secure another win to start the Gopher Classic. His bat also helped win the game for Park. Later in the tournament, Olevitch pounded his first home run over the left-field fence in a loss against North St. Paul. Soon-to-be sophomore Joe Burnley started a game during the tournament in securing his first Legion action, He has had a busy summer playing for junior Legion and 15AA traveling as well. He also pitched well in one varsity game this spring as a freshman.

Although the team finished 2-3 at the tournament, the boys return to South Hennepin league action this Tuesday night with a 6 p.m. game against Excelsior at in St. Louis Park. Excelsior is ranked in the top five in the statebut St. Louis Park is in fourth place in the South Hennepin League with 10 wins on the season and impressive wins over Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Champlin and Anoka as both teams jockey to make the playoffs. Park will be without one of its best players, as pitcher and second baseman Austin Broz has been lost for the season due to injury. The Orioles will have to pick up his quality at bats, and get good defense fron Ben Taylor and pick up the pitching that he provided them.

Tell your friends and family to come out on Tuesday night and support the Orioles in their last home game of the 2012 season. The final league game will be played against Bloomington Blue on Monday, June 23. If Park finishes in the top six in the league they will begin league playoffs on Thursday, July 26