PF Flyers 16U wins Midwest Prospect League Qualifier

The PF Flyers 16U team won the Midwest Prospect League Qualifier last weekend at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., outscoring opponents 41-1 in four games.

The tournament victory earned the Flyers free entry into next year’s Midwest Prospect League, a highly competitive and prestigious team showcase.

The Flyers pitching led the way throughout the weekend. The only run the Flyers gave up was unearned. The staff walked only one and struck out 26 in 23 innings pitched.

The Flyers earned the top seed after winning pool play games 17-0 and 14-0.

In the first game of pool play, the Flyers pounded out 16 hits. Lucas Basta was 3-for-5 with three stolen bases. Ian Sukup was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Every starting position player had at least one hit. Rhys Canan, Hunter Kelly and Carson Smith allowed only three hits in the five-inning shutout.

In the second game of pool play, Thomas Tahat and Sukup allowed only three hits in four shutout innings. The Flyers managed only six hits, but walked eight times. Luke Applegate was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI.

In the semifinal game, Tahat earned the 5-1 win with five innings on the mound, allowing only the one unearned run. He struck out seven.

Brayden Schmittou was 2-for-3 with a double and Sukup went 2-for-3.

That sent the Flyers into the championship game.

Canan pitched a seven-inning complete game shutout on only 67 pitches. He struck out 10 and allowed four hits. The only real threat came in the sixth when the first two hitters of the inning led off with singles, but Canan struck out two in the inning and the Flyers managed to nail a runner advancing to third on a botched pickoff play when Basta fired a throw to Sukup to cut down the runner.

Jimmy Liebel went 3-for-3 in the championship game, a 5-0 win.

Sukup and Basta both hit .462 in the tournament. Liebel hit .417 with a double. Schmittou hit .400 with two doubles.

On the mound, Canan pitched nine scoreless innings, allowing only four hits, no walks and striking out 12. He threw only 85 pitches. Tahat pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and striking out nine.

The Flyers are back in action at Grand Park this coming weekend.