Rudyard's Suggitt, Mitchell participating in MHSBCA All-Star Game
RUDYARD — Rudyard first baseman/pitcher EJ Suggitt and coach Billy Mitchell will be among the participants in the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association 2022 East-West All Star Baseball Classic at Comerica Park Monday.
There are two MHSBCA All-Star games this year, both of them upcoming Monday. The Rudyard representatives are in the 4 p.m. game, while there is another game at 7 p.m.
Suggitt and Escanaba’s Jared Hanson are the only Upper Peninsula players in the MHSBCA All-Star game, and both are on the roster for the West team. Mitchell and Escanaba’s Scott Hanson are among the coaches for the West stars.
“It’s going to be awesome to be playing in a game with so many good baseball players — a once in a lifetime experience,” Suggitt said. “It’s an honor to be selected. Playing at Comerica Park, that’s something you dream about as a kid. Then It’s going to be fun to watch the second all-star game after we’re done playing too. That game is full of Division I commits.”
Suggitt finished with a batting average of .569 this season for the Bulldogs, who made it to the Division 4 semifinals and finished 28-7-1. As a pitcher Suggitt was 6-1, with a 2.60 earned run average and 54 strikeouts. Suggitt, who was Rudyard’s valedictorian, has signed to attend and play baseball at Spring Arbor University.
“I’m excited for EJ to show what he can do at the All-Star Game,” Mitchell said. “He’s been a role model for our school, a great student-athlete. I’ve enjoyed every day I had a chance to be around him. He’s like a another coach on the field for our team.“
Also on the West All-Star rosters are Straits Area Conference players Daniel Wilcombe and Henry Stempky of Cheboygan.
Mitchell and Scott Hanson will join former Rudyard coach Ron VanSloten as the only U.P. coaches to participate in the MHSBCA All-Star Game.
“I was kind of taken aback when they asked me to be one of the coaches, with all the history of the game,” Mitchell said. “It’s great to be able to show we have some baseball talent here in the U.P. Ron VanSloten was the only U.P. coach to take part in the game and he’s someone I’ve looked up to. To be able to coach on the same field where the Tigers play, it’s going to be a special night. I’ve coached on Minor professional fields before, but never on a Major League Field. My whole family is going to be there and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Contact Sports Editor Rob Roos at rroos@sooeveningnews.com. Follow him on Twitter, @rroosTEN.
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Rudyard's Suggitt, Mitchell participating in MHSBCA All-Star Game
