Small school baseball standouts relish chance to prove themselves at 61st Colorado Springs Senior All-Star Game

May 29—Taylor McLeod doesn't get the chance to prove himself often.

The Colorado Springs Christian senior hit .734 this year in 2A, but will tell you himself that it's against competition that's not overly challenging in many cases. The 61st Colorado Springs Senior All-Star Game represented his chance as the only player from the classification to be invited.

The 2A, 3A and 5A team defeated the 4A team 12-4.

Cheyenne Mountain coach and event organizer Mark Swope gave McLeod encouragement before the game, telling him to go out and prove himself against his 4A counterparts on the other side. He told him simply: make sure they remember your name when they walk out of here.

His three times on base and three runs — thanks in large part to multiple stolen bases including two in his final time on base — proved as much as he needed to, and spoke even more to the impact the game has on the area and its baseball scene.

In the junior game right before it was Ellicott's Logan Wilson who got a chance to shine. He plays with Cheyenne Mountain's group during the fall and summer, but goes back to his home base for the spring.

The two are used to facing off with talent from higher classifications in club baseball. But, if for only a day, they get to do it in front of a packed Memorial Day crowd at UCCS' Mountain Lion Park.

"I think the other guys in it weren't expecting much from me," McLeod said. "Over the season, we play a lot of not-so-good teams. It's a lot more fun playing against this type of competition. Our classification doesn't get much respect so I took it upon myself to show up for the 2A guys — I hope more are here next year."

The classification had more representatives last year, thanks in part to St. Mary's state-final run and the players who made it happen. Each year, the smaller schools will have to rely on a new batch of players to make the leap and receive an invite to the game.

But those that show up get an opportunity to put their names in other players' heads, just as Swope suggested. Even more importantly they get a chance to perform in front of a potential college coach..

"It's so exciting, you have no idea," Wilson said. "During my high school season, it isn't super fun. Even if you have a terrible day out here during this game, it's still so much fun."

Wilson benefitted from the junior game's purpose to give third-year players a look at where they stack up before their final year. More importantly, it's a chance to see where the weaknesses are and fix them.

Cheyenne Mountain senior Seth Gustafson fits in the category well. He went from being a good outfielder for the Red-Tailed Hawks to being one of the 'area's best,' according to Swope, in the span of one offseason.

Former major leaguers like Chase Headley, Brandon McCarthy and Goose Gossage all got their own chance to do the same in the game's history.

There are even possible plans to create a Denver against Colorado Springs all-star game in the future to allow even more participants a chance to compete against the state's best.

For now it's about the locals. And they soak up every bit of it.