MWL1 Kane County Cougars

Kenny and Casey, This is Your Life

Published on May 20, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release


GENEVA, IL - A pair of local high school standouts will be at Elfstrom Stadium this weekend for the first time together as professional ballplayers and there's an outside shot that both pitchers, each of which lead a first-place team in the Midwest League, could oppose each other during the Cougars' upcoming Memorial Day homestand.

West Michigan pitcher and Kaneland HS graduate Casey Crosby returns home to Elfstrom Stadium to lead the Whitecaps in a three-game set against the Cougars beginning Saturday. Crosby will share the field with Cougars pitcher Kenny Smalley, another resident of Kane County and the first-ever "Tri-Cities" Cougar (Geneva, Batavia and St. Charles) to wear a Cougars uniform in the organization's 19-year history. While the possibility exists for both pitchers to square off against each other this weekend, it's anticipated at this time that Crosby will start Saturday's 6 p.m. game for West Michigan against the Cougars, while Smalley is scheduled to pitch on Sunday as part of a tandem outing with teammate Brett Hunter.

Crosby, whose familiarity with the Cougars has included countless games attended as a fan, is an unblemished 2-0 this season and has posted a 2.43 ERA in eight starts for West Michigan, a Detroit Tigers affiliate. Smalley, who collected autographs from former Cougars such as Josh Beckett and Charles Johnson as a young Cougars fan, has dazzled from the mound as well. The righthander is currently working on a 14.2 inning scoreless streak and his ledger includes a 4-1 record and 1.73 ERA. So far this season, two of Kane County's own have combined for a 6-1 mark and have yielded just 14 earned runs in more than 59 innings of work.

The bragging rights battle kicks off this Saturday at Elfstrom Stadium as the Whitecaps arrive to open the three-game Memorial Day weekend series. Already slated to be a popular homestand with fans, those interested in attending the weekend series are encouraged to get their tickets quickly by calling (630) 232-8811 or visiting www.kccougars.com.

Post-game fireworks shows will light up the Elfstrom Stadium nighttime sky after Saturday and Sunday night's games (6 p.m. first pitch on both nights), and each evening will also feature a pre-game autograph session with Cougars players at 5:30 p.m. Birdzerk makes his first appearance of the season on Saturday, the Zooperstars invade the stadium on Sunday, and fans can run the bases after every game this weekend.

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Midwest League Stories from May 20, 2009


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