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Opening day of the 2021 GEICO Baseball City Series did not disappoint
The City Series is in it's third year of existence and will culminate with two Saturday games that will be aired on ESPNU. (Photo: Mike Cianciolo/BVM Sports)

Opening day of the 2021 GEICO Baseball City Series did not disappoint

GLENDALE, Wis. (BVM) — On a beautiful, sunny Wednesday afternoon, two of the premier baseball clubs in the country took the field to kick off the 2021 GEICO Baseball City Series tournament. 

The Wisconsin Hitters faced the Cangelosi Sparks at Raider Stadium, home of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) Raiders, just outside of Milwaukee in the first of nine pool-play games that will go on until Friday. Saturday will be the final day of the event with the third-place game and championship game airing on ESPNU. 

This is the third year the tournament has been held and the second year it has been held at Raider Stadium. 

“We started the event in Chicago in 2019, a little bit different format,” said Robin Williams, head of media relations for the event.. “We had four cities represented from across the country and they were comprised of all-star teams from city school associations. … Really cool event.”

All-Star teams from Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York school associations competed in that first event, but due to COVID, the tournament moved up to the Milwaukee area, the teams were more regionally based and they were club teams rather than All-Star teams. 

“We really loved the initial concept of the event; it was great for those communities and those cities,” Williams said. “We did see a step up in the level of talent with this just because these were select teams, these are travel teams, kids coming together from all over their particular states or area so yeah definitely a way for these kids to showcase themselves and it’s really cool we get to culminate that on national television at the end of the event on Saturday.”

Mitchell Voit of the Wisconsin Hitters prepares to face Sparks pitcher Cole Van Assen in the first game of the City Series. (Photo: Mike Cianciolo/BVM Sports)

Even with the limitations put on them last year, the event was a complete success. From the higher level of play to how the event was run, everyone involved enjoyed it and that has led to the expanded field this year. Two more teams are competing in the City Series and once again the competitors are coming from all over the nation.

“That’s what we noticed is last year with the club teams they’re just super impressed with the event,” Williams said. “That’s why I think the word traveled a little bit and allowed us to get a couple more teams in the event.”

With parents, coaches and scouts watching, each of the six teams competing in the tournament put on a show. In the first game of the day, the Cangelosi Sparks, the runners up in last year’s tournament, began their journey to get back to the championship game, while the Hitters looked to improve upon their third place finish last year. 

In what was a close game all the way into the bottom of the fourth, the Sparks were able to pull away thanks to Luka Radicevich, who with the bases loaded and two outs sent one into center field, clearing the bases. Radicevich would be tagged out at third, but the damage was already done. The Sparks went up 5-2 and would add another run in the fifth. The Hitters tried to mount a comeback in the sixth and the seventh getting runners on first and second in both innings but the Sparks were able to hold on to their 6-2 lead for the win. 

In the second game of the day, the Virginia Canes came firing on all cylinders in their first time in the event. Taking on the reigning champions, the Indiana Bulls they scored 11 on the Bulls, including a three-run homer by Dixon Williams. The Canes won 11-3. 

In the final match of the day, Georgia Team Elite squared off against the Louisiana Knights in a thrilling game to end the first day of competition. The Knights jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning but Elite fought back and heading into the seventh inning it was all tied up 5-5. In the top of the seventh, Elite’s Nazzan Zanetello drove in the winning run and pitcher Ben Webber closed out the game for the win. 

“Here we are on day one and we’re liking what we’re seeing here,” Williams said.

With rosters full of DI recruits and DI caliber players, each team comes into the series boasting a resume full of Division I players, drafted players and current MLB players. It’s a chance to see some of the best players in the nation compete against each other before they begin competing or playing with each other in college. 

Day two kicks off with the Bulls facing the Knights at noon, then Sparks take on Team Elite at 2:30 p.m. CST and the day will end with Hitters going up against the Canes.