×
×
homepage logo

Despite short notice, Sanders makes appearance in all-star game

By Shawn Linenberger - | Jun 12, 2002

Being selected for an all-star game usually brings excitement to an athlete, but Tonganoxie’s Zach Sanders didn’t have much time to enjoy the news.

The outgoing senior found out at 10 a.m. last Wednesday that he would be playing in the Kansas-Missouri High School Baseball All-Star Showcase.

The game started at 7:30 p.m. the same day at the Kansas City (Mo.) 3 and 2 Baseball Complex.

The adjustment, though, wasn’t a big deal for Sanders.

“I just had to get off work and that was it,” he said.

Metro-area school coaches nominate their players for the game. Former Tonganoxie coach John Lee, who left the school for a position in the Park Hill (Mo.) school district in the spring, nominated Sanders. Lee, though, didn’t find out about Sanders’ selection until game day.

“I hadn’t checked phone messages for two weeks,” Lee said. “It was just by fate I checked if there were any messages.”

The Kansas and Missouri squads played a nine-inning game, and Sanders rotated with another catcher throughout the game. In four innings, Sanders went 1-for-2 with a single.

The former THS catcher was productive with the bat, but didn’t have many opportunities defensively.

“The pitchers were mostly dominating,” Sanders said. “I didn’t have a chance to throw anybody out or anything.”

Pitching was at a high level hurlers were throwing at between 85-90 mph.

“As a high school kid, that’s pretty good,” Sanders said.

The Kansas team lost, 6-5, in a game showcasing metro players. Kansas had 22 players, while 29 came from the Missouri side.

The game, which drew about 400 fans, had its share of probable future stars. John Mayberry Jr., Rockhurst (Mo.), played for the Missouri team.

He signed with Stanford earlier in the year, but could jump to the professional level the Seattle Mariners drafted him last week.

Blake Howard, Leavenworth and Eric Peterson, Lawrence Free State, are Kansas signees.

Sanders, who will play baseball at St. Mary in Leavenworth next spring, was second team all-Kaw Valley League his junior and senior seasons and a four-year varsity player.