Houle Helps North Win FSL All-Star Game

Angel Ortega

The Florida State League took center stage Saturday night, as the North Division and South Division squared off in the 55^th All-Star Game at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. The Florida State League has long been known as a pitchers’ league and it lived up to that reputation on All-Star Saturday as 11 pitchers from the North, combined to shutout the South 1-0, on just four hits.

Clearwater Threshers hurler Tom Eshelman got the start for the North Division All-Stars, against Felix Jorge of the host Fort Myers Miracle. Eshelman gave up a walk and struck out one, while Jorge walked one struck out one and gave up a single. Both guys worked one inning. 

Brevard County Manatees shortstop Angel Ortega started for the North Division and batted seventh. He got two at-bats in the game, grounding out to shortstop in the second inning and grounding into a force play at second in the fourth frame. He also made a nice play in the field to end the bottom of the first.

Teammate Dustin Houle replaced starting catcher Chace Numata, in the bottom of the fourth and made an immediate impact. The game was scoreless through five innings, but in the top of the sixth, the South called on fire-balling righty, Yorman Landa from Fort Myers to take the mound. He had four pitches that hit triple digits on the in-stadium radar gun, including a 102 MPH pitch. Lakeland’s Christin Stewart was not intimidated, he doubled against Landa to start the inning. That brought Houle to the plate and he singled to right, allowing Stewart to score the first run of the game. Houle went to second on the throw.

Dustin Houle

Cord Sandberg of Clearwater doubled with one out in the seventh, but the North couldn’t do anything with it, as the next two batters were retired. The South put together a bit of a rally in the bottom of the inning, with Jupiter’s  Dexter Kjerstad drawing a walk and Fort Myers’ Edgar Corcino lining a single to right, against Dunedin Blue Jays pitcher Tim Mayza. He came back to strikeout Jupiter’s John Norwood and then got Riley Unroe of Charlotte to line into a double play, ending the threat.

Daytona closer Jimmy Herget came on for the save in the bottom of the ninth and he hit 101 MPH on the radar gun. He struck the first batter out and then a liner back to the mound. He made the play, but came out of the game. His teammate Jacob Ehret came in and immediately gave up a single to Kjerstad. That brought Corcino to the plate, with a chance to be the hometown hero, but he grounded out, ending the game.

For more info: North Division @ South Division boxscore

Post-Game Highlights: Christin Stewart, who doubled to start the sixth and came home on Houle’s RBI single was named the MVP of the 2016 Florida State League All-Star Game. Mitch Walding of Clearwater won the Home Run Derby, held prior to the game on Saturday.

There will be a league-wide off day on Sunday, before the Florida State League cranks it up again, with a full slate of games on Monday.

This article originally appeared on the now defunct Examiner.com on 6/18/16