Return of Missouri vs. Illinois All-Star Game comes with bevy of talent from both sides of Mississippi

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Like nearly every other big event during the summer of 2020, the Missouri vs. Illinois All-Star baseball game fell victim to a global pandemic.

But Kevin and Aaron Peters, the Monroe City father-son duo who are the braintrust and the legs behind this event, never lost faith the game could return in true showcase form.

Saturday night, their faith and commitment get rewarded.

Scheduled for a first pitch at 7 p.m. at historic Clemens Field, the showdown between the area’s top senior baseball players from both sides of the Mississippi River returns. The eighth installment features a bevy of talent committed to college programs and a host of players coming off all-state campaigns this past spring.

Here are some tidbits to get you prepared:

• This will be a glimpse of the future of the John Wood Community College baseball program. Quincy High School third baseman Grayson Cook and infielder/pitcher Connor Schwindeler, Quincy Notre Dame center fielder Ben Kasparie and Palmyra catcher Alex Loman have signed with the Trail Blazers. Cook was a first-team All-Western Big 6 Conference selection, while Schwindeler earned All-WB6 honorable mention and Kasparie was an honorable mention All-West Central Conference pick. Loman earned Class 3 first-team all-state honors.

• Three players heading to play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference will headline the Missouri all-stars. Hannibal catcher Keaton Scott is bound for Missouri S&T, with Hannibal shortstop/pitcher Aaris Stolte going to Maryville and Marion County left-hander Cooper Stotts heading to Quincy University.

• Palmyra middle infielder Landyn Smith, a second-team Class 3 all-state selection, puts a cap on his baseball career before becoming a trendsetter. The two-time all-state defensive back will be part of the inaugural sprint football team at Quincy University.

• A trio of Brown County seniors — center fielder/pitcher Gabe Blakeley, first baseman/pitcher Mason Henry and catcher Ethan Howell — were the backbone of the greatest season in Hornets history. Now they have the challenge of helping Illinois earn a little payback. Missouri won the last meeting, getting a Gabe Worthington walk-off single for a 4-3 victory in 2019.

• Illinois leads the all-time series 4-3.

• Of the 50 players participating, at least 15 are heading to college to play baseball and at least five others are going to play a different sport in college.