Varsity Baseball Team Wins 3rd in the State!!
By: John Kendall
June 04, 2008
Visit: www.PutnamCountyPanthers.com for photos from the Sectional Game to the final Celebration.
It wasn’t the storybook ending that the Putnam County Panthers wanted for their retiring head coach Ken Jenkins. However, the ending will be one that all of the Putnam County fans, players, and coaches will remember, as PC won the 3rd place championship at the Class A State Tournament in Joliet on Saturday.
Shortened to 5 innings due to weather and realignment of the schedule, Putnam County and Tuscola were tied going into the fifth inning. With two outs in the inning, senior Joey Brizgis sent a 1-2 fastball over left fielder Josh Nickel’s head and to the wall, allowing Evan Smith to score all the way from first to give Putnam County the dramatic victory. “I got to second base and I knew there were two outs. I didn’t want to go to third and be the third out. I just watched Evan to see if he touched home, and before I knew it, Coach Jenkins was running towards me,” said Brizgis. “I thought the ball was gone, but I then remembered we were at a big diamond so I thought (Nickel) would get to it. When I saw it drop, I just turned and watched Evan score. My last hit in my high school career was a game winning one at state,” Brizgis added. “Joe is a hit or miss guy. He has been hitting well the last couple of games and put a good swing on that pitch.
“Well, how many retire with a W? This has been great. This is the third time for me coming down to state and this year is the most rewarding because of the kids. They got good team chemistry and that is the key. We go up and play good defense and timely hitting. We got that today. Hats off to the seniors,” Jenkins said. “It is always good for coach as he has taught us so much. It is big for him,” Brizgis said. “This is a good year for him to end on. It was a big thing at the beginning of the year to have a big year for coach. We knew he was going to out at the end of the year, but I think we made it a really long year for him. That is what we wanted to do,” Fogle said.
The Panthers drew first blood in the third inning as Josh Morrasy would single into left field, scoring Brad Passini. Following Morrasy’s single, Fogle singled, which allowed Morrasy to be plated. However, Tuscola answered in the fourth inning. John Weinke would lace a single into center field, which plated one run. Following Weinke’s base hit, two more runners would reach base, and trouble would brew for Fogle. On a 3-1 pitch, designated hitter Dane Winn would hit a three-run homerun over the left field fence, making the score 4-2 in favor of Tuscola. “I was getting behind in the count and the walks led to those runs. I put too much pressure on me and not my defense. We have had a lot of defense all year long, and then settled down and threw strikes,” said Fogle.
“I told them we had the fourth place trophy at home (from 1998), let’s get the third place. We got down 4-2 and came back, staying mentally tough and in the game. These last two weeks, the kids have shown that mental toughness,” said Jenkins, whose 34 year career ends with a record of 554-381, and a record of 517-348 in 30 years at Putnam County. “This is very special. It is usually something you can’t do in winning your last game. In years past, I have seen seniors lose in their final game and it ends with a lot of tears. This is bittersweet because we got the last win, but it is sad that this is over,” said Fogle.
Notes: The 3rd place placing by PC was the highest any Panther baseball team has placed at state. In 1998, Putnam County finished in 4th place. Following PC’s return to the county, a celebration and parade was given, as the Panther team went through each individual town to celebrate. A crowd of nearly 100 people came to Panther Field to celebrate with the team following the arrival in Granville. Jacksonville Routt would defeat Marissa to win the 1A title 13-3 in five innings. The title was the first in baseball for Routt. Pickneyville would defeat Coal City 4-0 in five innings to win third place in the Class 2A third place championship, while Olympia defeated IVC 6-1 to win the 2A title.
Special Visitors for Jenkins’ Final Game
By: John Kendall
While Putnam County baseball coach Ken Jenkins was coaching his final high school game at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, some very special people were watching his every move. Members of Jenkins family, including his former baseball coach made the drive to root on Jenkins and his Panthers, and also to celebrate his career and retirement.
Among the attendees of the game was Jenkins’ former baseball coach, who ironically was retiring the same year as his former player was. Don Smargiassi will retire from the Pawnee Athletic Director position after 50 years holding the position and coached Jenkins in the 1960’s. “Ken’s talked to him four or five times this week, and that was really special he made the trip to come up and see him. They have always been close,” VJ Jenkins, Ken’s wife said. “They have kept in touch over the years, and Coach Smargiassi has been a strong mentor to him. Ken is very proud to have him here. He shared the trophy with him, and is very excited,” Kate Piatchek, Jenkins’ sister said. They (Jenkins’ family) have always been a close family,” VJ said. “There are a lot of teachers and coaches in this family, so it would only seem natural of them coming up,” she added.
“It is very heartwarming to see him win his last game,” Smargiassi said, fighting back emotion. “You have to understand the family and the great people. As I said over there earlier, he went out a winner. He won his last game. Those boys played a heck of a ball game because of him. He has taught them very well. You don’t win 500 some games and go into the hall of fame and not be doing something right, but that is Kenny. That was the way he played, how he lived, and how he coached,” said Smargiassi, who said that when he visited his former player near the dugout before the game, he said to Ken, “I told him good luck and that I would be here. I felt like he was going to win,” he added.
“I am so happy for him and his family, especially these players. I talked to him this year about these guys. This was a special team for Kenny, and a very special season. I know he is just as proud of these boys as any other team he has had,” Smargiassi. I am sad because he is retiring. I know he has a good guy (Garcia) replacing him. He has told me that. I am sad that other kids won’t have the chance to have him as a coach, but I am happy for him and his family so he can go fishing and spend more time with his family. He is a class act,” Smargiassi added.
“It is very special to go out this way with him retiring. We are all so proud of him and thankful. We know our parents are looking down today,” said Piatchek. “We never gave up as we knew they would pull through, and they did. There are 5 sisters here today, along with a brother-in-law, uncles, and nephews, and we are all getting together Sunday for a picnic to celebrate his retirement. It will be a double celebration with his retirement and the third place championship. We are so excited and very proud of him. He has worked so hard for this,” Piatchek added.
“I told him to tell his boys after the game they are winners and they won his last game for him. He won third place. They didn’t give him the trophy. They won the third place trophy. He and his boys went out a winner,” Smargiassi added. “What could be any better? It is a storybook ending,” VJ said. “If I had written the ending myself, I couldn’t have written it any better. It is a great team, a great group of boys, and I am proud of them,” she added.
Thanks to John Kendall for supplying the photos and article.
