Team Illinois came out swinging in game one of the Junior Future Games, taking down Team Massachusetts 11-3 in five innings. Illinois scored runs in each of the five innings, recording 11 hits and two home runs.

---

The scoring started early and often as Todd Duleaney Jr. (Nazareth Academy, 2029) turned on a curveball, sending it over the wall in left, giving Illinois an early lead. The scoring continued later in the inning as Dempsey Steinmetz (Marist, 2029) singled to left, driving in Tyler Lanzi (Providence Catholic, 2029).

INF Todd Dulaney Jr. (Nazareth, 2029) sends a lead off HR over the LF wall to get things going for #TeamIllinois.

93.2 mph EV in yesterday’s workout; Athletic actions up the middle.#PBJFG25 pic.twitter.com/8ZpUFDLKAr

— Prep Baseball Illinois (@PrepBaseballIL) July 25, 2025

The bats stayed hot in the second inning as Hector Valdez (Nazareth Academy, 2029) hit a hard groundball that got past the shortstop, rolling all the way to the wall in left center, scoring Charlie Kohman (Downers Grove North, 2029) who reached via a single and Jacob Kaspar (Brother Rice, 2029) who was hit by a pitch.

In the third inning, the first four batters of the inning reached base with singles. Cody Busch (Joliet Catholic, 2029) led off driving one up the middle, Dulaney Jr. singled to left, Paulie Hobbs (Marist, 2029) singled to third, and Lanzi drove in a run with a single to left. A throwing error with the bases loaded scored two more runs making it a 7-2 game.

Illinois tallied one more run in the fourth inning thanks to a single by Andrew Jones (Marist, 2029) that drove in Valdez who reached on an error by the second baseman.

Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Team Illinois needed three runs to end the game and the first batter of the inning failed to reach base. A one out hit by pitch by Lanzi sparked a rally for the offense as the next batter, Steinmetz, crushed a ball over the left center wall to make it a 10-3 lead. Mason Koth (Jacobs, 2029) singled and stole second, passing the torch to Kohman who singled, driving in Koth and ending the game with a final score of 11-3.

CIF Dempsey Steinmetz (Marist, 2029) lines this one over the L/C fence for a two-run HR.

92.6 mph EV in yesterday’s workout.🔥#TeamIllinois | #PBJFG25 pic.twitter.com/49CK9O5MvM

— Prep Baseball Illinois (@PrepBaseballIL) July 25, 2025

Starting pitcher Hector Valdez got the win set the tone early for Team Illinois, striking out the side in the first inning. In three innings of work, Valdez struck out four, allowed two hits, and two runs.

Team Illinois takes on Team Georgia at 8:00 AM on field 16 at LakePoint in Emerson, GA.

RELATED CONTENT