ILLINOIS VALLEY PISTOL SHRIMP
Pistol Shrimp are Prospect League champions!
1ST WARD ALDERMEN: Jeff Ballard • Bob Tieman
Congratulations to the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp, the 2024 Prospect League Champions! We’re proud of the outstanding season you had!
2ND WARD ALDERMEN: Tom Payton • Jason Edgcomb
CITY of PERU
MAYOR: Ken Kolowski
CITY CLERK: Dave Bartley
CITY TREASURER: Jackson Powell
3RD WARD ALDERMEN: Mike Sapienza • Rick O’Sadnick
4TH WARD ALDERMEN: Jim Lukosus • Andy Moreno
Pistol Shrimp are newly crowned Propect League champions
PERU - Hundreds of children stood in line outside a gate along the first-base line at Schweickert Stadium chanting, “Pistol Shrimp, Pistol Shrimp.”
When the gate opened, they flooded onto the field to celebrate with the newly crowned Prospect League champions, first with the traditional running of the bases followed by highfives and autographs as music blared over the loudspeaker, including “We Are the Champions.”
Soon, family, friends and other fans came onto the field to join the celebration of the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp’s 4-2 victory Wednesday over Rex Baseball in Game 2 of the Prospect League Championship Series, giving the Shrimp a series sweep.
“It feels pretty good,” Ottawa native Jared Herzog said. “This is my first ever championship in my collegiate career. This is the most wins I’ve ever had in my collegiate career. It’s surreal.
“This team meshed early on in the season. We had a lot of returning guys, so that helped. Brought the new guys in. From there, we just became family, and it felt like home.”
The on-field party lasted nearly an hour as manager/owner John Jakiemiec, Herzog and others were doused
with water, players sported their new league champion shirts, took photos with the trophy and hugged family and friends. Jakiemiec stood in the dugout hugging players and accepting congratulations from fans.
It’s the first Prospect League title for the Shrimp, who debuted in 2019 as the DuPage Pistol Shrimp before moving to Peru in 2021.
The Shrimp finish with their best record at 39-21, eclipsing their previous best of 38-21 in 2022.
“It means the world to (general manager) June (Keeley) and I,” Jakiemiec said. “This is our fourth year here. It’s gotten bigger every year. The fans have really embraced the team. I had a chance to talk with Prospect League commissioner David Brauer after the game, and he was beaming that the championship game was here in front of this crowd with this energy.
“I’m still soaking it in. I’m just very grateful for the support of the community.”
Herzog said the crowd’s energy played a key role in the ninth inning.
For the first time all game, Herzog found himself in a jam as Rex loaded the bases with one out. After a mound visit, Herzog struck out Caden Mason, and
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the crowd rose to its feet in anticipation. “The emotions are everything, espe-
cially being a hometown kid. I’m right down the road, from Ottawa, so every-
body knows my name,” Herzog said. “Just listening to the crowd yell after every single strike I threw in the ninth, that just shows you something.
“Energy is everything. The crowd can change everything.”
Herzog then struck out Gabriel Arroyo looking and he ran to hug catcher Brandon Mahler as gloves were tossed in the air and players and coaches rushed out of the dugout.
Herzog, who was named MVP of the playoffs, earned the win in relief as he pitched six scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out 11 batters and walking three.
Herzog came on in the fourth with the Shrimp leading 3-2.
Rex scored in the top of the first inning when Eli Riley reached on a soft grounder in the infield, stole second base, took third when the throw went into center field and scored on a wild pitch.
The Shrimp tied it when Ryan Niedzwiedz launched a home run to start the bottom of the first for his third consecutive leadoff homer.
“They came with a lot of energy. They were really chirpy and had a loud bench that first inning,” Jakiemiec said. “The moment he hit that home run, they knew they were in for a ballgame.”
The Shrimp went ahead 2-1 on a sacrifice fly by Spring Valley native Chance Resetich in the second, and after Rex tied it in the top of the third, Kyle Gibson walked and later scored on a balk in the bottom half.
Illinois Valley added an insurance run in the fourth on an RBI single by Tyler Dorsch.
“We missed some opportunities to extend some leads, but scoring one run in each of those first four innings was key to just let them know we were going to keep putting pressure on,”
Jakiemiec said.
Niedzwiedz and Lucas Smith finished with two hits each. Niedzwiedz scored twice and drove in a run.
Zach Kempe started on the mound and tossed three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit with three strikeouts and one walk.
