Ruchim, Top Tier tops at CABA World Series

Early on during the Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series in Ohio last week, a fire burned down a vacant press box and destroyed all the trophies housed in it.

Additional smoke might have been seen coming off the bat of Kyle Ruchim.

The recent Stevenson graduate and incoming Northwestern freshman was named MVP of the CABA 17-under World Series after leading the Lake Forest-based Top Tier Americans to the championship with an 12-0 record.

"I think the MVP award was a testament to us doing so well," Ruchim said. "When a team does well, it helps get awards like that."

A shortstop/pitcher, Ruchim, the captain of the Daily Herald's Lake County All-Area team after leading Stevenson to third place at state in Class 4A, says he hit 4-5 home runs in the weeklong tournament. He also pitched a couple of times, including once to close a game.

For being named MVP, he believes he receives an engraved wood bat. He left Ohio without the trophy, however, as a result of the fire.

"The press box area was all marked off," Ruchim said.

For Top Tier, it was the Americans' second straight CABA World Series title.

A perk for the Americans?

Championship rings that include their name and number.

"You really can't wear it," said Ruchim, who received a ring last year, too. "But it's good to show off."

The color cover of Top Tier's flashy media guide bills the organization as "A Tradition of Baseball Excellence," and the players and coaches don't mind the high expectations, apparently.

The Americans completed their CABA World Series run with a 9-1 win in five innings over the Stallions from downstate Illinois.

Outfielder Tim Barry (Oak Forest), infielder/pitcher Ryan Koziol (Brother Rice), lefty pitcher Paul Warble (Conant) and infielder/outfielder Chris Godinez (Lake Forest) joined Ruchim on the all-tournament team.

The Americans entered the World Series having won seven of their last eight games.

"Going into the season, with our top core players like Kyle Ruchim and Tim Barry, I thought we had a legitimate chance (of winning the World Series)," said Top Tier co-founder and CEO Todd Fine, a Deerfield graduate who pitched for Michigan State.

Other key contributors for Fine's Americans included Libertyville pitcher Joey Eichmann, Barrington outfielder Ricky Alfonso, Highland Park pitcher/infielder Max Allen, St. Viator outfieler/pitcher Jack Czeszewski and catcher/third baseman Cory Kay, New Trier pitcher Jordan Chudacoff, Lake Forest catcher/first baseman Charley Gould, Stevenson pitcher Tyler Radtke and outfielder/infielder Michael Martin, Lyons first baseman Bryan Rodemoyer, Galesburg outfielder/pitcher Nick Milligan, Hinsdale South outfielder Chris Massimilian and Mt. Carmel pitcher John Kravetz.

"Very good team," said Ruchim, who last summer was the starting and winning pitcher in the Americans' Series-clincing win. "Compared to last year's team, early on in the season we were struggling. But once we got to CABA, it all clicked for each other.

"We had some close games," he added. "But we played our best baseball when it was the right time."