U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt added a memorable highlight to his baseball résumé this week after making ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays following a standout defensive play during the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity.
The Missouri Republican secured the No. 5 spot on Wednesday night’s SportsCenter countdown after making a diving catch near the left field foul line at Nationals Park. Tracking down a fly ball drifting toward foul territory, Schmitt laid out to make the catch and held onto the ball despite a hard landing.
The play left Schmitt bloodied but unbowed. After making the catch, he rose from the turf with a bloody nose and tossed the ball back toward the infield as the crowd cheered.
The defensive gem helped propel Republicans to an 11-2 victory over Democrats in the annual charity matchup. The win marked the GOP’s sixth consecutive victory in the event.
Following the game, Schmitt shared video of the catch on social media, writing, “Left it all on the field.” He was later named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Before entering politics, Schmitt played collegiate baseball at Truman State University. He has long been considered one of the strongest players on the Republican congressional team.
The Congressional Baseball Game, a longstanding bipartisan tradition, raises money for local charities in the Washington area and regularly draws thousands of spectators to Nationals Park. This year’s contest continued a recent streak of Republican success, with the party extending its winning run to six straight games.
Jake Kroesen serves as the Editor of the Missouri Times. He hails from Independence, Missouri and enjoys all things Jackson County. A graduate of UCM, he obtained his degree in Political Science.
