BY COLIN KRIEGEL
DHI Media Community Reporter
ckriegel@timesbulletin.com
ROCKFORD
— 8-year-old Brittyn Bruns of Rockford recently returned home from the
experience of a lifetime, participating in the Scotts MLB Pitch, Hit
& Run and T-Mobile Jr. Home Run Derby, played in Petco Park, the
site of the 87th MLB All-Star Game.
Bruns was able to qualify for
the MLB Pitch, Hit & Run after winning at the local and sectional
competitions, both held in Rockford, then she was awarded first-place at
the team championships in Cleveland, which led to her spot at the
national level in San Diego.
Bruns ended up placing 3rd in the 7/8
age group. According to Brittyn’s mother, Brandi, Brittyn walked away
from the experience with quite a bit.
“She’s got a big trophy and
then each of the contestants were given all kinds of free goodies
throughout the weekend,” Brandi said. “She got a new bat bag, all kinds
of new clothes and all kinds of things from Fan Fest and the parades.”
Brandi says the chance to participate was fantastic for both Brittyn and the entire family.
“It
was just an awesome opportunity for Brittyn and even our entire
family,” she said. “She really was kind of treated like royalty.”
Bruns’ favorite part of the All-Star weekend was being able to be on the field for the Home Run Derby.
One
thing she was hoping to experience was meeting her favorite player,
‘Big Papi’ David Ortiz. She did not get to meet him face to face but did
see him from a distance at various points of the weekend.
“I saw him sitting down by the players because we got to sit down by them during the Home Run Derby.”
Bruns
may not have met Ortiz, but she did get up close and personal with
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Duvall, who was a participant in this
year’s Home Run Derby.
"She
was in taking batting practice and he [Duval] was giving Brittyn and
her brother batting tips when they were in the batting cages,” Brandi
said.
Bruns says she was pretty nervous being in such a big city like San Diego and experiencing such a monstrous event.
“It
was my first time there so I was kind of nervous,” she said. “But then
we started walking around so I got to see everything and I kind of got
used to it. It was pretty fun.”
For Bruns, it was not the trophies
or the new clothes that made the experience incredible, but something
she can hold on to forever; memories and friends.
“I have two new best friends!” she said. “One is from Alabama and one is from Pennsylvania.”
Bruns says her parents got contact information for both girls to hopefully keep in touch from time to time.
Bruns
intends on trying to qualify in next year’s event and if she makes it
to the national level again, hopes to improve her performance at
pitching at a target, which she said was the most difficult part of the
competition.