“For the love of the game.” That phrase has been the theme of Andrew Hagins Day the past two seasons as the Oak Park and River Forest High School baseball program continues to honor his memory.
Hagins, who died in December of 2023, surely would have approved of the Huskies’ 11-5 home victory over Willowbrook, which took place on the second annual Andrew Hagins Day, May 17.
“It’s always a day we’re really happy to have on our field,” said OPRF coach Kevin Campbell. “Our guys take this game super-seriously; it’s got a little bit more meaning than your average game.”
OPRF senior catcher Joseph Leshnock, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, said it’s an honor to represent Hagins and his family.
“It’s good to get a great team win and put up big numbers today,” he said.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the third, OPRF (23-9) broke out for five runs. George Holland got an RBI on a fielder’s choice, Leshnock drove in two with a double to left, and Kendall Wallace (2-for-3) drove in two more on a single.
The Huskies kept things rolling in the fourth with an RBI single by Ethan Moore (3-for-4) and a two-run homer from Brady Green. Moore tallied another RBI in the fifth with a fielder’s choice, and Peter Farren closed out OPRF’s scoring in the sixth with a home run to left.
“Everyone’s just trying to do their job, get the runners over, and play as a team,” Leshnock said of the lineup, which had excellent efficiency as its 11 hits matched its runs total.
During the pregame ceremony, Holland was announced as the recipient of the Andrew Hagins Scholarship. Holland, who will attend Miami University (Ohio) this fall, was thrilled to receive the award.
“I’m super-honored,” he said. “I have nothing else to say but thank you to the Hagins family. It’s great to honor them with another win.”
OPRF is in a good position in terms of the West Suburban Silver title in the regular season’s final week. The Huskies lead second-place Downers Grove North by a half game, third-place Lyons Township by a full game, and fourth-place York by one and a half games.
Oak Park and River Forest High School senior baseball player George Holland with the Andrew Hagins Memorial Scholarship. Holland was presented the award by Toni Hagins before the Huskies’ game against Willowbrook, May 17. (Courtesy of Todd Phillips) 
Toni Hagins, mother of the late Andrew Hagins, addresses the crowd before the baseball game between Oak Park-River Forest and Willowbrook on Andrew Hagins Day, May 17. (Courtesy of Todd Phillips) 
OPRF Baseball | Provided 
Andrew Hagins’s #25 is displayed on the Oak Park and River Forest High School baseball field before the Huskies’ game against Willowbrook, May 17. (Courtesy of Todd Phillips)
OPRF is seeded fourth in the upcoming IHSA Class 4A Reavis Sectional and also hosts a regional. But both Campbell and the players say their focus is on winning the WSC Silver crown, with two games against LT this week looming large.
“We’ve got to take care of business against LT,” Campbell said. “We’ve put ourselves in the best possible position this late in the season. We’re happy with the competition we’ve faced the last 10 games or so; you want competitive games so you’re not thrown off when the playoffs start.”
“We’re ready for this last stretch to take home conference,” Leshnock said. “We’re just playing one game at a time, looking for the next win.”
“I feel if we win those games against LT,” Holland said, “we’ll just keep rolling into the playoffs and I’ll feel we can’t be stopped.”
The Huskies’ games with LT took place after press time, May 19-20. The regular-season finale is a WSC crossover at Addison Trail, May 28.