Major League Baseball

Host of former MLB stars shine in NBC World Series

Published Aug. 7, 2016 8:57 p.m. ET

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Former Major League Baseball stars descended upon Wichita, Kansas on Saturday night for the National Baseball Congress World Series, an annual tournament that invites competition among amateur baseball players, including some former pros and collegiate athletes.

This year's tournament is of particular intrigue because of the the Kansas Stars, a team comprised exclusively of former major-leaguers which was spearheaded by Kansas natives Nate Robertson and Adam LaRoche and legendary pitcher Roger Clemens.

In an unsurprising development, the major-league alums who comprised the Stars roster defeated the Sterling XPress, a Colorado-based summer team made up of collegiate players.

Pitcher Brett Tomko and outfielder J.D. Drew were the two former St. Louis Cardinals to see action in Saturday's game. Catcher Koyie Hill, who was a non-roster invitee with the Cardinals in 2012 but was released during spring training, also participated.

Pitcher Brad Penny, who pitched in nine games for the Cardinals in 2010, did not pitch on Saturday, but still managed to create laughs.

Me:Hey I caught you in Fresno
Penny:I remember you
Me:You sat on my lap for an inning
Penny:Yea...
Me:...? pic.twitter.com/7FKirmGRMD
— Eric Sim (@esim3400) August 7, 2016

Two other former Cardinals, Rick Ankiel and Jason Isringhausen, were expected to be part of the team, but ultimately had to pull out due to injury.

Starting pitcher Tim Hudson, who threw three shutout innings, and infielder Brandon Inge, who collected three hits, were the most impressive performers in Saturday's game, but obviously that was secondary to the intrigue that surrounded former major-leaguers facing unknown college players in rural Kansas.

The Stars are in action next when they face the Liberal Bee Jays on Monday at 7:00 PM.