Two Columbia University standouts join Larks roster in this Frontier Precision Surveying the Field.
The Bismarck Larks announced that Jack Chernow and AJ DiFillipo will join them for the 2019 season. They are both infielders at Columbia University and played together on a championship summer league in 2018.
Chernow is a 5’9” 165-pound sophomore at Columbia. In 40 games played in 2018, he batted .259 with 15 runs, 30 hits, 1 home run and 7 RBI.
“I heard the town of Bismarck is really into the team, which is awesome,” Chernow said. “It’ll make the games a lot more enjoyable and exciting. I’m looking forward to that. Summer baseball is a great opportunity to compete and just get better as a baseball player. The Larks are the best opportunity that I had.”
DiFillipo is a 6’1” 200-pound junior at Columbia. In 38 games played in 2018, he batted .258 with 21 runs, 32 hits, 1 home run and 12 RBI.
“I knew that the Northwoods was a really good league,” DiFillipo said. “Honestly, I just really like playing baseball and I know you get to play a lot of baseball in the Northwoods. It’s a great opportunity.”
“Both of these players are highly intelligent on and off the baseball field and play the game the right way,” said Larks head coach Sean Repay. “They were a big part of a Columbia team that made a regional last season and played the number one team in the country in Florida there. They have a great deal of postseason experience at a high level and that is something we are looking for with the Larks. Can’t wait to see AJ and Jack perform at a high level for us this summer.”
The pair played together in the New York Collegiate Baseball League in 2018 for the Onondaga Flames. They were able to help that team win the league title. They hope to continue that success this year in the Northwoods League.
“That was a lot of fun,” Chernow said.
“I think we are a good duo,” DiFillipo said. “It’s going to be fun.”
“It’s always good to be with a teammate. It’ll make the transition that much easier,” Chernow said.
Both players grew up playing baseball and watching the Red Sox on TV.
“It runs in the family,” Chernow said. “My grandpa is a huge baseball fan. He passed it down to my dad and then to me. I fell in love with playing the game. It’s the thinking man’s game.”
“I’ve played it my whole life. My parents were coaches,” said DiFillipo who mentioned his mom was the only girl on her high school team.
DiFillipo also had the opportunity to play in the Little League World Series.
“It happened so fast, you never realize how important that experience was until you get older,” DiFillipo said. “It was just crazy.”
The Larks’ 2019 season starts May 28 with a home game against the Eau Claire Express.
The Larks hope to sell out all 36 home games. They currently have less than 100 Scheels 7 Game Packs still available. That package is the only way to secure box seats for the 2019 season.
The Larks recently released a new ticket package called the Big Boy 3 Game Pack that includes a hat, three meals at Big Boy and a bleacher seat at three games. These bleacher seats will come with seat backs to improve comfort.
The Bismarck Larks are a proud affiliate of the Northwoods League, the proven leader in development of elite college baseball players. The Larks mission is to use FUN to make a difference in the lives of our families, businesses, players, and communities we serve. This is accomplished with a commitment to putting fans first and providing high quality family entertainment at affordable prices. In 2018, the Larks sold out 30 of their 36 home games in Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, home of Dakota Community Bank and Trust Field. The Larks were named Northwoods Organization of the Year in 2017 and 2018.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, over 200 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
