The fourth annual Blue Chip Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game held at Mitchel Field saw a little bit of everything. Good pitching, defense, and timely hitting resulted in a 7-6 American Division victory.
The offense started in the top of the first inning when Dylan Strang (Astros, Nassau CC) homered to left giving the National Division an early 1-0 lead. The National Division started the regular season ERA leader (.68), Frankie Collora (Storm, SUNY Cortland) in the bottom of the first. Collora kept the American Division scoreless through the first two innings. Giovanni Cassino (Steel, SUNY Farmingdale) tossed a scoreless top of the second for the American Division. The League leader in strike outs (57) did not allow a hit and struck out a batter. In the top of the third inning, the National Division would score three more times to add to their lead. Robert Gregory (MVP, SUNY New Paltz) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After a fly out, Strang doubled putting runners at second and third. Anthony Scarabino (Titans Blue, U at Albany) would single, scoring Gregory and advancing Strang to third. A fielder’s choice would score Strang and advance Scarabino to second. Scarabino would eventually steal third base and score on a passed ball to give the ND a 4-0 lead. The American Division would get a run on the board in the bottom of the third. Cassino lead off the inning with a double and scored on another double by Nico Quiroz (Thomas Jefferson U).
Andrew Moy (Dodger Nation, Swarthmore Col) would throw a hitless top of the fourth, striking out two batters to keep the score 4-1. The American Division would tack on two more runs in the bottom half of the inning, cutting the lead to 4-3. Brian McCloskey (Dodger Nation, Nassau CC) and Thomas Anderson (Seminoles, Susquehanna U) would open up the inning with back to back singles. After a double steal, both players would score on a single by Kyle Engmann (Nor’easters, Mercy Col). The ND would answer with a run in the top of the fifth. Thomas Lebrecht (Titans Blue, Molloy U) would lead off with a single, steal second base and score on a single by Scarabino.
The AD would send 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring four times to take a 7-5 lead. Justin Lopez (Nor’easters, Alvin CC), Brandon Tauber (Strong, Ramapo Col), and Joey Dwyer (Strong, SUNY Oneonta) started the inning with three straight singles with Lopez scoring on Dwyer’s hit. A single by TJ Coyne (Strong, Post U) scored Tauber. Dwyer scored on a pass ball and Coyne scored on a sacrifice fly by Stephen Murstef (Aviators, Suffolk CC). Ryan Knieriemen (Titans Gold, SUNY New Paltz), Nick Rodriguez (Astros, CMSV), Brendan Pattermann (Titans Blue, Stony Brook U), and Robert Gregory (MVP, SUNY New Paltz) held the AD scoreless for the final three innings. PJ Nenadich (Next Level, Queens Col), Chris Cann (Strong, Penn State Beaver), and Derek Watts (Steel, SUNY Farmingdale) matched the ND pitchers keeping the score at 7-5.
The ND would make things interesting in the top of the ninth. Jackson Pam (Beast, U of Hartford) would score on a hit by Jaylen Hernandez (MVP, Winthrop U) after reaching base on an error. The ND would proceed to load the bases with one out. Michael Vilardi (Next Level, Queens Col) would get the final out of the game for the save.
The All-Star Game concluded after nine innings with a 7-6 American Division victory. The BCCBL would like to congratulate all the players in this year’s All-Star Game.
