Palm Beach Seniors Provide One Final All Star Moment

2013 All Star Photo Gallery

2013 HSBN Palm Beach All County List

For an event that officially occurred for the first time ever, it sure was a long time coming.

Following a record rain delay that lasted for a year and a week, Mother Nature finally turned her back long enough for The High School Baseball Network to present the first official Palm Beach Senior All Star Game Tuesday night at American Heritage in Delray Beach.

Last season’s event was interrupted by pounding rain shortly into the game, and this year’s first attempt was also washed out last week.

Thanks to determination, faith and luck, HSBN was finally able to send off our 2013 Palm Beach seniors with a memorable event. Cardinal Newman’s Kyle Cunningham chopped a two-RBI single over second base to lift the Red 2A-4A-8A squad to a 4-1 victory over the Blue 3A-5A-7A team.

After such an enjoyable night, it’s almost scary to think how close it came to never happening at all.

“I almost called the game this afternoon,” said HSBN’s Anthony Uttariello.

Heritage-Delray and Blue team Manager Carm Mazza had faith in his field despite the morning showers and light drizzles. Thanks to this faith and a tremendous effort from the entire Stallions crew, it was game on.

Due to recent unrelenting rain storms that had washed out four straight All Star game attempts across three counties, it was a despondent HSBN staff that arrived at the Heritage-Delray campus Tuesday afternoon. It did not take long for everyone to lift up our spirits and make every moment of it worth it.

It was a true All Star performance between the lines, as the best seniors in the county showcased the skills that had put them on the field to begin with.

The night was not just about the game and the players, as HSBN also recognized its All County award winners along the way. All County players were served a complimentary meal prior to the game, and presented their awards on the field between innings.

Among the underclassmen to receive an award was Atlantic junior Jarren Pinkney, who won the Hitter of the Year award, as well as All County honors.

The night’s festivities also included spin-the-bat, a tribute to the nation’s military and a trivia game.

As much fun as everything else was, nothing could surpass the game itself.

The Blue squad drew first blood in the top of the second inning.

Summit Christian’s Brandon Swass bounced an RBI single past second base to drive home Pope John Paul II’s Zander Retamar for the 1-0 lead. Retamar and Suncoast’s Troy Hoecker had led off the frame with back-to-back singles off of Palm Beach Central’s John Padich.

Padich’s Broncos teammate Gage Morey lifted him up as he chased down a shot to right field from Santaluces’ Cody Wager to end the inning. Morey also robbed Benjamin’s DJ Paone of a hit with a nice snare earlier in the second.

Although the Red team flirted with disaster by allowing baserunners in most innings, the pitchers were able to work out of each jam and keep the Blue team scoreless over the final seven innings.

Spanish River’s Alex Demchak gave up a single to King’s Academy’s Johnny Carpenter, who was then erased on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Summit Christian’s Jesse Barton. Olympic Heights’ Conor Archer and Atlantic’s Bobby Borque reached to load the bases.

Demchak got out of it as Barton was caught out at home on a stolen base attempt.

Boca Christian’s RJ Walsh ran into trouble an inning later when Forest Hill’s Jose Crespo walked and Royal Palm Beach’s Justin Douglas reached on a fielder’s choice to right. The Red defense came up with a big F9-6 putout to pick off the lead runner at second on the play.

After Douglas stole second, Walsh responded to finish the inning off by picking the runner off with a nice move to second.

Starting pitcher and Palm Beach Garden graduate Riley Colbath, Cardinal Newman’s Alec Duboy and Dwyer’s Austin Marrs each pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.

American Heritage’s Anthony Delaney and King’s Academy’s Johnny Carpenter each delivered those equal results for the Blue team, recording 1-2-3 frames with a strikeout during their turn on the mound.

Delaney also took home Pitcher of the Year honors to go along with his All County award.

Pitching was a strength of the Blue squad, keeping their opponents off the scoreboard until the fifth inning.

Royal Palm Beach’s Jordan Lauginiger worked the second and third innings. He recorded four strikeouts and avoided any damage despite allowing singles to Garden’s Joey Boyd, Dwyer’s Adam Edelmann and Boca Raton’s Andrew Sperling.

Santaluces’ Wager followed with a scoreless fourth, as he recorded a swinging strikeout to escape a jam after Morey singled and Dwyer’s Robert Moss walked.

St. Andrew’s Ronnie Rocca got things started for the Red team with a leadoff single in the fifth. John I. Leonard’s Noel Canete then cracked a shot to left field to put him on second base and Rocca ninety feet from home.

Two batters later Cunningham came to the plate and delivered the winning hit.

The Red squad added insurance runs in each of the next two innings.

With one out in the seventh Dwyer’s Adam Edelmann walked to reach base for the second time. Two batters later he came home on an RBI single from Jupiter’s Peter Sitaras for the final run of the night.

Palm Beach Central’s Joe Shue doubled leading off the sixth, and then scored on an RBI single from Palm Beach Gardens’ Matt Williams.

Williams also enjoyed the chance to record one last save as a high school closer, as he pitched the top of the ninth to secure the victory that sparked an unprecedented dogpile on the mound for the joyous Red squad.

Red team manager Joe Russo is a savvy coach who did not want to show up the other team by allowing such a dogpile, especially since the bottom of the ninth inning is still played in the HSBN Palm Beach All Star Game.

Standing near by, an HSBN representative could not refuse the team this moment of fun, and therefore allowed the players this celebration.

Atlantic’s Cody Bryant closed the final inning by striking out the side, before switching to a “Terminator” role to take on a few brave players from the Red squad who made an attempt at a second dogpile on top of Bryant.

It was the moments like these that made the event more than just a great game, by also making it such a great time.

The two dugouts were some of the liveliest and most hilarious seen on a baseball diamond. It was very rewarding to watch the players bond with their All Star teammates. It is a baseball no-no to harp on an opposing player, but many guys took the chance to harp on their teammates in fun jest instead.

Yet even with this playfulness, between the lines was where the jokes ended. Players played hard and gave the kind of effort that put them there in the first place.

Jupiter’s Sitaras chased down a deep shot from Trinity Christian’s Darren Seferina for a nice sliding catch, which came right after the Red team had ended the seventh on a 1-6-3 double play started by Morey off a comebacker.

The Blue squad also turned a 6-4-3 double play in the sixth inning to rescue Santaluces’ Dominic Teresi. Teresi picked up a strikeout during his turn on the mound, while Summit Christian’s Zach Lawrence had a pair and King’s Academy’s John Monte struck out the side in the seventh.

Players in the game are typically given free reign to do what they do best when they see best fit to. For Benjamin’s Matt Harris, there was little question that he would be stealing once he drew a walk from Dwyer’s Moss in the eighth. Harris swiped second and third, before being stranded when Moss recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Harris also stole the biggest award of the night, earning Player of the Year honors.

HSBN awarded West Boca’s Nick Siano and Jupiter’s Andy Mook as co-Coach of the Year. Siano coached the Blue squad on Tuesday, while Mook served on the Red Squad.

It was a night that Mother Nature finally let us all have. It was our last chance to thank all the players, coaches, parents, officials and fans who help allow us to provide the greatest high school baseball coverage to South Florida and beyond.

2013 has been a memorable season. We thank you all for your support. We can’t wait to see what is in store in the future.

*Leftover meals from the All County Dinners were donated to All Saints Soup Kitchen in Oakland Park.

“Portions of all HSBN events are donated to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation.

2 Responses to “Palm Beach Seniors Provide One Final All Star Moment”