43
Trumbull senior all-stars surge to top Mahoning
2017 Valley All Star Baseball Game
Gallery
NILES
As per usual with all-star games, things are casual and fun at first, but once the end nears, it’s all about winning.
That was the case at Friday’s 2017 High School Valley All Star Classic at Eastwood Field where the Trumbull County and Mahoning County teams exchanged five lead changes in the final five innings.
Trumbull County’s seniors outlasted Mahoning County’s seniors, 8-6.
Photo Gallery: 2017 Valley All Star Baseball Game
“It starts out with it all being about fun but when it gets towards the end you want to win for your county,” Champion’s Michael Turner said.
Turner went 1-for-2 with an RBI double and a run scored. He was named co-MVP with Niles’ Tre Martin who went 1-for-1 with a single and reached on an error. Martin also stole two bases and scored a run.
Tied 6-6 in the bottom of the eighth in a nine-inning game, Mathews’ Anthony Oulton reached on an error to score Lakeview’s D.J. Morvay and Bristol’s Brock Sloan in what was the difference between the two teams.
Tied with their southern counterparts 1-1 in the fifth inning, Trumbull County scored from every inning on to grab the win.
Poland’s Dan Klase led Mahoning County with a two-RBI double that gave his team a 5-4 lead as teammate Pad O’Shaughnessy and Boardman’s Coleman Stauffer scored. He also struck out three Trumbull County hitters in two innings of work on the mound.
Turner said his RBI double followed up by his teammate Aaron Williams singling him over to third felt just like his team’s run to Columbus en route to a state championship.
“I was in the number-three hole and [Aaron] was fourth so it was just like the season where I’d get on and have him try to get me in,” Turner said.
The first few innings were lacking in terms of offensive production. Mahoning County scored in the top of the first when Stauffer drove in Struthers’ John Medvec on a fielder’s choice, but 12 of the game’s 14 runs were scored from the fifth inning on.
“Most people hadn’t been seeing the ball in awhile but the second time through the lineup people started seeing the ball better,” Turner said. “I think that helped us win the game today.”
Mahoning head coach Ed Anthony (Western Reserve) said the best part of games like these for him is watching a team come together to play without any practices or playing with teammates they’ve never met.
“It’s always a joy watching all these individuals from different programs coming together and watching them mesh,” Anthony said. “The fun part is watching them interact because some of these kids know each other and some don’t.
“I know they had a good time and so did I.”
Anthony said from a coaching perspective, the game becomes a mixture of competitiveness and trying to make sure everyone gets in what is the last baseball game many of these players will play in an organized manner.
“Even though it’s an all-star game you don’t want to lose,” Anthony said. “Some of these guys aren’t going to college and aren’t playing anywhere else so I told them to enjoy yourselves, have fun, showcase your talents and remember this because this is it.”