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Some of Blue Water Area's top baseball seniors to meet in June 28 All-Star Game

brenden welper, port huron times herald
·2 min read
Players from the West team watch from the dugout during the Blue Water Area Senior Baseball All-Star Game at Richmond High School on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. The second edition of the game will be played Wednesday.
Players from the West team watch from the dugout during the Blue Water Area Senior Baseball All-Star Game at Richmond High School on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. The second edition of the game will be played Wednesday.

After a successful debut last season, the Blue Water Area Senior Baseball All-Star Game is returning for 2023.

Richmond High School will once against host the nine-inning exhibition, which is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Admission is $2 per person. The proceeds will help fund the umpires, field usage and t-shirts for future games.

"We went back to our framework that we had last year," said Algonac coach Scott Thaler, who spurred the event's creation in 2022 alongside Richmond coach Scott Evans and St. Clair coach Nick Black. "We had a lot more applicants this year than we had the year before. There was a good success that we had last year, and we just went with the same framework because it worked."

Two more coaches were brought along this year to help determine the rosters in Sandusky's James Minard and Marlette's David Hayden.

Coaches from 20 schools were asked for their nominations. Only seniors were eligible.

Thirty-eight players in total were invited from the following schools: Algonac, Almont, Armada, Brown City, Capac, Cardinal Mooney, Croswell-Lexington, Dryden, Peck, Port Huron, Port Huron Northern, Richmond, Sandusky, St. Clair and Yale. Those 38 invitees will be split into two teams — East and West.

The one difference from 2022 involves eligibility. Athletes who participate in other All-Star games will not be allowed to play in this one.

"It opens up a roster spot for someone else who might not have the opportunity," Thaler said. "We're trying to get more kids opportunities to put that jersey on one more time and represent their community."

Coaches for each team will be determined at a later date.

Here are this year's rosters:

EAST

Tyler Schultz (Algonac), Matt Meldrum (Algonac), Brandon Williams (Algonac), Caleb Thomas (Algonac), Andrew Thomason (Algonac), Braylon Essian (St. Clair), Owen Blank (St. Clair), Brendan Haisenleder (Cardinal Mooney), Brendan Carnaghi (Cardinal Mooney), Ryan Trombley (Cardinal Mooney), Remington Gielniak (Armada), Zach Marsee (Armada), Skylar Louwers (Richmond), Brice Wesley (Richmond), Grant VanSlambrouck (Richmond), Jackson Jones (Richmond), Gavin Acker (Yale), James Taylor Bahr (Yale), Robbie Harrison (Yale)

WEST

Derek Mason (Capac), Tim Bochatyn (Capac), Mason Smith (Capac), Jose Rodriguez (Capac), Kolton Barnett (Port Huron), Tyler Fillinger (Almont), Matthew Redmond (Almont), Alex Armstrong (Port Huron Northern), Dylan Bloink (Port Huron Northern), Jacob Kerrigan (Port Huron Northern), Easton Jager (Brown City), Drew Hosterman (Cros-Lex), Nolan Moore (Cros-Lex), Barry Lester (Sandusky), Caleb Minard (Sandusky), Jackson Kartanys (Sandusky), Dylan Ledford (Dryden), Caleb Lentner (Peck), Dalton Sempf (Peck)

The East All-Stars defeated the West All-Stars, 12-7, in last year's inaugural game. Port Huron Northern pitcher Derek Ruiz was named Most Valuable Player.

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: 2023 Blue Water Area Senior Baseball All-Star Game set for June 28