On a hot evening in Modesto, 43 of the best high school baseball players from Stanislaus County came together for the 34th rendition of the Modesto Sunrise Rotary All-Star Game at Modern Woodmen Field on Saturday.
In a ballpark filled with comradery, Saturday’s showcase was an opportunity for local talent to display skillset against the county’s best. For some players, it was their final time representing their respective program before moving on to the next chapter of their life.
That was the case for graduates Owen McCord, Adam Torres and Cooper Pacheco of Turlock High; Ben Vilhauer, Nolan Walker and Jackson Way of Pitman High; Michael Miller of Turlock Christian; and Isaac Lupercio of Hughson.
For McCord and the two other graduates, the exhibition not only marked the end of their tenure with the Bulldogs, but the final time they’ll step on the field with their teammates, including rising seniors Mason Hackler and Aiden De Los Santos.
“It’s awesome to play here on this amazing field,” McCord said. “I know these juniors are coming back for one more year but this being my last high school game, it's definitely real special.”
Miller, Lupercio and Denair’s Noah Lundquist were grateful for their opportunities to be the lone representatives of their schools.
After missing last year’s exhibition, Miller remembers anxiously waiting on the announcement of this year’s roster and regularly texting head coach Bill York, this year’s Gold manager, about it. During the team’s pregame huddle in a game this past season, York delivered the news that Miller would be representing the Eagles for a final time.
“I feel like it’s good to get our name out here, and people don’t realize that TC has good players [and is a] good program,” Miller said. “I love high school baseball, and it’s just been a great time experiencing it with some friends that I’ll probably keep forever and some memories that I’ve made for a while.”
In front of a large crowd, the Gold teams extended their winning streak to four straight in the annual exhibition with a 10-5 win against the Blue team.
Following a scoreless opening two innings, Torres brought home Oakdale’s Bas Stice with an RBI single to lead 1-0 in the top of the third inning. The lead grew to three following a two-run double from Ceres High’s Ashton Urena to bring in Riverbank’s Cody Martin and McCord.
The Blue team’s momentum continued in the top of the fourth as Turlock’s Hackler, this year’s CCAL Most Valuable Player, drove in Gregori’s Sebastian Joseph to home plate to lead 4-0. The scoring continued after Stice batted a single to right field and brought in Enochs High’s Bryan Delgado for a five-run lead.
In the home half of the fourth, the Gold team responded with five runs of their own. Broden Thomas of Central Catholic ran to home plate after Pitman’s Walker swung an RBI double to left field. Denair’s Lundquist brought in Central Valley’s Ezequiel Verduzco to cut the deficit to three.
Later on, Oscar Mendoza of Davis and Brady Heinrich of Big Valley Christian scored on a two-run double from Central Valley’s Mason Whitworth. Downey’s Gustavo Munoz later worked a bases-loaded walk to tie the game going into the fifth.
With Pitman’s Vilhauer on second base, Modesto’s Anthony Arrieta hit an RBI double to give the Gold team its first lead, 6-5. Later in the bottom of the sixth, Central Catholic’s Jake Kiesel was driven in on a single from teammate Marcus Davenport. The lead expanded to three after Ezequiel Verduzco hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Pitman’s Way.
The Blue team couldn’t respond in the top of the ninth and allowed two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Following the match, three special awards were handed out to the players.
Whitworth was named the Most Outstanding Player after he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Miller received a plaque in recognition of an academic award for both teams. He graduated from Turlock Christian with a 4.24 GPA and continued playing the sport at Napa Valley College.
Modesto Christian’s Teegan Davis received the Academic Player Award and Carl Tognolini Scholarship (named after the former event chair and Rotary president). Davis was awarded $1,000 after graduating from TC with a 4.32 GPA. He’ll continue playing baseball at Bethany College.
