Last weekend, West met East at the 23rd annual Modesto Sunrise Rotary Baseball Classic. The best high school players from Stanislaus County faced each other in an evenly matched showdown, treating the spectators at John Thurman Field to a thrilling and fittingly competitive game.

When the dust settled, West coach Mick Tate and East coach Mike Glines came together and chose the crème of the crop from both teams to represent Stanislaus County in a truly All-Star matchup against the best players Merced County has to offer.

The Merced-Stanislaus County All-Star game will feature all six Pitman High All-Stars, Steven Kha, Zach Olsen, A.J. Derr, Tyler Arnsberg, Damian Sousa-Johnson and Adam Nascimento, and both Turlock High All-Stars, Tyler Murphy and Luis Mendez. They will be joined by Kaden Cline of Modesto Christian High, Zach Cornejo of Modesto High, Kody Simons and Andy Morris of Oakdale High, Nick Welsh, Brandon Arevales and Hames Pernetti of Ceres High, Cameron Irinage and Kyle Dunnegan of Enochs High, Robert Schaur and Devon Gradofr or Downey High and Connor Torres of Beyer High.

“Stanislaus County is going to want to show Merced County we play better baseball and vice versa,” Tate said.

Stanislaus has bested Merced in the previous two matchups. Tate is hoping to continue Stanislaus’ string of success in not only his first cross-county All-Star game but the official end of his storied career as a coach.

 “I’m always motivated to win,” Tate said. ”I’m a competitor just like the kids.”

The game will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at California State University, Stanislaus.