Westlake Pony League All-Stars face off in mid-season game

Pony League East All-Star Patrick Trunzo rounds first on his way to a triple as Jack Lipscomb scores.

East met West on Saturday, June 22, in the 55th annual Westlake Baseball League All-Star game for the Pony division, played at Clague Park. Representing the East teams were Austin Anderson, Parker Goodman, Jack Lipscomb, Spencer Schlott, Mo Hamden, Michael McDiarmid, Michael Sedlak, Patrick Trunzo, Scott Boyce, Bobby Fogle, Trevor Metzger and, Mickey O’Neil. The best of the West Division were Evan Chrisman, Justin Hawkins, Steven Walker, Matt Yusko, Tommy Bowles, Arik Brizes, Eddie DePalma, Paul Koszkalda, Dominic Campo, Karl Desler, Adam Dixon and Tommy Lazevnick.

Pony League Commissioner Mike Brizes opened the game with player introductions, followed by the National Anthem sung by Westlake’s own Kailee Shaver against a colorful backdrop of the North Ridgeville V.F.W. Post 9871 Honor Guard and a curtain of streaming red, white and blue smoke. Korean War veteran Tony Cioffoletti threw the ceremonial first pitch to Cubs catcher Caiden Bowe.

All-Star East Division coaches Tyler Lipscomb (Braves), and Steve Boyce (Reds) led their team to an 8-4 victory over the West, coached by Kevin O’Meara (Padres) and Terry Boehm (Cardinals). Umpiring in the field was Ryan Smith from the Westlake High School JV baseball team.

East player Spencer Schlott was honored with the game’s MVP trophy, pitching two innings with four strikeouts, allowing only two hits. Paul Koszkalda pitched the last inning for the West, ending the game with three strikeouts.

Scoring highlights for the East: Schlott and Trunzo each had two RBIs, O’Neill and Hamden drove in one run each, and Sedlak and McDiarmid stole home. Boyce and Schlott had two hits each. For the West: Brizes had two RBIs, Lazevnick and Hawkins each had one. Paul Koszkalda led the West with two hits.

WBL President Tim Chrisman provided player trophies for the seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders participating in the game.

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Volume 5, Issue 13, Posted 11:12 AM, 06.25.2013