The 2018 LICBL All-Star Game held at Mitchel Field saw a little bit of everything.  Good pitching and defense, and timely hitting resulted in a dramatic finish.

The game began as a pitcher’s duel as the National Division’s starter, Ryan Sandberg (LI Lightning, Florida Atlantic University) and teammate Patrick Quinn (LI Lightning, Nassau Community College) combined to toss three shutout innings.  The American Division’s starter, Nick Palmerini (LI Sound, Adelphi Univerisity) and Sal Cammisuli (LI Storm, NYU) matched those zeros through two innings.  The National Division struck first in the bottom of the third.  With one out, Andrew Florides (LI Lightning, NYIT) singled and scored on Vinny Rice’s (NY Redbirds, SUNY Farmingdale) triple.  A sacrifice fly by John Condon (LI Lightning, SUNY Old Westbury) scored Rice and gave the National Division a 2-0 lead.  The American Division answered back in the top of the fourth.  Kieran Dowd (LI Sound, NYIT) led off the inning with a single.  With one out, Harrison Trebel (LI Nor’easters, Pace University) tripled, scoring Dowd.  Trebel scored on a sacrifice fly by Dom Castiglione (LI Storm, College of Staten Island) tying the game at 2-2.  Billy Wildeman (LI Sound, Molloy College) tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the fourth with Justin Kimmel (NY Redbirds, Muhlenberg College) matching him in the top of the fifth by keeping the American Division scoreless. 

As the sun set and the lights turned on, the scoring also began.  The National Division scored a run in the bottom of the fifth with two outs with three straight singles by Mike Manetta (LI Thunder, SUNY Old Westbury), Jake McCarthy (NY Redbirds, Molloy College), and Brian Forbes (LI Diamond Spikes, Herkimer Community College).  In the top half of the sixth, Nick Lasala (LI Sound, SUNY Purchase) singled and advanced to third on Dom Castiglione’s hit.  Lasala scored with two outs on a wild pitch tying the game at 3-3.  The game did not stay tied for long as the National Division answered right back.  Nick Dilorenzo (LI Thunder, Queens borough Community College) led off with a hit.  Kenneth Gordon (LI Diamond Spikes, Flagler College) followed with a walk.  A single by Dan Bonfiglio (LI Diamond Spikes, Vassar College) scored Dilorenzo and a sacrifice fly by Sal Vittorio (LI Thunder, SUNY Albany) scored Gordon giving the National Division a 5-3 lead.  The American Division inched back in the top half of the seventh scoring a run.  Ryan Gonzalez (NY Cardinals, Jefferson University) led off the inning with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and eventually scored on Zach Kleinwaks’ (LI Sound, NYIT) sacrifice fly making the score 5-4.

The National Division did not score in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings due to the combination of American Division pitchers Jack Delaney (NY Cardinals, St. John Fisher College) and Brendan Wright (LI Astros, Gettysburg College).  However, the American Division tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the eighth inning.  Nico Doria (LI Storm, Fordham University) led off the inning with a triple and scored on a wild pitch.  In the top of the ninth inning, George Mulcahey (LI Storm, Wheaton College) led off with a walk.  A double by Kleinwaks put runners on second and third with no outs.  Shamus Connelly (LI Storm, Wagner College) hit a sacrifice fly scoring Mulcahey and giving the American Division its first lead of the game 6-5 going into the bottom of the ninth.  The bottom of ninth began with a walk and a stolen base by Luke Scoggins (LI Thunder, Manhattanville College).  Scoggins advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and eventually came around to score on a throwing error with two outs.

The All-Star Game concluded after nine innings in a 6-6 tie.  The LICBL would like to congratulate all the players in this year’s All - Star Game