TRI-CITY AREA — Dryden’s Dylan Ledford hit a grand slam with two out during the bottom half of the seventh inning, giving the West team a 5-1 edge at the time, and they went on to pull out a 5-3 win against the East squad’s baseball team in the Blue Water Senior All-Star Game last Wednesday.
Richmond High School is where the action unfolded.
Ledford also counted a double in his four at bats among his offensive credentials.
For his performance, Ledford (who saw action defensively as a pitcher, leftfielder and a third baseman that day) earned game MVP accolades.
In Wednesday’s contest, the West team and the East squad were held scoreless during innings one and two.
The East team would then go up with a 1-0 third inning edge.
Dryden’s Dylan Ledford throws out an opposing player at the Blue Water Senior All-Star Baseball Game. Ledford was named the game’s MVP.
Innings four through six would see neither side score
The West side then made it a 1-1 ballgame during inning number seven.
That is when Ledford, facing a 1-2 count with the bases full, connected on a pitch that cleared the fence in left-center with room to spare. Once the bases cleared, his team was holding a 5-1 edge.
The East team would counter with a 2-0 advantage the rest of way, only to drop a 5-3 verdict.
Matthew Redmond, of Almont, drew the starting pitching assignment for the winning West side. He then gave way to a few teammates who each took their turn on the hill, before returning to throw the ninth and final inning.
Capac’s Derek Mason and Jose Rodriguez (a single in two at bats each) supplied the next best plate credentials among the Tri-City Area contingent on hand.
Mason lined up defensively as a leftfielder, rightfielder and pitcher and Rodriguez saw action at third base.
Almont’s Tyler Filinger reached base once on an error in his two trips to the plate.
Filinger played as a catcher for the West team.
Mason Smith, of Capac, rounded out the list of Tri-City Area competitors on hand. Smith, a first baseman, went zero for two at the plate.
Kolten Barnett (Port Huron High), 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), Caleb Lentner (Peck) and Dalton Sempf (Peck) appeared on the West team’s roster as well.
Capac’s Tim Bochatyn and Zach Langmesser were also invited to play in the contest, but could not attend due to prior commitments.
Brice Wesley (Richmond), Tyler Schultz (Algonac), Matt Meldrum (Algonac), Brandon Williams (Algonac), Andrew Thomason (Algonac), Braylon Essian (St. Clair), Owen Blank (St. Clair), Brendan Haisenlede (Cardinal Mooney), Brendan Carneghi (Cardinal Mooney). Ryan Trombley (Cardinal Mooney), Remington Gielnak (Armada), Zach Marsee (Armada), Skylar Louwers (Richmond), Grant VanSlambrouck (Richmond), Jackson Jones (Richmond), Gavin Acker (Yale), James Taylor Bahr (Yale) and Robbie Harrison (Yale) appeared on the roster of the East team that day.
Kevin Kissane
Kevin Kissane has been covering high school sports for the Tri-City Times since 1985. When not standing on a field or court with his camera and notepad, he enjoys golf, travel and family. Kevin is a 1980 graduate of Capac High School, and is also a grad of St. Clair Community College and earned a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University.
