Merrick Little League All-Stars Face Off

For a young kid growing up watching major league baseball, there's nothing more thrilling than seeing the best players from around the world participate in an All-Star game.

And for at least one day, kids from all over Merrick got to live that same exact way.

The top Merrick Little Leaguers faced off Monday at Birch School to participate in the boys juniors All-Star game. The season officially came to an end on Saturday, but the best of the best met one more time to show exactly what they were capable of, and just to have some good old-fashioned fun.

Of the six teams in the boys juniors division, the first, third and fifth place finishers were placed on the home squad for the game, while the second, fourth and sixth place finishers comprised the visiting team.

The game ended up being a slugfest, with the visiting team coming away with the victory, 14-7. But at the end of the day, the score wasn't all that important.

"We just wanted everybody to go out there and show what they had and why they made it to the All-Star team as well as having fun and keeping good sportsmanship," coach Danny Valentin said. "We got what we wanted and we enjoyed the game."

For many, it was just a thrill to participate in the game, and spent the day soaking in the fact that they were All-Stars.

"It was really cool to play in the All-Star game," Jonathan Gonzalez said. "It brought out all the best players and it was really fun to compete against each other."

Jared Friedman drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single in the first for the visiting team. The home team responded with three runs after a two-run double by Mike Mavrogian and a bases loaded walk from Nick Chiusano.

In the third, Brian Raider hit a ground-rule double and came around to score for the visiting team on an errant pickoff throw. They added three more in the fourth off of an RBI single by Brian Mohr, and a two-RBI single by Ryan Kolberg to make it 5-3.

In the fourth, Harris Fein hit the farthest ball of the day when he launched one over the left fielder's head, but would be thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. The home squad would still add one in the inning when Mavrogian drove in Nick Rooney with a single.

The visiting squad broke out for nine runs in the sixth, in an inning that featured two steals from home by both Aaron Valentin and Josh Bodden, another RBI single from Friedman, and was capped off by a three-run homer from Raider.

"Participating in the All-Star game was fun," Raider said. "It's my first time in the All-Star game and I was pretty happy when I hit that home run."

Matt De Jesu added a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth, and the game would end with the score of 14-7.

The game was enjoyed by all, and particularly by members of the league champion Reds, including James O'Sullivan, Ryan Salamo, and Jon Paul Crichton.

"The World Series is a lot more competitive," Crichton said. "But today was just a day to have fun and play the game."

O'Sullivan, who pitched a shutout in the clinching game of the World Series, also compared the All-Star game to the World Series.

"It was fun," O'Sullivan said. "It wasn't like the World Series; it was much more laid-back and relaxed. We didn't have to go all out but it was fun to play in."

After the game, the kids exchanged friendly handshakes and congratulated each other for a game well played. As they left the field, there was still one prevailing thought in their minds that will remain there forever.

They were All-Stars.