East Edges West in Cape League All-Star Tilt (SLIDESHOW)

WAREHAM — Just over 5,000 Cape League fans enjoyed a beautiful night at Clement S. Spillane Field Saturday, taking in the sights, sounds and talents of the league’s best players as the East Division team took home the victory, 1-0, over the West Division all-stars in the 53rd Annual Friendly’s® Cape League All-Star Game.

Hyannis Harbor Hawks third baseman Blake Tiberi (Louisville) rips a single in the second inning of Saturday night's 53rd Friendly's Cape League All-Star Game at Spillane Field in Wareham with Brewster's Cassidy Brown behind the plate. Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports

Hyannis Harbor Hawks third baseman Blake Tiberi (Louisville) rips a single in the first inning of Saturday night’s 53rd Friendly’s Cape League All-Star Game at Spillane Field in Wareham with Brewster’s Cassidy Brown behind the plate.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports

Kent State southpaw Eric Lauer — unbeaten thus far this season at 4-0 for the Orleans Firebirds — notched the win for the East as he was the pitcher of record in the fourth inning when the East scored an unearned run off of University of Missouri at Columbia’s Austin Tribby.

Tennessee’s Nick Senzel, who participated in the popular, pre-game Home Run Hitting Contest, reached on an error in the fourth and ultimately scored on a Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) basehit. Walton plays for the Y-D Red Sox and he also went 1-2 on the night.

But hits were clearly hard to come by in this star-studded pitchers’ extravaganza as both all-star teams carted out the best collegiate arms in the country, one after the next. All totaled, 19 pitchers took the mound in the game, with Orleans’ ace Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) starting for the East and Wareham’s Blake Fox (Rice) starting for the West.

Walton was named the East All-Star Most Valuable Player and Hyannis Harbor Hawks smoke-slinging southpaw Devin Smeltzer (Florida Gulf Coast) was the Most Valuable Player for the West Division squad. Smeltzer whiffed two in his one inning of work — a perfect third inning.

Bourne Braves’ second baseman Nick Solak was the top hitter in the West, however, as the speedy, sure-handed infielder went 3-4 on the night and was the

Orleans Firebirds' ace Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) delivers a scoreless inning. Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports

Orleans Firebirds’ ace Mitchell Jordan (Stetson) delivers a scoreless inning.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports

game’s sole multiple-hit batsman. Hyannis Harbor Hawks third baseman Blake Tiberi broke the ice with an opposite-field single for the game’s first hit but he was stranded.

Wareham righty Ian Hamilton (Washington State) struck out two in his one inning of work in the sixth inning.

The East pitchers were more dominant, though, with three striking out at least two batters in the one inning afforded them. Chatham right-hander Brandon Miller (Millersville), Brewster Whitecaps’ righty Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) and Harwich Mariners’ righty Spencer Trayner (North Carolina – Chapel Hill) each fanned two batters in their appearances.

While Orleans slugger Willie Abreu (Miami) hammered four home runs in the pre-game Home Run Hitting Contest, Wareham Gatemen muscle-man Logan Sowers (Indiana) belted five and the two squared off in an eight-out playoff. It was necessary, really, as Abreu did not go yard in his second round of cuts while Sowers hit all he needed to capture the clout exhibition title — one.

Congressman William Keating made a special appearance and threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches.

— Story and Photos by Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports Editor. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm or email him at [email protected]

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