by Andrew Barbieri
Ty Gilligan is our Muddy Locker Player of the Game. pic.twitter.com/iUwPSItJ2v
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 15, 2023
For the first time in the history of the All-Star Game the two teams tied with the score being 9-9. With 6 teams in the league, Team Red comprised of the best players from Shelter Island, South Shore, and Westhampton while Team Blue carried the best players from Southampton, Sag Harbor, and North Fork.
Team Red jumped out early in the 2nd inning with a 7-spot to get themselves off and running. Sean Keys, Matt Torres, and Jack Halloran all singled to setup their Aviator teammate Luke Mistone to drive in with a 2-run single. Later on after a couple of runs scored, another Aviator Ethan Guerra drilled a 3-run homer to make it 7-0. Guerra is 2nd in the league only behind Keys in round trippers this year with 5.
The next 7 runs came from Team Blue between the 3rd and the 4th inning. Martin Marinev got the scoring started for Team Blue by driving in John Vitucci to make it 7-1. After a Gabe Caso walk, the bases were loaded and Christian Fagnant took a ball to the opposite field, and it found its way over the wall to tighten the game up with a grand slam to make it 7-5. The following inning, Marinev picked up to more RBIs when he scored 2 with a bloop single into rightfield to even the score at 7.
Christian Fagnant representing the North Fork Ospreys drills a grand slam Team Blue. It’s now 7-5 Team Red. pic.twitter.com/D4JyECNQ2l
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 15, 2023
After the scoring slowed down, Team Red threatened to take the lead back in the 7th inning when they loaded the bases. Matt Timpone ripped one down to first that stayed on the infield but was kicked around enough to get Aidan Ford, and Tyler Smith home to give Team Red the lead back with a 9-7 advantage.
Ty Gilligan has tied the game at 9 for Team Blue with a 2-run blast. pic.twitter.com/6q2hzOC6Xw
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 15, 2023
With it being the 10th HCBL All-Star Game, the 2 teams were set to play 10 innings today, unconventional from a regular game of course. That didn’t take away from Ty Gilligan’s dramatic 9th inning homer for Team Blue however. Kenneth Franquiz found the left center field gap earlier in the inning to make Gilligan the tying run with 2 outs. On the first pitch he saw, Gilligan pulled a fastball down the right field line that continued to carry until it reached its way over the fence. With the game tied again, this time at 9, there was speculation if there was going to have to be extra innings played.
With limited pitching for both sides there would be no extra innings. In the 10th, Kyle Salvati gave his team a chance to walk-off, however Team Red went down to end the game.
FINAL/10: Team Blue 9, Team Red 9.
For the first time in Hamptons League ASG history, there is a tie. pic.twitter.com/IVYY5rdiyh— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 15, 2023
With the game-tying homer, Ty Gilligan was given ASG MVP by going 1-2 with his homerun. As the regular season comes to a close quickly, there are no off days for any of the players, as play picks up tomorrow for all 6 teams across the league, with doubleheaders for all squads commencing tomorrow.
