The San Diego Section held its sixth all-star baseball game in conjunction with the Padres June 26 at Petco Park.
For the 48 preps on deck, the 2024 Padres High School Baseball Night provided an opportunity – a final one for seniors in attendance – to showcase their skills in front of hundreds of family, friends and maybe even a few scouts.
The East all-star squad, buttressed by 11 selections from East County, clobbered the West squad by a final score of 10-3 as the teams piled up 18 hits (11 by the victorious East team) in the annual event. Calexico first baseman Andres Ontiveros and Cathedral Catholic catcher/outfielder Elijah Selga both hit home runs for their respective teams while Eastlake catcher Noah Betanco out-dueled La Jolla Country Day shortstop Jack Circuit to win the pregame home run derby.
Ontiveros, who had two hits in the full nine-inning contest, earned honors as the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Section commissioner Joe Heinz termed the event memorable for participants and spectators alike.
“It’s awesome to be able to play in one of the best ballparks in the country,” he said. “They were all fired up for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
East County selections included Grossmont first baseman Cody Bigley, Santana pitcher Adam Brabandt, Mt. Miguel outfielder Jeremiah Castillo, Christian catcher Xavier Farnum, Granite Hills left fielder Jordan Mansfield, El Capitan shortstop Brody McAuliffe, Granite Hills catcher Owen Rodgers, Helix Charter third baseman Antoin Simpson, Valhalla left-hand pitcher Colton Stinkeoway, Grossmont right-hand pitcher Cody White and Monte Vista pitcher Gavin Daley.
Helix Charter athletic director Damon Chase called it a “great honor” for the participating players.
“Most kids would probably say playing in the CIF championship game and playing in the all-star game here would be at the top of their career, especially against the top players in the county,” he said.
“Not everybody gets to play at Petco Park,” said Farnum, who represented Alpine in the game with two RBI. “It’s an honor. It was a fun experience. I’m glad I had the chance.”
Farnum’s experiences during the 2024 spring season included playing for Christian head coach Mike Mitchell, who collected his 600th coaching win on April 3 following a 6-1 non-league win over University City.
“It was awesome,” said Farnum, who had two hits in the history-making game. “It was nice seeing Coach Mitchell getting his 600th win. It was an important milestone. He’s helped me become a better player through his coaching. I owe a lot to him.” Four players from each team competed in the home run derby.
Betanco, Eastlake’s Angel Laya, Ontiveros and Simpson represented the East squad while Circuit, Selga, Maranatha Christian’s Levi Ham and San Marcos’s J.J. Moran represented the West team.
Each player had two minutes at the plate to hit as many balls out of the park. Balls that traveled to the warning track but not over the fence also scored points.
The top two point-getters from the preliminary round advanced to the final round. Points from both rounds were combined to determine a champion.
Circuit tallied 14 points in the preliminary round while Betanco chalked up 13 points to join the LJCD shortstop in the finals.
Betanco made up the difference with a 13-10 scoring edge to win the home run derby by two points — 26-24. “It was a great experience,” the Metro-Mesa League Field Player of the Year said after being crowned derby king.
“It was a dream come true to play here, for sure. I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was in middle school. To be able to play with all this talent was a great experience.” A shared experience, of course.
Valhalla senior Colton Stinkeoway capped his senior season with the all-star appearance after leading the Norsemen to this year’s San Diego Section Division III championship with a one-hit shutout on the hill.
“It was pretty cool,” the VHS pitcher said. “I realized it was rewarding — all the hard work paid off.”
Stinkeoway, who plans to attend Southwestern College to further his baseball career, pitched a scoreless eighth inning while retiring the West lineup in order.
“I want a year or two to develop more — it’s definitely what I need,” the Norseman standout said of electing to continue his career path at the community college level. “I don’t want to pay a lot of money to go to a four-year university and only pitch one or two innings. I can transfer after a year of two.”
“It’s surreal,” he said of the whole all-star experience. “The home run derby was fun. It was a great experience. It’s a beautiful ballpark.”