Gallery: West All-Stars defeat the East All-Stars, 4-3

West All-Stars’ Gerik Snow of River View turns towards home after an overthrown ball rolled into center field.

By Nick McWilliams

The sky prior to the East District All-Star game was overcast for much of the day, but it ended up being the cracks of bats that resounded through the valley rather than thunder.

After postponing the game one day due to inclement weather rolling in, the best high school baseball players from the Eastern District did not disappoint on Wednesday. After nine innings, it was the West All-Stars who walked away with a thrilling, 4-3 win in the bottom of the ninth.

The East jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning, thanks to some costly errors for the West. First baseman Kaden Blomquist of St. Clairsville was the first to score, scampering all the way from first one a short, chopping grounder that was overthrown to the first baseman. Another unearned run would cross in the fourth, before the East picked up another score in the fifth.

Gerik Snow of River View got things rolling for the West in the seventh, scoring from second on a ball thrown into center field, cutting the deficit to two. From there, Hiland’s Michael Miller rocketed a ball down the left-field line, clearing the fence and tying the game.

After eight innings, the East failed to produce a run, leaving a runner stranded in the top of the ninth. With two outs and a runner on second, Warren Cox of River View poked a single into the outfield, securing the 4-3 win.