Mira Costa’s Alito McBean pitches for the National team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Mira Costa’s Alito McBean pitches for the National team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Serra’s Adrian Pineda pitches for the American team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Palos Verdes’ Tyler Tellenbach is tagged out by Mira Costa’s Max Martinez for the American team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Members of the National Allstars greet each other at the start of the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Port of LA’s Jacob Kavannaugh, a member of the American Allstars, gets an out during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Ayden Brasher hits for the American team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Palos Verdes’ Tyler Tellenbach is tagged out by Mira Costa’s Max Martinez for the American team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
West Torrance’ Dylan Smith pitches for the National team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Members of the National Allstars greet each other at the start of the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Palos Verdes’ Justin Camel scores a run for the National Allstar team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
San Pedro’s Anthony Sogliuzzo, a member of the National Allstar team, pitches during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Palos Verdes’ Justin Camel scores a run for the National Allstar team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Palos Verdes’ Tyler Tellenbach is tagged out by Mira Costa’s Max Martinez for the American team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
West Torrance’ Dylan Smith pitches for the National team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Palos Verdes’ Justin Camel scores a run for the National Allstar team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The National Allstar team poses for pictures before the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Palos Verdes’ Justin Camel scores a run for the National Allstar team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Dylan Mares scores a run for the National Allstar team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The National Allstar team poses for pictures before the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
San Pedro’s Jacob Lopez, a member of the American Allstars, slides into second base during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Port of LA’s Jacob Kavannaugh, a member of the American Allstars, hits with bases loaded during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
El Segundo’s Dylan Alcala pitches for National team during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Port of LA’s Jacob Kavannaugh, a member of the American Allstars, hits with bases loaded during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
San Pedro’s Jacob Lopez, a member of the American Allstars, hits during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Port of LA’s Jacob Kavannaugh, a member of the American Allstars, hits with bases loaded during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The American team poses for pictures before the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The American team poses for pictures before the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
El Segundo’s Mateo Heredia, a member of the American Allstars, celebrates his stolen second base during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The American team poses for pictures before the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The American team takes on the National Allstars in the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
El Segundo’s Mateo Heredia, a member of the American Allstars, celebrates his stolen second base during the South Bay Athletic Club baseball All-Star game at Redondo Union High School on Monday, June 3, 2024. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
REDONDO BEACH For one last time, 51 senior high school baseball players in the South Bay gathered Monday to wear their respective uniforms and represent their schools.
There was also the game within the game, as rivals shared a dugout and teammates faced off against one another in a contest that got competitive late.
Cleanup hitter Jacob Kavanaugh (Port of Los Angeles) drove in three runs to power the American All-Stars to an 11-6 victory over the National All-Stars in the 52nd annual South Bay Athletic Club All-Star Game at Redondo’s Memorial Field.
Kavanaugh’s bases-clearing, two-out double to the corner in deep left field gave the American All-Stars an early 4-0 lead.
Caden Lewis (South Torrance) also came through with two outs and started the rally with an RBI single to score Jacob Lopez (San Pedro).
“It’s been amazing,” Kavanaugh said of his high school experience. “I’m the first (from the school) to do this, I believe.
“It was great. I was just swinging hard, and if I made contact it was gonna go far and it did.”
The American All-Stars recovered from blowing the lead by pulling away with a six-run seventh inning.
Trailing 6-5 through six innings, the American All-Stars jumped back in front for good on a two-run double down the third-base line from Isaiah Aguilar (North Torrance).
Nick Aguirre (Redondo) and Brody Cuellar (Bishop Montgomery) pushed the lead to 11-6 with consecutive two-run singles.
In all, the American All-Stars pounded out 11 hits, including a pair by Tyler Tellenbach (Palos Verdes).
Tellenbach, who had a single and RBI double, later took over on the mound in the sixth and was the winning pitcher.
“It was a lot of fun,” Palos Verdes coach Alex Morales said after guiding the American All-Stars. “I think they recognized it was their last high school game and they were gonna make the most of it. Surprisingly to me, they were super competitive. Once they got down, they started talking about, ‘Hey, we’re not gonna lose this game.’”
The National All-Stars were led by Dylan Mares (Carson), who cut the early deficit to 4-3 on a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
Still trailing 5-4, the National All-Stars tied the game on a Robert Guerrero (Banning) triple and took its only lead on a Ty Robertson (Narbonne) single to center field.
“It was competitive, obviously, but it was more fun,” Robertson said. “Have a good time and just enjoy it, you know? This is our last game, just enjoy it.
“It’s a really good energy because you don’t see (teammates facing each other) during the season.”
Among those matchups was an all-Mira Costa showdown between National All-Star pitcher Max Martinez and American All-Star infielder Nicolai Arnold in the ninth that drew smiles from both during the at-bat.
Martinez won the battle with a strikeout looking.
Standout pitching performances included American All-Stars starter Adrian Pineda (Serra), who struck out three over two perfect innings.
The American and National rosters were selected by a panel of coaches, and the starting lineups from both sides played the first half of a contest that went the traditional nine innings instead of seven on the high school level.
Pineda and Anthony Sogliuzzo (San Pedro) were the lone pitchers to throw more than an inning.
The lone player selected but unavailable was El Segundo outfielder Hudson Comer for the National roster.
“It’s just a great honor for these young men,” South Torrance coach Grady Sain said after coaching the National All-Stars. “To see them all come together from different schools on the baseball field, representing the senior class in the South Bay, was a special thing. I think they gave us a good show.”
