If the Cape Cod Baseball League is the premiere collegiate baseball summer league, then the CCBL All-Star Game is where the best of the best play.
No, the players didn’t hit the field of Fenway Park. They drove east to Eldredge Park in Orleans.
For anyone who hasn’t been to Eldredge Park, the home of the Orleans Firebirds, the field is overlooked by Nauset Middle School and is surrounded by hills where fans spread out their blankets to watch the game.
The outfield fence is far different than any other ball field featuring the infamous 434-foot centerfield point at the tip of the triangular outfield.
Thousands of people showed up to what many would consider a high school field. Scouts, coaches and fans all got the opportunity to pull over a chair or place a blanket on the ground and enjoy baseball in its purest form.
While the walk-off victory by the East All-Stars will be remembered in history. The athletes did not participate to see who was better, but for the love of the game.
“You are going to see some future major leaguers here,” starting right fielder Zach Deloach said. “It’s really cool to make these connections now and just being able to look back and be like, ‘Yeah, I played with that guy.'”
Deloach went on to notch an RBI-single and a stolen base for the West All-Stars.
Usually Falmouth shortstop Trei Cruz was slated in the starting line-up at third base. He didn’t play a single collegiate game at that position before this summer.
“I love playing different positions and trying something new,” Cruz said. “I’m just having fun with it. It’s just an honor to represent Falmouth, to represent coach Trundy and represent Rice.”
Before the main event, Baron Radcliff participated in the Cape League Home Run Derby. While he was eliminated in the first round, he was still excited to compete amongst some of the best power hitters in collegiate baseball.
“It’s really exciting for me to be able to come out here and have the opportunity to be in the home run derby,” Radcliff said. “It’s amazing just being noticed as a guy who has that type of power.”
Five Commodores were selected to the All-Star Game: Hayden Cantrelle (UL Lafayette), Trei Cruz (Rice), Zach Deloach (Texas A&M), Franco Aleman (St. John’s River State College) and Logan Hofmann (Northwestern State).
All five received playing time earlier in the contest with both pitchers tossing one scoreless inning each.
But the 2019 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game embodied the ideals that manager Jeff Trundy imprints on his players: have fun.
No player can predict if he will make it to the Major Leagues, even with all the talent in the world.
On July 22, 2019, the game wasn’t about the stats or the victors it was about the guys on the field.
“It’s these kids’ day,” Trundy said. “It’s awesome to be able to see them go out there and have fun in this setting and be able to see them partake in something that’s this special.”
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Maxwell Trink can be reached at mht42@miami.edu. Follow him on twitter @MaxwellTrink.
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