BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer
NORTH BRUNSWICK – Middlesex County’s version of the midsummer classic was played over the weekend at North Brunswick’s Community Park as the American Legion All-Stars squared off.
Father & Son Junior Legion team head coach Tom D’Agostino took over the coaching reins for the American squad, which lost 13-8 to the National team, coached by Art Chippendale of Piscataway.
“We didn’t even keep a scorebook, because it was really a showcase to get the players some exposure,” D’Agostino said. “Some college coaches were down to have a look at the players and we ran them through batting practice and defensive drills. It was a nice day.”
D’Agostino’s American team was spearheaded by a list of Edison High School standouts and future stars as the game combined players from both the Senior and Junior Legion ranks. D’Agostino’s team also included players from Monroe, Old Bridge, South Plainfield, South Amboy, and J.P. Stevens’ Evan Jay.
Edison High was represented by Andrew Rivera, Dan Shymanski, Stephen Nappe, Chris Virag and Matt Rohal of the Father & Son Junior Legion team. From the senior team were Edison’s Dylan Laguna, Shawn Renner, Jared Shukis and Dan Lungo.
Shymanski picked up an RBI off a sacrifice fly while Rivera landed the big hit for the Edison contingency with a two-run homer.
“Andrew has been hitting the ball well all summer,” D’Agostino said. “It seems like every time he goes out to play, he finishes the game with a couple of hits and a few RBIs.”
The All-Star game was the first one played in the last five years after a short hiatus. With the results from Sunday’s game, it looks to be here to stay.
“It really was a lot of fun for everyone involved,” D’Agostino said. “It was all about the players and it gave them a great opportunity to show their stuff in front of some college scouts. It was a chance for them to get their name out there and to back it up with some excellent baseball.”
While the American team walked away with bragging rights for the remainder of the summer, the Father & Son Junior and Senior Legion teams will look for the ultimate bragging rights with league titles to wrap up the summer season. With D’Agostino’s team currently 14-0 and Tim Banos’s club playing solid ball at the senior level, championships are well within striking distance.
“There is still a lot of baseball to be played,” D’Agostino said. “Everyone will be looking to make a push with the postseason fast approaching.”