Deering trio leads West all-stars to win over East Burleson homer second in history of Classic

ORONO – If he felt any undue pressure to produce in the 14th annual High School Senior All-Star Baseball Classic Friday night, Mr. Baseball wasn’t letting it show.

Deering High School’s Ryan Flaherty went 2-for-2 with a bases-loaded triple in the second inning, a single, a walk, and two runs scored in addition to making a fine stab of a ball in the left infield hole and starting a double play.

Flaherty helped lead the West squad to an 11-2 win and show the nearly 300 fans in attendance why he was named the Dr. John Winkin Mr. Baseball Award.

The Vanderbilt University-bound Flaherty formed one third of a dynamite Deering dynamo. Catcher, fellow Mr. Baseball finalist, and future Vanderbilt teammate Andrew Giobbi went 2-for-3 with a double, single, two RBIs and a run. Teammate Chris Burleson then accomplished a rare feat, mashing a 1-1 fastball from Narraguagus of Harrington’s Cory Worcester over the left field fence for a 330-foot, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. It was only the second time in the Classic’s history that a player hit a home run.

Westbrook’s Anthony D’Alfonso was the other offensive hero for the West. The first baseman hit a two-run double in the first, when the West jumped out to a 3-0 lead on starter Pat Moran of Hampden Academy.

The West’s fifth straight victory gives it a an 11-3 advantage in the series.

“It was a blast to be able to meet some of the other players who you read about in the paper and hear about on the news,” said Hermon’s Brian McGinley, who started the game at catcher. “There’s a lot of talent around here we don’t normally see.

“Some of these players will go far and I’ll be able to say I played against them.”

The East scored its runs in the third and ninth innings.

Back-to-back, no-out doubles by Mr. Baseball finalist Chad Lavway, a pitcher and outfielder for Presque Isle High who was the Penobscot Valley Conference Class B Player of the Year, and Dexter’s Eric Day plated the first run.

“The hit was nice, but it was great to play with a talented group of guys and have a chance to be noticed as one of the better players in the state,” said Lavway.

The East’s last run came via a leadoff walk by Winslow’s Eric Lopez in the ninth and a two-out, pinch-hit RBI single by Worcester off Flaherty, who was brought in to close the game out on the mound.

“I just got a bat on it and it went,” said Worcester, who managed to end what could have been a disappointing outing personally on a high note. “Yeah, it’s a good way to go out.”