SWR’s Brian Morrell picked for Blue Chip Grand Slam Challenge
Shoreham-Wading River pitcher Brian Morrell set school records for wins and home runs. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Shoreham-Wading River righthander Brian Morrell thought he threw his last high school pitch in Saturday’s Long Island Class A championship game.
He found out otherwise Sunday night. Morrell was selected to participate in Friday night’s 13th annual Blue Chip Grand Slam Challenge at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue.
“It’s an honor to play in the Grand Slam Challenge,” said Morrell, who set Shoreham-Wading River records for career home runs (28) and wins (29). “You look at the history of the game and you see guys like Marcus Stroman and Steven Matz and you want to leave your mark on the game and be a part of that history.”
Seniors from Massapequa, Wantagh and Mattituck were not eligible because they qualified for the state baseball championships this weekend in Binghamton.
“It’s a great way to punctuate the high school season by bringing the top seniors together one last time,” said Rich Hess, who has served on the game’s selection committee for the past 13 years and is an executive board member of the Nassau County High School Baseball Coaches Association. “We’ve had some great one-run games, and they use the game as a vehicle to help a worthy charity.”
All net proceeds will go to Cohen Children’s Hospital in New Hyde Park. Gates will open at 5 p.m., and tickets are $10. The all-star game has showcased 15 players who went on to play professional baseball, including the Blue Jays’ Stroman (Patchogue-Medford) and the Mets’ Steven Matz (Ward Melville).
“Our staff is excited to host this event for the first time featuring the top senior all-stars from all over Long Island,” St. Joseph’s coach Rick Garrett said. “We’ve seen standing-room-only crowds at Farmingdale over the years and they did a phenomenal job. Now, St. Joseph’s gets the opportunity to show Long Island our beautiful facility.”
Organizers chose St. Joseph’s because Farmingdale State College was unavailable because of new field construction.
Major-league scouts will get a chance to see draft hopefuls Morrell, Ben Brown of Ward Melville and Anthony Siroka of Sachem East one last time before next Monday’s amateur draft.
Rosters
SUFFOLK
1B – Nick Trabacchi, Smithtown West
2B – Oliver Tavares, Deer Park
2B – Ken Gordon, Babylon
SS – Brad Malm, Patchogue-Medford
SS – Mike Palazollo, Hills East
3B – Brian Morrell, Shoreham-Wading River
3B – Mike Ruggiero, Smithtown East
C – Hermes Abreu, Bay Shore
C - Tom Brady, Shoreham-Wading River
OF – James Weisman, Rocky Point
OF – Nick Manesis, Shoreham-Wading River
OF – Frank Stola, Northport
OF – Joe Rosselli, Ward Melville
OF – Cam Tomaiko, St. Anthony’s
OF – Matt Overton, Hauppauge
UT – Greg Tsouprakos, West Islip
P – Patch Dooley, Hills East
P – Ben Brown, Ward Melville
P – Dylan Clausen, Southold
P – Brad Camarda, Hills West
P – Josh Rovner, Patchogue-Medford
P – Anthony Siroka, Sachem East
P – Chad Pike, Southampton
P -- Peter Theodorellis, Commack
COACH: Andy Aschettino, Rocky Point
NASSAU
1B – Chris Stefl, Floral Park
2B – Justin Reyes, East Meadow
2B – Rob Giovanelli, Manhasset
SS – Nick Tuzzio, Lynbrook
SS – Kemal Deljanin, Clarke
3B – Angus McCloskey, Farmingdale
C – Luis Dono, Valley Stream South
C – Peter Capel, Hicksville
OF – Jack Delaney, Kellenberg
OF – Jahsiah Greene, Holy Trinity
OF – Tyler DeMeo, Carey
OF – Rich Marooney, Garden City
OF – EJ Cumbo, Clarke
OF– Chris Cappas, Kellenberg
UT -- Rob Paul, Plainedge
P – Bobby Lewis, MacArthur
P – AJ Cain, Seaford
P – Andrew Nagel, Garden City
P – Brandon O’Brien, Division
P – Bill Wildeman, Plainedge
P – Harrison Treble, Oyster Bay
P – Matt Aufiero, Chaminade
P – Justin Kimmel, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK
COACHES: John Givargidze, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, Bob Malandro, Holy Trinity
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
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