Bryan Bonin Grand Slam Challenge a night of quality baseball for a meaningful cause
The Suffolk All Stars (black uniforms) and the Nassau All Stars (blue uniforms) pose after the Bryan Bonin All Star Classic on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 in Selden. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
That was worth the wait.
After being postponed twice, the 19th annual Bryan Bonin Grand Slam Challenge finally went underway at Middle Country Athletic Complex in Selden on Wednesday night. Fans from all over filled the stands to watch some of Long Island’s best public and private high school senior baseball players put on a show.
Those fans got a good taste of what this island’s baseball scene is all about.
The Grand Slam Challenge began with the Orlin & Cohen Home Run Derby between eight contestants. That was followed by an all-star game between Suffolk and Nassau.
Sayville’s Brody Tellier hit two home runs in both the first and final rounds, finishing with four total to win the derby. East Hampton’s Mason Miles socked two home runs in the first and one more in the finals to place second.
“It was an honor being given the chance to experience this, and I just came to have fun and see what could happen,” Tellier said. “It’s great to come home with a win. The wind was coming in, and the ball doesn’t fly much at this field, so I was just trying to smack a few and get lucky. It felt good getting to show that I’ve got a little power today.”
The Grand Slam Challenge is in its fourth edition under its current name, as it is named in honor of the late Commack varsity baseball coach who died at 33 after a battle with melanoma in January 2022. All proceeds from the game were donated to the Bryan Bonin Scholarship Fund, which is run by his widow, Lauren Bonin.
The foundation raises money for scholarships. However, it also helps families who are struggling in a similar way to how the Bonin family suffered throughout Bryan’s battle.
“For people to approach us and ask us if they can use his name, and if they can do things in his honor, it leaves me without words,” Lauren said. “For me, it means he meant so much to other people. He meant enough to be remembered and carried on.”
After the Bonins’ children — 9-year-old Ella and 7-year-old Luke — threw out the all-star game’s ceremonial first pitches, Team Nassau went on to beat Team Suffolk, 8-2.
The two sides engaged in a pitcher’s duel early, but Nassau scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie. Syosset’s Dylan Santucci crushed an opposite-field RBI double off the rightfield wall to score Clarke’s Matt Kurz with the lead run. Later, Kellenberg’s Jaden Valdez lifted a sacrifice fly to rightfield, driving in Santucci. Clarke’s James Beckworth then lined a two-out, two-run single into right-center, scoring Division’s Tyler Scarry and Holy Trinity’s Jaden Alvarez to blow the game open.
Kurz sparked the sixth-inning barrage with a leadoff double and finished 2-for-4. He also got Nassau on the scoreboard in the fourth inning by slicing an RBI single through the right side to score Carey centerfielder Jayden Gigante, tying it at 1-1.
Kurz struck out the side in order on 15 pitches in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win, earning the game’s Most Valuable Player honors. Gigante was named Defensive Player of the Game, while Mount Sinai lefthander Jake Zabbara — who struck out the side in the eighth on 14 pitches — was named Pitcher of the Game.
Santucci finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. This was the first of potentially many games the duo will play together, as they are both committed to play for Hofstra next year.
“I’m going to play with him the next four years hopefully, and he’s a great guy — I’ve known him my whole life,” Kurz said. “So, I’m excited to step on the field with him again. But going out this way, winning something with the Clarke ‘C’ on my hat, was a great feeling.”
Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.
