Optimist baseball would have been loaded with talent

If only we could have seen these games be played. Imagine a matchup of future Arizona Wildcats – and MLB Draft prospects – with Oakmont's TJ Nichols on the mound staring down Franklin's Chase Davis at the plate. That could have been an All-Star reality in games that were supposed to take place Sunday, June 7. COVID-19 forced the cancellations of a majority of springtime sports seasons, including Optimist All-Star games for softball and boys volleyball. The 49th annual Optimist All-Star Baseball games would have been ripe with talent and fun. Nevertheless, All-Stars were chosen anyway. The top senior ballplayers from the Sacramento region were announced May 22, giving them one more piece of recognition for a season of what-ifs. And some of the best were from the Gold Country area. Oakmont's Sac-Joaquin Section championship team from a year ago seemed poised to make another run, especially with an All-Star battery of Nichols and University of Washington-bound Carson Blatnick. The Foothill Valley League's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year from 2019 were chosen for the Large Schools North team and carry gaudy career numbers with the Vikings. Nichols owns a 20-5 record, including a 9-1 junior campaign with a 0.24 ERA and 91 strikeouts. Blatnick held a career .322 batting average with 19 extra-base hits and 55 RBI. Also on the North roster for the Large Schools game would have been a trio of slugging catchers, including Lincoln's Clayton Coats, who is committed to Sacramento State, and Roseville's Landon Wallace and Granite Bay's Nolan Wilson, who are both headed to University of Nevada-Reno. Also headed to UNR is Placer's Peyton Stumbo, who was hitting .375 in five games before the spring shutdown. Rounding out the local players on the North Large School squad are Whitney's Gage Eastlick and Max Pettey and Del Oro's Bear Bews. Gold Country area players on the South Large School team include Oak Ridge's Tino Bethancourt, Carter Delaney and Nathan Hansen, Vista del Lago's Cole Tremain and Folsom's Drake Digiorno, Carson Gross and last year's Sierra Foothill League MVP CJ Hutton. In the Small Schools game, another section title team from 2019, the Colfax Falcons, boasted four players on the North team. Last year's Pioneer Valley League MVP, Jason Harris, Colfax Senior Male Athlete of the Year Jason Holm, four-year varsity starter John Louis Pantlick and Michael LaVigne, who was hitting .500 over the first eight games of 2020, all helped Colfax win back-to-back section championships in 2018–19. Also representing the PVL, Bear River featured pitchers Caleb Hurst and Colton Jenkins and third baseman Cole Winters on the North Small Schools roster. Rounding out the Small Schools North team are Forest Lake Christian's Dominic Cuniberti, Western Sierra's Peter Ordonio and Valley Christian Academy's 1-2 pitching punch of James Courshon and Jason Riviello, who helped the Lions reach the Division VII finals last season. 49TH ANNUAL OPTIMIST ALL-STAR BASEBALL GAMES NORTH SMALL SCHOOLS Joshua Hardamon, Alpha Charter Rahmel Hinkle, Alpha Charter Caleb Hurst, Bear River Colton Jenkins, Bear River Cole Winters, Bear River Kyle Ablog, Casa Roble Curtis Linarez, Casa Roble Damien Ryan, Center Charlie Simpson, Center Legend Young, Center Jason Harris, Colfax Jason Holm, Colfax Michael Lavigne, Colfax John Louis Pantlick, Colfax Dylan Murphy, Cordova Mason Zarges, East Nicolaus Nico Miranda, Esparto Dominic Cuniberti, Forest Lake Christian Michael Sanders, Leroy Greene Adrian Armendariz, Lindhurst Morgun Goss, Marysville Braxton Payne, Marysville Gabriel Vegors, Mesa Verde Mirza Makin, Mira Loma Devin Johnson, Natomas Charlie Surratt, San Juan Cory McIntyre, Sutter Brandon Taddy, Sutter James Courshon, Valley Christian Jason Riviello, Valley Christian Peter Ordonio, Western Sierra Jordan Getz, Wheatland SOUTH SMALL SCHOOL Luke Wenzel, Aspire Langston Hughes Logan San Filippo, Bradshaw Christian Evan Zeppieri, Bradshaw Christian Max Serpa, Delta Jackson Vaughn, Dixon Koby Maitland, El Dorado David Padilla, Florin Logan Mayfield, Galt Logan Gross, Golden Sierra Ayden Nordby, Golden Sierra Zachary Loftis, Elliot Christian Isaac Walker, Hiram Johnson Kenny Morgan, Liberty Ranch Isaiah Medina, Pioneer Ethan Medders, Rio Vista Byron Clack, Union Mine Ryan Gines, Union Mine Ian Peixoto, Vacaville Christian Calvin Budge, West Campus Alejandro Fisher, West Campus Brandon Gomez, Winters Ruben Valencia, Winters Lucas May, Woodland Adam Walker, Woodland Jordan Trammell, Woodland Christian NORTH LARGE SCHOOLS Ian Heck, Antelope Mark Lagerstrom, Antelope Garret Forrester, Bella Vista Dillon Wells, Del Campo Bear Bews, Del Oro Carson Kohls, El Camino Brendan McElroy, El Camino Nolan Wilson, Granite Bay Sam Balestreri, Jesuit Daniel Susac, Jesuit Luke Williams, Jesuit Clayton Coats, Lincoln Mathew Tintle, Nevada Union Carson Blatnick, Oakmont TJ Nichols, Oakmont Peyton Stumbo, Placer Savion Ponce, Rio Americano Mateo Lake, Rio Americano Landon Wallace, Roseville Gage Eastlick, Whitney Max Pettey, Whitney Chance Diemer, Yuba City SOUTH LARGE SCHOOLS Vinnie Bachelier, Capital Christian Rio Britton, Capital Christian Xavier Ramirez, McClatchy Jordan Gonzales, Christian Brothers Max Martinez, Christian Brothers Cameron Walty, Cosumnes Oaks Josh Catacutan, Davis Drake Digiorno, Folsom Carson Gross, Folsom CJ Hutton, Folsom Chase Davis, Franklin Jake Pina, Franklin Nic Gregson, Kennedy Tino Bethancourt, Oak Ridge Carter Delaney, Oak Ridge Nathan Hansen, Oak Ridge Brody Henderson, Pleasant Grove Julian Vazquez, Ponderosa Tyler Roosevelt, River City Isaak Eaton, Sacramento Julius Botelho, Sheldon Jared Breedwell, Vacaville Michael Brown III, Vacaville Brian McClellin, Vacaville Cole Tremain, Vista del Lago