McElroy’s Slam Caps Big Day for West, 17-3

The East team won the home run derby before the game, but the West won the one that followed in pounding out a 17-3 victory in the 24th Bernie Milligan All-Star baseball game Saturday at Stengel Field.

Sean McElroy of El Camino Real High hit an eighth-inning grand slam--the last of the West’s three home runs--to earn most valuable player in a homer-happy, error-plagued game.

“I couldn’t believe it, all this offense,” said McElroy, who hit seven home runs for the Conquistadores this season.

“It was nonstop. I was just trying to get a hit.”

McElroy’s only hit gave the West a 16-2 lead.

The West’s onslaught began with a three-run homer in the first inning by cleanup batter Brian Lipman of Royal, who setschool records for home runs in a season (13) and career (33). Lipman’s home run, off losing pitcher Matt Parris of Highland, gave the West a 4-0 lead.

The other run scored on the first of the East’s seven errors.

“That gave us a boost right off the bat,” said Lipman, who will play at Troy State. “I wanted to get a couple of runs on the board early on.”

Casey O’Quinn of Royal hit a two-out solo home run in the fifth inning to give the West a 9-2 advantage.

The East got a leadoff home run in the first inning by Littlerock’s Delwyn Young, who had nine homers this season and 33 in his career. But after Jason Kubel of Highland scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by San Fernando’s Manny Flores in the first, the East was shut down by eight West pitchers until scoring a run in the ninth.

Starting and winning pitcher Jesse Kozlowski of Westlake worked the longest, allowing two runs, two hits and two walks in two innings. He struck out four, including the side in the second inning.