When Casey Wensley arrived at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School to turn in his jersey after another successful baseball season this past month, his coaches quickly urged him to hold onto it. Little did he know that he still had one final showcase to play.
On Tuesday, Wensley gathered with over 30 of the state’s top players at Monan Park for the 45th annual MBCA Senior All-Star Game, and made the most of his final high school appearance. The Bridgewater-Raynham standout finished 2-for-3 with a trio of RBI, driving in the winning run with a sacrifice fly to guide Team South to a thrilling 11-10 walk-off victory over Team North.
“I forgot about this,” joked Wensley. “I picked (my uniform) up last night, and it feels good. I just don’t want to take it off.”
Wensley was named the game’s Most Valuable Player for Team South for his efforts. Meanwhile, Franklin’s Dillon Cashin was chosen as the squad’s Most Valuable Pitcher after firing two shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts.
“It feels pretty good,” Cashin said. “Just coming out here, having some fun with some kids I’ve never met before. We all came together, just had a good time on the bench. They played good behind me.”
However, despite some flashes of brilliant pitching, this game ultimately turned into a slugfest, and fast. .
The South jumped out to a 2-0 lead right out of the gate in the bottom of the first, as Eisig Chin of Franklin ripped a liner off the glove of an infielder and into center, allowing two runs to cross. The North answered quickly in the top of the second, however, as Lynnfield’s Devin Bolger roped a bullet past second into right for a two-run single, tying things at 2-all.
The see-saw battle carried on into the bottom of third, with Wensley kickstarting a rally for the South with an RBI single. His high school teammate, Cam Morrison, followed by roping an RBI double into the left field corner. Then, Abington’s Spencer Merrick connected for a sacrifice fly, providing his group a 5-2 advantage.
With the South leading, 7-2, in the top of the sixth, the North mounted a comeback of its own, primarily through patience at the plate. After loading the bases with no outs, the runs began to come in bunches. Latin Academy star Brennan Shapiro laced a two-run double into the corner, tying things at 7-all.
With his team trailing in the top of the ninth and the tying run on third, Shapiro came through in the clutch with an RBI single to center, evening the score at 9-9.
After Team South loaded the bases with no outs to open the ninth, Wensley stepped to the dish, with the game hanging in the balance.
“(He was) the fastest pitcher of the night,” Wensley said. “Just trying to put a ball in play … just drive him anyway I can, drive the ball to the outfield.”
The senior connected on a deep sac-fly to center, allowing Silver Lake’s Jack Quigley to score the winning run in epic fashion.
Shapiro was named the North’s MVP after finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Winchester’s Tobei Nakajima was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Pitcher (one inning, no runs allowed).
“Can’t ask for a better way (to end the season) I guess,” said Team South and North Quincy baseball coach Matt Edgerly. “A lot of fun. I know a lot of these guys from the summer circuit, the high school film on Twitter, the papers. So, it was nice to meet a lot of these guys, personally.”
