Metro

Twelve high school baseball players from the Mirror core coverage area are scheduled to play in the third-annual Maverick Baker Baseball All-Star Showcase at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

The nine-inning game, consisting of top high school seniors from 31 local schools, will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 6.

Bill Schenk of Glendale High School will coach the East team, which has Central’s Mason Sparks and Coltin Harbaugh, Hollidaysburg’s Donald Miller and Cole Hartman, Penn Cambria’s Caden Gibbons, Bellwood-Antis’ Camden Swogger, Northern Bedford’s Nolin Snider and Juniata Valley’s Kyler Spurlin.

Others for the East are Mifflin County’s Madden Weaver and Easton Lepley, Philipsburg-Osceola’s Parker Lamb, Tussey Mountain’s Noah Lucko and Camden Chilcote, Chestnut Ridge’s Brody Halkovich, West Branch’s Cody Kephart and Nick Parks, West Shamokin’s Ben McConnell, Homer-Center’s Brayden Rado and Huntingdon’s Brock Bryson.

The West team has Central Cambria’s Logan Black and Ben Howard, Bishop Carroll’s Preston Gillin and Cambria Heights’ Carson Lobick.

Others for the West are Northern Cambria’s Reese Wagner, Parker Shutty and Zach Cavallo, Marion Center’s Cam Rising, Conemaugh Valley’s Josef Toth, Forest Hills’ Xander Richardson, Westmont Hilltop’s Brady Gartner and Anthony Oakley, Conemaugh Township’s Colin Dinyar, Johnstown’s Manny Hill, Richland’s Caden Robertson, Somerset’s Colt Hagens, Bishop McCort’s Jonathan Delia and Erik Radkowski, and Windber’s Cole Mash.

“We are looking forward to hosting the Maverick Baker All-Star Classic again this season,” Altoona Curve General Manager Nate Bowen said. “Each year this event continues to grow, and it is great to have so many talented players participating again this year.”

The showcase will be organized by Maverick’s Mission and is named in honor of Maverick Baker, a Northern Cambria High School student who passed away in February 2022. Maverick was a promising athlete who excelled in football and hockey, but baseball was his true passion.

“It was incredible to see this event honor Maverick over the last two years, and I’m excited for its return,” said Maverick’s stepfather and event coordinator PJ Shell, who will coach the West team. “Baseball was a sport that Maverick had an undying love for, and Peoples Natural Gas Field was his favorite place to play. This event honors him with the sport that he loved most while supporting these great athletes from our area.”

Gates will open at 3 p.m. with a home run derby scheduled to kick off the day at 3:30 p.m. The teams were selected by a private committee of local baseball coaches and evaluators.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at $5 general admission, with ticket proceeds benefiting Maverick’s Mission. The Curve will sell food and drinks at the event. Tickets can be purchased online at altoonacurve.com, over the phone by calling 814-943-5400, or at the PNG Field Box Office along Park Ave.