Notebook: Gasper switching sides for All-Star Game

El Capitan High ace Cassie Gasper will be switching dugouts for the third annual Paul Leonardo WAC vs CCC All-Star Game.

This is will be the third time Gasper has played in the game, which features all-league selections from the Western Athletic Conference competing against all-Central California Conference players. The first two years Gasper played for the WAC all-stars because El Capitan was a member of the WAC.

The Gauchos moved to the CCC this season so Gasper and her El Capitan teammates will be switching sides.

“I’m playing again and I’m going against the players I played with last year,” Gasper said. “I did play against them all in league. Now I get to play with all the players I played against in league this year. It’ll be fun. I’ll know everyone. Everyone from both leagues have faced me as a pitcher.”

The game will be played on Tuesday night at 4:30 p.m. at Livingston High. There is a home run derby that will precede the game at 4 p.m.

The game was started by longtime softball coach Joe Leonardo in memory of his brother Paul. The game has grown into something the girls look forward to at the end of the season.

“From what I understand from the coaches the girls really enjoy it,” Leonardo said.

Money earned from the gate and concession stand have been used to help fund scholarships that Leonardo and his family have handed out to players from the game. They will give out three $500 scholarships on Tuesday night.

“Joe’s awesome,” said Atwater coach Robert Santistevan. “I love Joe. I look forward to this game each year. I enjoy getting to hang out with all the girls from all the different schools. It’s a fun time, no stress. It’s just get out there and do what you do.

The CCC team will be coached by Santistevan and Golden Valley’s Ross Cruickshanks. The WAC will be coached by Los Banos’ Mike Greenwood and Pacheco assistant Daniel Maldonado.

The CCC was loaded with pitchers this year, including conference MVP Cheyenne Mahy, Gasper, Golden Valley’s Marissa Bertuccio, Turlock’s Shelby Frutoz and Merced’s Abby Flores. Frutoz will attend the game, but will be out with an injury according to Leonardo.

“This year every game the pitching was so good because each team had a good pitcher,” Gasper said. “Atwater did so well in league, but a lot of the games were close and the pitching had a lot to do with that. Every pitcher kept their team in the game.”

Merced County All-Star Game approaching

The Merced County All-Star Baseball Game will be held on Saturday, June 10 at Merced College. The game is scheduled to at start at 7 p.m.

The North team include all-league players from El Capitan, Merced, Golden Valley, Dos Palos, Le Grand, Mariposa and Sonora.

The team from the South includes players from Atwater, Buhach Colony, Los Banos, Pacheco, Livingston, Hilmar, Gustine and Delhi.

CIF State Track meet will stay in Clovis

The California Interscholastic Federation announced Veterans Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High in Clovis will remain the home of the CIF Track and Field Championships through 2020.

“CIF and our more than 800,000 student-athletes are grateful to the city of Clovis and its community for their commitment,” said CIF Executive Director Roger Blake. “We are proud to continue to call Veterans Memorial Stadium the home of the CIF State Track and Field Championships.”

The 2017 state meet began on Friday with the finals scheduled for Saturday evening.

This story was originally published June 2, 2017 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Notebook: Gasper switching sides for All-Star Game."