With over 6,137 fans visiting Red Wilson Field for the 2025 All-Star game, it was nothing short of any baseball fan’s delight. And even better for Orleans, seven of its own had the chance to showcase why they were selected for All-Star honors.

Uniting forces with the other squads in the division, the CCBL East cruised past the CCBL West 13–8 on Saturday afternoon. Fortunately for Orleans, its players were one integral part of that puzzle.

The seven Firebirds selected for the matchup were Cashel Dugger (UCLA), Ethan Foley (California), Robbie Lavey (George Washington), Steele Murdock (UC San Diego), Cole Tryba (UC Santa Barbara) Anthony Potestio (UC San Diego), and Elijah Ickes (Hawaii).

Before the matchup, Dugger described what it meant to be selected for the All-Star game.

“It’s going to be a really cool opportunity, and I’m excited to represent the Firebirds, UCLA, and myself,” Dugger said. “I’m just really excited to get out there and play with a lot of really good players.”

Potestio expressed a similar sentiment.

“It’s an honor to be selected,” Potestio said. “I’m grateful to be recognized amongst the best in this league, and I just take nothing for granted around here.”

In the bottom of the first, Ickes served as the leadoff hitter for the East. In Ickes fashion, he notched a single to right field—just as he always does for the Birds.

Advancing to second after Jackson Freeman (Northwestern) flew out, Ickes proved to be on a roll.

That only intensified once Ickes capitalized on a Hunter Carns (Florida State) throwing error, where he stole third and then ran back home—earning the first run of the afternoon for either squad.

By the bottom of the second, the East had stretched its lead to four runs after two back-to-back home runs for Dalton Wentz (Wake Forest) and Dee Kennedy (Kansas State) and an Ashton Larson (Louisiana State) RBI.

The third time the charm rang true for Lavey, as in the third inning, he came up big for the East.

Off a soft fly ball to left field, Lavey notched his first hit of the day to left field. Thanks to Lavey, the East had its fifth run of the afternoon, as it maintained a 5–1 edge over the CCBL West.

Orleans’ showcase wasn’t done just yet, though, as Dugger soon followed suit. Making a statement as to why he was named the starting catcher of the game, Dugger nailed a double on a fly ball to center field.

But Maika Niu (Marshall) was unable to come up with the catch, as Dugger’s hit brought home Kennedy on the play.

The CCBL East only continued to assert its dominance with another four runs before the end of the inning—posting a total five runs in the bottom of the third.

While a Tre Broussard (Houston) single and a Larson homer delivered the last four runs, Ickes was able to get in another single before capping off the inning.

After three innings, the East couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. Not the same could be said about the West.

However, the five squads in the Upper Cape didn’t give up too easily. Notching four runs in the fourth inning, a CCBL West comeback was in the works.

Following the four runs from the CCBL West, Foley took the mound after a pitching change, ending it almost immediately by striking out Niu. In his 1.1 IP, Foley had an outing, allowing zero hits with two strikeouts.

Refreshing the lineup in the top of the fifth, defensive substitutions were made for the East. Potestio took the field, while Dugger and Ickes went back to rest in the dugout.

The CCBL East only caused more damage with two back-to-back homers from Daniel Jackson (Georgia) and Aiden Robbins (Seton Hall).

It wouldn’t be too long until another familiar face for the Firebirds took the mound. All eyes were now on Tryba.

However, the CCBL West was not going down without a fight, as it tallied another two runs, narrowing down the East’s lead. The Upper Cape did everything to come out blazing against Tryba with two hits and three runs during his time on the mound.

Much more would need to be done before a successful West comeback, though.

The bats of the CCBL East went silent again in the eighth. The same cannot be said about the other division.

Cutting down the East’s lead to five runs, Chase Krewson (Central Florida) delivered what could be considered one of the home runs of his life, nailing the ball into the trees of Y–D.

That would mark the final run of the game, as the CCBL East took the matchup 13–8. However, the game wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from Murdock, who in the top of the eighth and ninth, allowed just one hit and logged two strikeouts.

Unlike the 2024 All-Star game, where the West defeated the East 9–8 in a walk-off victory, the script flipped this time around. It was the East’s turn to shine this year.

“It means a lot coming down here and making the All-Star Team, probably the best collegiate summer ball league out here” Ickes said. “It means a lot being able to represent a lot of things and hopefully just continuing to ride that momentum.”