SLIDESHOW: Prep baseball All-Star game
OGDEN -- During the state 4-A baseball playoffs last month, Box Elder's Hunter Balmer dropped a close decision to Spanish Fork phenom Adam Duke in one of those classic pitcher's duels.
And yeah, Saturday's state all-star game at Lindquist Field was an exhibition, but getting the last word in was still pretty cool.
Balmer garned the game MVP award as the North rallied for a 7-5 victory over the South in the middle game of the Utah High School All-Star Games tripleheader.
The South won the 3-A game 9-8 in 11 innings to get the day started.
Balmer started against Duke, giving up two unearned runs in the third while striking out two.
The big damage came at the plate, where he went 3-for-5 with a go-ahead 2 RBI double in the eighth.
"I got a little revenge on him (Duke) -- that was nice," Balmer said. "Everybody said the South was stacked, so it was cool to get the win.'
Balmer enjoyed contributing on offense as well and facing Duke, who may be drafted as early as the third round in the major league amateur draft next week.
"It felt pretty good," Balmer said. "As prepared as you get, he comes on you fast."
Stansbury's Taylor Hunt worked three scoreless innings innings to earn the game defensive MVP while Bountiful's Dan Lalli (2-2) was named offensive MVP.
Box Elder's Brad Munns, Mountain Crest's Jeff Schiffman and Ogden's Parker DeYoung were a combined 0-for-6 at the plate. Austin Land of Bonneville drew two walks.
3-A game
* 3-A SOUTH 9, 3-A NORTH 8 (11 INNINGS): In the first game of the day, Morgan's Tanner Earl threw three scoreless innings for the North, but the South prevailed in an extra-inning game.
Andy Hopson of Ben Lomond drew three walks, while Bear River's Kasey Marble had a hit and a walk in three plate appearances. Bear River's Dallas Stokes went hitless in three appearances.
Manti's Kyle Moore was named game MVP. He went 2-for-5 that included a two-run double in the South's four-run ninth inning.
Daniel Peczuh of Carbon scored the game-winning run on a throwing error in the 11th.
Seth Anderson of American Leadership and Wasatch's Trevor Bamgartner were named the offensive and defensive MVPs, respectively.
5-A game
* The game was tied 5-5 in the 10th inning as the Standard-Examiner went to press. Read a game recap in Monday's Standard-Examiner.
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