By Don Ketchum

They can hit the books. They can hit the baseball.

Thirty-one seniors showed that on Friday night (June 1), combining for 33 hits in the Arizona Coaches Association Academic All-Star Game at Surprise Stadium.

It was a Division III athlete who outplayed his big-school counterparts. Danny Groebner of Lakeside Blue Ridge earned the game’s MVP award while leading the East to a 15-8 victory in a game that was stretched out to nine innings.

Groebner, an outfielder and shortstop with a 3.93 grade-point average, had a triple and double, a pair of walks, a stolen base and scored three runs.

“It’s exciting to be here and play in this nice stadium,’’ Groebner said.

“It’s always great to do well in the classroom and be here with all these great kids who do it, making new friends.

“I never got the chance to play against the guys from bigger schools. It was nerve-racking at first, but it was smooth sailing after that.’’

The East took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, fell behind 3-2 in the second, came back to tie it in the fourth and then established control with three runs in the fifth.

The team added a run in the sixth, erupted for five in the seventh and finished things off with three in the ninth, two coming on a home run by John Ferrendelli of Gilbert Mesquite.

Ferrendelli started on the mound for the East and went four innings. He was relieved by Chris Beresford of Phoenix Shadow Mountain, who picked up the victory.

The East collected 19 hits and used four pitchers. The West had 14 hits and used five arms.

Troy Osterle of Peoria Centennial, the West’s leadoff hitter, had three hits and drove in a run.

The game featured a twist. Every player on each side was allowed to bat before returning to the top of the order.

Anthem Boulder Creek’s Joe McDonald was the head coach of the East and the team met for the first time and had a light workout earlier Friday afternoon.

“It was an offensive game and the kids showed a good (hitting) approach,’’ McDonald said.

“And it was a rewarding experience to coach this game. All the kids on both sides worked very hard to get here.’’