The 2016 Butler County American Legion Baseball All-Star Game takes place at 6 p.m. Friday at Kelly Automotive Park.

A meeting took place Wednesday night to name the participating players and the winners of the annual $1,000 BCAL scholarships.

“All 11 teams are going to be represented this year and that’s important,” Meridian manager Butch Master said of participation in the All-Star Game. “Any player who commits to the game and doesn’t show up is suspended for his team’s next regular season game. That helps to ensure participation.

“If a selected player has another commitment and cannot play, he tells us right off the bat and there is no penalty.”

Legion games are generally scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

“We don’t normally play on Friday, so some kids’ work schedules won’t allow them to play,” Master said. “We have a few kids like that.”

Butler City manager and BCAL president Jerry Piroch said that four players from each team would be ideal representation.

“But a lot of these kids have jobs, so I don’t know how realistic that will be,” he admitted.

Master expects 36 to 40 kids to comprise the rosters. The game will be nine innings and the teams will be determined by position availability.

“To have a good game, you want equal pitching and catching on both sides,” Center Township manager Doug Culbertson said. “Those are the critical positions for a game like this.

“We have a lot of versatile players in the league who can play multiple positions. A lot of them have fun in the All-Star Game playing somewhere they don’t normally play.”

The league may present four $1,000 scholarships this season. To be eligible, a player must be in his final season of Legion eligibility and submit a letter to the BCAL officers describing what Legion baseball has meant to them.

Piroch has received 19 such letters this season and planned to read them all to the other coaches at Wednesday’s meeting.

“We’ll make the selections and announce them at the all-star game,” Piroch said. “It’s a lot of work, but the program has been very worthwhile.”

Much of the funding for the scholarships comes from the teams’ league entry fees.

“My favorite part of this game is how much the kids enjoy playing in it,” Culbertson said. “Especially all of the Butler kids ... It’s their first chance to become teammates with kids from neighboring school districts.”

Making up the East squad Friday night will be players from Saxonburg (14-3), Valley (10-5), Meridian (8-6), Mars (6-5), Slippery Rock (2-11) and West Sunbury (2-10).

Comprising the West squad will be players from Kiski (12-4), East Butler (11-6), Cranberry (10-9), Center Township (9-10) and Butler City (0-15).

Mike Hickey of Saxonburg will manage the East, Ed Deboe of Kiski will manage the West. As it turned out, 49 players will be participating.

All 11 managers will be at Friday’s game, in uniform, along with the following players:

Valley: Mike McNabb OF, Jordan Frame P-OF, Noah Aftanas P-SS-2B, Jeremy Illimo SS-P, Jake McNabb C, Anthony Guzzo 1B-3B

Meridian: Justin Rickert C-OF, Sam Gross P-C, Nick Malis P-OF

West Sunbury: Brendon Stamm 1B-3B, Lake Pry 1B-P, Greg Sutton 3B-OF

Saxonburg: Jeremy Frazier P, Addis Crouch OF, Garrett Traggai INF, Matt Cornetti OF-1B, Jeff Smolen C

East Butler: Ian Steighner SS-INF, Hunter Scott 1B-3B, Tyler Markilinski 2B-INF-OF, Brandon Hildebrand C-INF-OF, David Matson P-1B-OF

Mars: Luke Rouda 1B-P, Tim Rouda 1B-P, Douglas Cannon P-3B

Center Township: Ben Richards P-OF, Dane Milich INF-OF, Caleb Baxter, Shane Minick P-OF-1B, Tyler Kline INF-OF

Slippery Rock: Matt Hilliard OF, Will Allison 1B, Patrick Busa OF, Calvin Rossi 3B

Kiski: Tanner Bierly INF-OF, Brian Komoroski 3B, Connor Smotzer OF, Nick Sofaly C, Nick Madzy 1B-2B

Butler City: Nick Ray P, Colter Cavilero 1B, Pat Fullerton OF, Romello Brown OF, Hayden Kretzer OF

Cranberry: Frank Cinicola CF, Nate Kouns 1B-P, Brandon Lynd 2B-P, Matt McKenna P, Kevin Everley C-P