ANAHEIM – Myles Johnson of Katella was a three-way star for the North team on Tuesday in the Orange County All-Star Baseball Game.

Johnson doubled, walked and scored the game’s first two runs, made two sharp plays at third base and struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief pitching as the North defeated the South 4-1 at La Palma Park’s Dee Fee Field.

Johnson was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Drew Barrett of Trabuco Hills won the game’s Hustle Award.

The South leads the series, 29-23-1, that began in 1968. The game was not played in 2020 because of the  COVID-19 pandemic.

Many players selected to this year’s all-star game played in CIF SoCal Regional playoffs earlier in the day. CIF rules prohibit players from participating in all-star games if their high school teams still are playing.

Among those selected for the all-star game but unable to play because of their team is in the regional playoffs is Anaheim pitcher/first baseman Jillian Albayati, who two weeks ago became the first girl to pitch in a CIF Southern Section championship baseball game.

Anaheim won Tuesday so Albayati could not play in the all-star game, but she attended the game and received an award from the Kiwanis Club of Greater Anaheim, which organizes and manages the game, in recognition of her historic achievement.

The North took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Johnson hit a two-out double, advanced to third base on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.

The North’s lead increased to 2-0 in the top of the fourth. Johnson walked and eventually scored when Pacifica’s Johnny Morales hit a ground ball that South attempted to turn into a double play, but Morales beat the throw to first to allow Morales to score.

The South got its run in the bottom of the fourth. Santa Margarita’s Ryan Nopper, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on a single by Capistrano Valley’s Matthew Deutsch.

The North expanded the lead to 3-1 in the top of the eighth when Justin Cabada of Brea Olinda hit through the shortstop-third base hole, and that sent home La Habra’s Matthew Flores. Cabada would score on a ground out to make it 4-1.

Several excellent defensive plays were made.

Trabuco Hills center fielder Drew Barrett made the best of them. Servite’s Auggie Gutierrez smashed a deep fly to center, and Barrett climbed the fence to reach up and make the catch.

Los Alamitos’ Reef Danner, playing second base, made a sliding grab of a ground ball to his left to throw out a batter. Johnson fielded two tough grounders at third base.

Mater Dei’s Ethan Hedges made excellent plays at first base and second base for the South. At first base Hedges made a scoop of a low throw for the third out of the fourth inning. Playing third base in the seventh inning, Hedges closed in on a slow ground ball and made a quick grab-and-throw to first for that inning’s final out.

Chris Ouellette of Fountain Valley made a diving catch in center field for the South for the final out of the top of the eighth inning.

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Morales made two running catches in left field, including one on the final out of the game. After making the catch, a grab made while running toward the left-field line, Morales pulled a cell phone out of his back pocket to video his run to the infield to join celebrating his celebrating North teammates.

Servite’s Kai Negrete, the North’s starting pitcher, struck out five over two innings.