The MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game served as the final event of All-Star Saturday in Arlington, with musicians, athletes and media personalities putting on an entertaining exhibition at Globe Life Field.
The 28 celebrities who participated were split into two teams, the National League and the American League, with the National League, led by manager Deion Sanders, winning 12-10 after five innings. The National League team was led by radio personality Bobby Bones, who pitched the entire five innings and also contributed offensively by hitting an inside-the-park home run, earning him the MVP award.
Marcelo Hernandez's Little League Home Run
Marcello Hernandez is Saturday Night LiveHe started the game off quickly with a single, hitting a grounder through the gap, then showed off his speed and, after two throwing errors by the American League team, hit a classic Little League home run.
The rest of the game played out similarly to the opening period, with the National League racking up runs and the American League struggling to find a home on the defensive end.
Foreign Tech bombs and relay throws
Foreign Tech was one of the bright spots for American League teams on Saturday. The music producer, who has worked with big names like Drake, Post Malone and Bad Bunny, had a great night himself.
Tech came out on top offensively with the first home run of the game, a pitch over the center field fence in the bottom of the first to give his team its only lead of the night, and he extended that lead in the bottom of the first with a great relay throw from shallow center field to send Kid Mero home.
He wasn't done yet, either. In the fifth and final inning, Tech hit the ball against the wall, scoring a few of the NL's eight runs. Although he wasn't able to pull off the comeback, Tech was one of the best-performing pitchers of the night.
The Kid Mero charges onto the mound
Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez had a smile on his face for most of the game, but he let out his inner Nolan Ryan in the second inning.
In one amusing moment during the game, writer and comedian “The Kid” Mero leaned into a Martinez inside pitch and ran to the mound in feigned rage — a move that would clear benches in major league baseball. But Mero stood alone on the mound as his teammates looked on. Martinez handled Mero's initial charge with ease, knocking the comedian to the ground and striking him out with a theatrical grab.
Pedro may have won the “battle,” but Melo still managed to advance to first base.
Former NFL star in action
Former Dallas Cowboys star Terrell Owens hit the longest hit of the night, a home run that went straight over the fence about 330 feet from home plate. Owens celebrated the hit, dropping his bat and taking a good look at his long hit before running around the bases.
Another former Cowboys star, Dez Bryant, also made a big play, but on the defensive end: As Martinez came up to bat, Bryant raced into foul territory to catch a pop fly for the out, but nearly crashed into the netting behind home plate.
Coach Prime
Speaking of former NFL stars, Sanders hasn't had the chance to play as well as he did in the 1990s, but that doesn't mean he's any less of a presence.
The University of Colorado football coach stood out on the field in Arlington in his white cowboy hat, large chain and dark sunglasses. Coach Prime was in action throughout the game, energetically calling on base runners and even pinch-running for pregnant college softball legend Lauren Gipson.
Sanders also attracted other celebrities, some of whom asked for autographs, including opposing manager and content creator Nikki Cass, who had his hat autographed by the Hall of Famer.
The American League is almost back
The game had some entertaining moments, but the game seemed over after the National League team's performance in the bottom of the fourth inning, when they scored six runs with two outs to extend their lead to 9 to 2. They scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, putting the American League up 12 to 2 with three outs to go.
Despite being heavily behind, the team mounted a spirited comeback, scoring eight runs by the fifth inning to pull within two, even managing to get a runner to home plate to tie the game before Dude Perfect's Tyler Toney hit a grounder to end the comeback.
Hear what they had to say ahead of Saturday's MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington.