Hustle everywhere. Carry yourself well. Respect the opposition, the game and the umpires. Don’t second guess the call. Play smart ball.

With 20 or so college baseball coaches and scouts from all over New England in attendance, those were just some of the thoughts running through the players’ minds at the Maine High School Underclass All-Star Game on June 25 at the University of Southern Maine (USM) in Gorham.

Players came from all over the state hoping to leave a positive impression on the onlookers, who carried notepads, folders, and, in some cases, radar guns.

“There’s not a lot of exposure in Maine, so it’s probably the first time they get to play in front of college guys and play against the best players all together at once,” said USM coach Ed Flaherty, who was one of those clocking pitch speeds. “It makes us college coaches compare a little bit.”

The players were divided into West and East teams. The game went a full nine innings, with every pitcher getting one inning on the mound. The West team won 6-4, though the final score hardly mattered, with normal substitution and lineup rules cast aside in order to give each player a fair shake at the plate and in the field.

“To be noticed, you just try to hustle everywhere and play your game,” said Steve Trask, who recently wrapped up his junior season at Thornton Academy. “You try not to think about who’s behind you, watching you. Just play your game.”

Trask led off the second inning for the West by belting the first pitch he saw off the wall in left-center field for a double. He added sharply hit singles in his next two at-bats, finishing with a game-high three hits.

“It was pretty nice,” he said. “A nice, warm day. I saw a few pitches early that I liked so I put some swings on them hoping to find holes.”

The game also gives foes a chance to be friends. Trask said that as the game went on, players in the West dugout became more talkative and comfortable around one another.

“You get to meet the people you play against all year round,” Trask said. “You get to know their personalities.”

Hits were tough to come by for both teams. The West managed 10 while the East had seven.

“I think the pitcher has the major advantage. The reason is, they’re changing pitchers every inning, so it’s hard for hitters to get used to one guy,” Flaherty said.

Extended pregame batting and fielding practice was also well attended by the scouts, giving players a chance to leave a mark outside of the game.

“There’s more than just the game,” Flaherty said. “And sometimes you never know. A guy could be 0 for 4 and be someone you want to look at.”

Flaherty has seen sons Regan and Ryan get drafted by Major League Baseball teams the past two seasons. The Seattle Mariners drafted Regan, who just wrapped up his senior season at Deering, last month in the 28th round. Ryan was drafted in the first round last year by the Chicago Cubs following his junior year at Vanderbilt University.

“A lot of it is, like anything, being in the right place at the right time and having the right people see you play,” Ed Flaherty said. “Then you go out and develop. My older son (Ryan) played here and he was a first-round draft pick. I never knew that when he was that age.”

Regan, who also has a scholarship to Vanderbilt on the table, has had the right people see him play, see what he’s capable of. That’s not always easy, even for the best players in Maine. “(Regan’s) a good player, but there are a lot of players here that can play with him,” Ed Flaherty said. “There are a lot of good players here.”

Westbrook’s sophomore class was strongly represented, with four players selected to the West team. Pitcher Sean Murphy threw a scoreless first inning with two strikeouts. Scott Heath also struck out two in a scoreless inning on the mound and added a single at the plate. Zach Collett did a nice job in the field, assisting on all three outs in the fourth inning. Zach Gardiner reached on a fielder’s choice and walked.

The West got on the board in the third inning, as South Portland’s Ryan Curit reached and moved to second on an error. Deering’s Sam Balzano singled and stole second. The throw on the steal sailed into the outfield, allowing Curit to score. Balzano moved to third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Deering teammate Nick Colucci.

Falmouth’s Mitch Beaulieu gave the West a 3-2 lead in the fourth when he drove in Livermore Falls’ Willie Brown with a single. The West tacked on three more in the eighth. Marshwood’s Luke Fernandes walked and later scored on a wild pitch. Windham’s Colin Mello singled and Collett walked. Both scored on a double by Dirigo’s Ryan LaFleur.

Curit reached base three times, adding a single and a walk. Scarborough’s Jake Rutt struck out two and allowed one run in his inning on the mound. At the plate, he was hit by a pitch and singled. South Portland’s Zach Horton was hit by a pitch. Cape Elizabeth’s Conor Moloney pitched the second inning and allowed one run.

The East rallied for two runs in the ninth against Bonny Eagle’s Lincoln Sanborn.

Lake Region’s Dan Place was selected to play in the game but was unable to attend.