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2022 Michigan High School Team Previews

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2022 Spring Team Preview: Cardinal Mooney Catholic

MARINE CITY - Mike Rice is hoping to follow up a memorable 2021 baseball season at Cardinal Mooney Catholic with an even better 2022 campaign. But, admittedly, last year will be difficult to top.

The Cardinals made it all the way to the Division 4 state championship game for the first time in school history only to fall short, losing to Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic 9-2 in the title game. In the regular season, Cardinal Mooney finished first in the Catholic High School League Cardinal Division before losing on a walkoff to University Liggett in a battle of division champions.

“The key for us this year is replacing one big hitter in our lineup and one big arm,” Rice said in reference to the graduation losses of Rocco Comito and Tommy Gill.

The sixth-year head coach is confident in what lies ahead with the Cardinals both solid on the mound and strong up the middle.’

“We have three or four commits on our little D-4 high school team, so we’re in a good position,” Rice noted.

Blake Lutzky, an uncommitted junior left-handed pitcher who was first team all-state a year ago, is back to headline the pitching staff along with senior Nathan Suber, a Heidelberg signee ranked 47th in the state among 2022 right-handed pitchers. Transfer George Szep, a right-handed pitcher from St. Clair, is a new addition to the staff.

“The biggest concern I have is will we be able to throw strikes,” Rice said. “We look good in the bullpen, and good in the offseason, the question is if we can throw strikes when it counts. We’re very talented, but some are young.”

Trent Rice, an Oakland commit ranked 11th among 2023 outfielders in Michigan, returns to play center field after taking first team all-state accolades last year. A nephew of the head coach, the junior will also bring depth to the pitching staff.

Thomas Rice, the 18th-rated senior catcher in the state, is back behind the plate for Mooney. The son of the head coach is a Saginaw Valley State recruit.

Also helping the cause up the middle for the Cardinals is the return of shortstop Ty Boedeker, who started every game a year ago as a freshman.

Third baseman Ryan Trombley brings added experience to Mooney at third base with more help coming to the roster from the ninth-grade class.

“We have a couple freshmen that have potential, seven of them, that will battle for open spots,” Rice said.

It brings plenty of optimism to not only the future, but the present.

“This is the deepest team I’ve ever had,” Rice related. “We are missing two first team players to graduation so those are huge pieces to miss, but we have five pitchers that can go past 80 miles-an-hour. If we can play defense, everything should work out.”

The Mooney mentor is hoping a strong schedule can be beneficial in helping prepare the Cardinals for the postseason.

“We’ve got to learn to lose,” Rice said of playing the likes of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Liggett, McComb and Dakota. “We have to learn to take it on the chin.”

That happened just seven times a year ago in 35 games during what proved to be the most successful baseball season in school history.

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