By Dylan Hefflinger
Managing Editor/NW Scout

EAST LANSING, MI – The New Lothrop Hornets won its first state title in baseball after defeating Beal City 5-0. The Hornets got a dazzling performance by junior LHP Grant Steinborn on the mound and timely two out hitting in the victory.

The Hornets got the scoring started in the second with a run.

Grant Steinborn got things started with an infield single and advanced to second on a Cameron Pope sacrifice bunt. After a hit by pitch, flyout and E6, Brodie Bennett came to the plate and roped an RBI single up the middle to get the Hornets on top 1-0.

New Lothrop broke the game open in the fourth with a three run inning.

Ben Muron drew a one out walk and stole second. After a strikeout and walk to Bennett, leadoff hitter Kyle Chappelle singled to left and the left fielder left the ball go past him allowing Muron to score.

Steven Garza laced an RBI single up the middle to score Bennett.

With two on Quentin Taylor roped an RBI double to score Chappelle, however Garza was thrown out at home to keep the score at 4-0.

New Lothrop added another run in the seventh with two outs. All five runs in the game came with two outs.

Taylor roped a single to right and scored on an RBI single by Jake VanCleve.

Down to its final three outs, the Beal City Aggies got a triple (380+ feet) over the Ben Muron's head, but that was all the Aggies could muster as Steinborn finished out the game inducing a ground ball to third for the final out.

Top Performers:

• Grant Steinborn, threw a five-hit shutout while allowing two walks and striking out four. At the plate the LHH had a single and run scored.
• Quentin Taylor, had a single, double, run scored and RBI.
• Brodie Bennett, had two singles, a walk, a run scored and an RBI.

Linescore

New Lothrop   010  300  1  -  5  10  2

Beal City         000  000  0  -  0  5  3

Records: New Lothrop 34-6, Beal City 36-4.

Winning pitcher: Grant Steinborn (7 innings, 0 runs, 5 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks).

Losing pitcher: Kurt Gross (2+ innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks, 2 HBP). Other: Ty Rollin (5 innings, 4 run, 8 hits, 5 strikeout, 2 walks).

Leading hitters: (New Lothrop, 10 hits) – Kyle Chappelle single; Steven Garza single; Quentin Taylor single, double; Grant Steinborn single; Cameron Pope single; Jake Van Cleave single; Ben Muron single; Brodie Bennett 2 singles. (Beal City, 5 hits) – Ty Rollin triple; Justin Heinlein single; Tony Bentley single; Cody Peyok single; Alex Duke single.