By Dylan Hefflinger
Managing Editor/NW Scout 

EAST LANSING, MI – Grosse Pointe South used a huge fourth inning to defeat Battle Creek Lakeview 6-4 and advance to the Division 1 State Championship.

Lakeview got on the board in the first.

Gavin Homer started the game off with an infield single, advancing to second on a wild pitch. After a groundout advanced Homer to third, Nick Jones hit a grounder to short where Justin McMann threw home to get Homer at the plate.

With two outs, Jacob Herbers roped an RBI double over the center fielders head to score Jones.

Down 1-0 in the fourth, Gross Pointe South erupted for five runs on five hits.

Ryan Liagre led the inning off with an infield single. Unsigned senior Ron Williams followed with a double to right. With two on catcher Brett Bigham hit an RBI single up the middle to tie the game.

James Fishback hit a pop up to right where the right fielder misplayed the ball allowing Williams to scored and Fishback to get on base. McMann laid down a sacrifice bunt that Herbers tried to make a play at third but the throw was late to load the bases.

Lakeview then got a huge 1-2-3 double play.

However, back-to-back RBI singles by Colden Gosslien and Jimmy Mitchell plated the 3rd and 4th run. Gosslien and Mitchell executed a double steal and Gosslien scored thanks to a wile pitch to put the Blue Devils up 5-1.

The Spartans answered back with three in the 5th to cut the deficit to 5-4. 

Russel Mathiak led the 5th off with a single and promptly stole second. Homer followed with a single to put runners on the corner for University of Michigan commit Jake Bivens.

Bivens roped an RBI single to score Mathiak. Nick Jones followed with a two-run double, which brought the end of the day to South starter Douglas Graham. 

Andrew Eaton came in and got two quick outs, but a walk and HBP loaded the bases.

Eaton got out of the jam with a strikeout.

South added an insurance run in the bottom of the frame.

After a Liagre single, Williams hit into a fielder's choice, later scoring on a Fishback double to put the Blue Devils up 6-4.

The Spartans did not go easily as they loaded the bases in the 7th, but Eaton got a flyout to center to end the game.

Top Performers:

• Ron Williams, had a single, double and two runs scored.
• Ryan Liagre, had two singles and a run scored.
• Jimmy Mitchell, had a single, two walks and 2 stolen bases.
• Andrew Eaton, threw three innings in relief allowing just two hits, two walks and a HBP while striking out two.
• Gavin Homer, had two singles and a run scored.
• Nick Jones, had a two-run double.
• Jacob Herbers, had a single, double and RBI at the plate while going the distance on the mound, striking out five.
• Russell Mathiak, had two singles, a stolen base and a run scored.

Linescore

Battle Creek Lakeview   100  030  0  -  4  11  1

Grosse Pointe South       000  510  x  -  6  9  1

Records: Richmond 35-3, DeWitt 23-11.

Winning pitcher: Douglas Graham (4+ innings, 4 runs, 9 hits, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks). Other: Andrew Eaton (3 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks, 1 HBP).

Losing pitcher: Jacob Herbers (6 innings, 6 runs, 9 hits, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk).

Leading hitters: (Lakeview, 11 hits) – Gavin Homer 2 singles; Jake Bivens single; Nick Jones double; Jacob Herbers single, double; Riley Davis single; Nate Jones single; Travis Snyder single; Russell Mathiak 2 singles. (Grosse Pointe South, 9 hits) – Jimmy Mitchell single; Ryan Liagre 2 singles; Ron Williams single, double; James Fishback double; Zack Thalgott single; Colden Gosslien single.