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PBR Michigan Division 3 Team Of The Week - Cass City

CASS CITY - Winning three league games in the same week is a great feeling. It not only has Cass City riding high, it also has the Red Hawks as the Michigan Prep Baseball Report Division 3 Team of the Week.

“These guys have goals they set at the beginning of the year,” head coach Josh Stern said of his squad. “They know what they want to do. They’re glad when we win, but they often expect more out of themselves.”

In a 15-1 start to the season, Cass City has allowed just 10 runs in those wins while giving up 13 in the one loss using pitchers far down the rotation.

“Our pitching has been phenomenal,” Stern noted. “We have four guys that have pitched the bulk of the innings.”

Kendall Anthes, Kenton Wiseman, Zack Beecher and Luke Stern have all provided solid performances on the hill. Anthes, a junior, is 6-0 with a 0.00 ERA, striking out 67 and walking just three in 32.2 innings. Wiseman, a sophomore ranked 45th in the state’s 2021 class, is 5-0.

All four not only pitch, but are key players in the field and at the plate as well. Anthes, a catcher and third baseman when not on the mound, is hitting .354 while Wiseman, a third baseman/pitcher, is batting .431. Beecher, a senior committed to Delta College, plays left field and is averaging .405 while Stern, a senior and son of the head coach, is the catcher and currently batting .409.

The top batter to date is junior shortstop Sandyn Cuthrell (Video), the 33rd-ranked player in the state’s 2020 class. The 6-1 185-pounder is hitting .471. Another junior helping out is right fielder Hayden Horne, who is averaging .375.

“Last year we really played well and only lost two seniors,” Stern said. “Most of these guys played summer ball and worked hard at what they do. It’s not surprising how they’re doing, but at the same time to have four guys batting over .400 and two others close, you can’t ask for more.”

In 16 games, the Red Hawks have scored an impressive 142 runs.

“Every single one of these guys is looking for their pitch,” Stern explained. “For the most part, when they get it they put it in play or get a base hit. The number one thing we stress is hit the ball hard some place. That’s our philosophy and we’ve been successful with it.”

With just one game this week, a non-league contest with Harbor Beryl, Cass City has a bit of a break as the biggest part of the season approaches.

“We’re in the same spot we were in last year, a two-game lead in the league,” said Stern, whose team is currently 5-0 in the Greater Thumb Conference. “I don’t know if we were reading our press clippings or what, but we fell apart.

“Right now we just need to keep working and be on cylinders come June 1. It would be great if the weather would be nice so we can get outside to practice.”

Staying in rhythm is a challenge when the weather forces the team indoors according to the head coach of the Red Hawks.

“You just try to stay focused,” Stern explained. “We keep it short when we’re inside. This past week we played a doubleheader Tuesday, we were inside Wednesday, had a single game Thursday and then back inside. It’s hard, this is not a game meant to play inside.

“The biggest thing for the players is staying focused, that’s important. My job is to make sure they stay focused.”