PBR Michigan Division 3 Team Of The Week - University Liggett
May 28, 2019
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PBR Michigan Division 3 Team Of The Week - University Liggett
The Michigan Prep Baseball Report Division 3 Team of the Week beat the defending D-3 state champs Gabriel Richard in the title game of the Catholic League C-D Division. Now 17-9, the Knights also own wins over Country Day, Portage Northern U of D Jesuit and Brother Rice this season.
“Playing in the Catholic League, nobody sneaks up on you,” said head coach Dan Cimini, whose squad is rated 12th in the Michigan Team Power Rankings. “The bottom line is you play better at the end of the season. You have your stretches like everybody else playing in the cold in Michigan, but right now we’re putting the ball in play and swinging the bats well one through nine. And our pitching and defense has done well. Over the years, that’s been our motto.”
With four state titles in the last eight years and six Final Four appearances, Liggett has a reputation to uphold.
“We have a really good chance,” Cimini said about making a run to the finals again.
In Division 1 the past two years, Liggett reached the semifinals in 2017 before losing to eventual state champ Saline while in 2018 the Knights lost in the districts to Grosse Pointe South, which went on to claim a state title.
“We just need to keep playing the way we’re playing and worry about ourselves, not who we’re playing,” Cimini explained. “Our goal is always to make the Final Four and then see what happens.”
Billy Kopicki and Alec Azar have led the way this season for Liggett. A shortstop lead-off hitter committed to Miami and the 10th-rated senior in the state, Kopicki is hitting .400 while having a great season on defense according to his head coach.
“He’s one of the best, if not the best, shortstops in the state,” Cimini said of the 6-1 180-pounder.
Azar, who threw a three-hitter with 11 Ks while driving in a run and scoring a run in the 2-0 win over Gabrial Richard, is the top pitcher for the Knights. The 52nd-ranked senior in the state, the 6-4 180-pounder is 8-3-2 with a 1.12 ERA, walking 11 while striking out 87 thus far. A third baseman or first baseman when not pitching, Azar - who is currently looking at walking on at Michigan - is also batting .380.
Logan King, a 6-3 200-pounder ranked 114th in the 2019 class, is the number two pitcher. A Spring Arbor commit who hit an RBI single in the win over Gabriel Richard, is 6-3 with a 2.00 ERA.
Outfielders Nick Post, the 104th-ranked junior in the state, and Drew Zelenak, the 114th-rated 2020 in Michigan, are middle-of-the-order players hitting in the mid-300s that have also excelled for Liggett this season.
The surprise, according to Cimini, is junior Patrick Ilitch. The 84th-ranked 2020 in Michigan, who missed all of last season with an injury, is the starting varsity catcher for the first time.
“He’s been a bulldog,” Cimini said of the 6-1 185-pounder who is hitting .300 in addition to being a standout behind the plate. “He’s caught every game but one this year. He’s been a wall. He really controls the pitching staff.”
With Grosse Pointe South today and districts on Saturday, Cimini and company look forward to keeping the tradition of success going.
“Mental toughness,” Cimini said as to the keys to the Liggett program being successful year after year. “I’m a coach where everything counts, how you act on and off the field. All the little things you have to do on the field are important. We’ve been able to do all those things. The kids have really bought into that philosophy.”