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By Andy Pascoe
PBR Michigan Director of Scouting

We look to bring the state of Michigan top-notch high school coverage throughout the entire state.

We will have the 2016 Scout Blog, Spotlight Games, Inside the Recruitment Articles, Unsigned Senior Spotlights, The Recruiting Trail, All-State Selections, Full Coverage of the MHSAA State Tournament as well as numerous other articles throughout the spring.

To view the Preseason All-State Selections, click below:
+ Division 1
+ Division 2
+ Division 3/4

To view the Team Power Rankings, click below:
+ Division 1
+ Division 2
+ Division 3/4

To view the full list of 2016 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

For insider information and scouting notes from the PBR staff during the 2016 spring season visit the 2016 Michigan Scout Blog by clicking here.

Interested in attending a PBR Michigan event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

PBR Michigan Spotlight Games: Holt Regional Recap

Game 1: Holt vs. Howell

In a matchup of the top two pitchers from the 2017 class, the Holt regional started off with a close game in which Howell was able to best the host school by a score of 6-4.

Howell sent LHP Sam Weatherly  (Clemson recruit) to face off with Holt’s LHP Jesse Heikkinen (Michigan State recruit). After yielding a leadoff hit and a hit by pitch, Heikkinen was able to get a strikeout and a pop-out to keep Howell off the board. Holt was then able to get an RBI triple from 2018 RHP/1B Burrell Jones to take a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

Weatherly and Heikkinen both worked a scoreless second inning behind three and two strikeouts, respectively. Then in the top half of the third inning, Howell was able to get a runner on with a one-out hit by pitch, and 2017 SS Caleb Balgaard (Indiana recruit) drove a triplel to the right-center gap that looked like it was going to plate a run, but a perfect relay prevented the runner on first from scoring. Holt then came up in the home half of the third inning and plated another run behind a sacrifice fly out from Heikkinen to put them up 2-0.

Howell was finally able to get to Heikkinen in the fifth inning after a one-out walk and back-to-back doubles by Bryan Rendell and Balgaard and another double later from Weatherly to put them up 3-2. Then, in the sixth inning, Howell was able to pull away more as Heikkinen and reliever Jones combined to three walks and a hit by pitch while also giving up a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly out and a two-out double to culminate in three runs, giving them a 6-2 lead.

Holt responded in the home half of the sixth inning as Drake Sobleski singled with one-out, then was followed by a walk and a strikeout before a pair of relievers walked three straight Holt hitters to bring the score to 6-4.

Howell’s 2016 RHP Spencer Ford (Adrian recruit) induced a double play after a lead off single in the final frame then got a strikeout to end the ball game.

Weatherly finished with ten strikeouts while Heikkinen finished with three.

Player of the Game - Caleb Balgaard: 2-for-2, 2B, 3B, SB, 2 RBI, R

Game 2: Portage Northern vs. Okemos

The second game of the day saw an offensive outburst as Portage Northern was able to defeat Okemos by a score of 13-3.

Okemos jumped out to an early lead Nathan Dane walked to lead off the game, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt then driven in on a two-out single from Luke Stagg to take a 1-0 lead. Portage Northern responded in the home half as 2016 LHP/1B Tommy Henry (Michigan recruit) hit a two-strike pitch over the right-field wall to tie the game then 4-hole hitter and catcher Ryan Beadle singled with two-outs, stole second then was driven in by Grant McNally’s single to give them a 2-1 lead.

After a quiet second inning for Okemos, Portage Northern got a leadoff double from 2018 OF Noah Hecht who was driven in on a bases loaded sacrifice fly out from Jacob Begeman to make it a 3-1 ballgame.

Portage Northern plated three more runs in the third innings as Ryan Reeder and Henry had RBI singles, Henry’s brought two across, and put the lead at 6-1. Okemos responded in the fourth inning with two runs behind an RBI single from A.J. Matusz and a bases loaded walk to Patrick Nugent that brought home a run, cutting the deficit to 6-3.

The score remained 6-3 until the bottom of the fifth inning when Portage Northern exploded for six runs highlighted by Henry’s third and fourth runs batted in for the game and a two-run double from McNally to push the lead to 12-3. Portage Northern was able to induce the mercy rule in the bottom of the sixth as a bases loaded walk was drawn from Cortland Hasenburg.

Player of the Game - Tommy Henry: 3-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, SB

Game 3: Portage Northern vs. Howell (Regional Championship)

The third game of the day featured two pitchers who are committed to play at the next level as Portage Northern sent Michigan recruit Tommy Henry to the mound while Howell sent Adrian recruit Spencer Ford to oppose him. Henry and Portage Northern came out victorious by a score of 6-3.

Howell led the game off with a single from Brett Chaperon and was able to bring him around to score after a walk and two passed balls. Henry was able to limit Howell to only one run in the first as he induced a double play and got a strikeout to end the inning. Howell then plated two more in the second inning as Nick Rauch drew a one-out walk and was followed by back-to-back singles to load the bases. Chaperon was able to draw a bases loaded walk to bring in a run before Bryan Rendell grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring home the second run of the inning to push the Howell lead to 3-0.

Portage Northern responded with a run in the home half of the second inning on an RBI single from 2019 SS Tyler Helgeson to cut into Howell’s lead and make the score 3-1. Portage Northern came back in the third inning and collected four extra-base hits and two more singles to help plate five runs, all highlighted by back-to-back doubles from Jacob Begeman and Ryan Beadle that lead off the inning Ryan Reeder’s two-run triple that would put Portage Northern ahead for good.

This 6-3 lead was all Henry needed as he scattered three hits from the third inning on, not allowing a runner past second base. He finished with six strikeouts in the game while scattering seven hits.

Player of the Game - Ryan Reeder: 1-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI, R