Division 1

Semifinal 1

Friday's Division I semi-final between Bay City Western and Sterling Heights Stevenson was everything you look for in a game.  There was plenty of good pitching, good defense, and plenty of drama.  The end result was Bay City Western advancing to the State Championship by a score of 2-1.

Brett Adcock (LHP, Bay City Western) was sensational again. Adcock, who is committed to Michigan, escaped a jam in the fifth inning as Sterling Heights Stevenson knotted the score at one a piece and then loaded the bases.  He picked up a much needed strikeout of Stevenson's Zack McGuire to end the threat. 

In the sixth inning, Western struck back and picked up the go ahead run on a Grant Bridgewater single putting them up 2-1.  That score would hold up as Adcock finished the game firing a three hitter and improving his personal record to 12-0.

Semifinal 2

Birmingham Brother Rice 5, Howell 0

Junior righty Matt Ruppenthal blanked a tough Howell team 5-0 sending the talented Brother Rice Warriors to the state championship.  Ruppenthal, who threw his fourth consecutive shutout, was sensational only allowing four hits to a team who just mercied Bedford in the quarterfinals.

Offensively for the Warriors junior Randy Righter once again came up big.  Righter had three hits and scored three times in the win.  One of Righter's hits was a double in the fifth to put Rice up 3-0, a lead they would never relinquish.

 

Division 2

Semifinal 3

Grand Rapids Christian 1, Remus Chippewa Hills 0

Grand Rapids Christian in the State Championship game is becoming a common theme in Division II.  Alex Van De Vusse led Grand Rapids Christian on the mound.  He carried a no-hitter into the sixth and struck out 11 on the day.  Van De Vusse also executed a squeeze to score the game's lone run.

The Eagles have now advanced to the State Championship for the third time in a row.  Starting off the season, Grand Rapids Christian struggled mightily but their experience and leadership behind players like Van De Vusse and Joel Schipper have them seeking a second straight state title.

Semifinal 4

Richmond 3, Milan 2

Richmond ended Milan's magical run to Battle Creek beating the Big Reds 3-2 in the semis.  Richmond is known for playing mistake free baseball and capitalizing on their opportunities.  Yesterday was no different.

Starter Mitchell Ward did just enough for Richmond going six innings only allowing four hits. Richmond also did just enough from the plate.  Evan Kratt came up with a big RBI single to get the scoring started and later scored on a sac fly by sophomore Jake Schmidt.

 

Division 3

Semifinal 5

Madison Heights Bishop Foley 6, Bridgman 0

Bishop Foley looks to make history in Battle Creek.  If they win it will be the first time in state history that a team has won back-to-back-to-back titles.  On Friday, they knocked off Bridgman by the final of 6-0.

Junior Garrett Schilling remained perfect on the year, but more impressively, Schilling remained perfect for his career.  Schilling is now 30-0 over the past three seasons.  Yesterday he was in complete control as he threw a three hit shutout and struck out nine.

From the plate, junior Brad Baldwin lined a single to start the scoring off.  Two hitters later, sophomore Nate Grys rifled a base hit to left center to score Baldwin to put Foley up 2-0.  Foley then added runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Semifinal 6

Grandville Calvin Christian 5, Whittemore-Prescott 1

Calvin Christian scored five runs in the first two innings and never looked back.  Starter Jamie Bristol was good on the mound for Calvin Christian. He worked his way out of the sixth inning threat from Whittemore-Prescott. After the Cardinals put the first two hitters on, Bristol retired the next three hitters to escape the jam.

Semifinal 7

Beal City 15, Maple City Glen Lake 0

Beal City jumped all over Maple City Glen Lake cruising into the state finals by the score of 15-0. However the game was closer than the score would imply.  The score was 1-0 heading into the the fifth inning when Beal City exploded. They scored 14 unanswered runs over the course of the fifth and sixth innings finally ending the game by way of the mercy rule. Beal City is looking to win their third state title in five years.

Semifinal 8

Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett 1, New Lothrop 0

University Liggett returns to the state finals again after narrowly missing a state title last year falling to Decatur.  It was Connor Fannon on the mound once again for the Knights of Liggett and the senior Oakland commit threw another gem.  Fannon threw a three-hit shutout and escaped a fifth inning threat.

Senior catcher Nate Gaggins picked off a New Lothrop runner at third base in the fifth thwarting the New Lothrop attack and killing the rally.  Right on cue, in the sixth inning Liggett scored their lone run by way of Nick Azar's sacrifice fly. Fannon then proceeded to get three quick outs in the seventh and Liggett returns to the championship.