For Coach: Powers Completes 1st Title Run for 42-Year Leader Dutkowski

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

June 15, 2024

EAST LANSING — On behalf of this current Flint Powers Catholic baseball team, Saturday’s message was loud and clear to past players, alumni and school officials:

We finally did it for Tom. 

Tom would be longtime head coach Tom Dutkowski, who after 42 years and 872 wins finally got to coach in a state championship game Saturday. 

Not only did Powers get there for Dutkowski, but the Chargers delivered win No. 873 and his long-awaited first title as coach with an 11-0 defeat of Spring Lake in the Division 2 Final at McLane Stadium. 

“We just made Flint Powers history, and to be a part of that is amazing,” Powers senior Fischer Hendershot said. “We have a lot of alumni and a lot of alumni on the coaching staff. To do it for the coaching staff, everyone here, everyone in Powers, every alumni and everyone who cares about us is a great feeling.” 

The Chargers’ Fischer Hendershot delivers a pitch.After accepting the championship trophy and raising into the air triumphantly, Dutkowski reflected on the journey and long wait.

It was the third title for Powers baseball, joining the 1974 and 1980 championships. Dutkowski was an assistant on the 1980 team. 

“I played in ’73 here, and my joke for that was that I taught the ’74 guys everything they knew and then they won a state championship the next year,” Dutkowski said. “We won it in ’80 with just a gritty team. My third year as a head coach we got to the final four in Class A, and I figured this was going to happen every three years. And then it was a 39-year drought in terms of that.”

The game ended after five innings via the run differential rule and capped off a fairly dominant season for Powers — or at least as dominant as a baseball team can be for a season.

The Chargers finished 37-6 and outscored opponents by a combined 57-13 during the MHSAA Tournament.

The only close call during the playoffs came in Friday’s Semifinal, when Powers blew a 3-0 lead to Trenton before prevailing in the bottom of the eighth inning, 4-3, on a walk-off single by senior Gavin Darling. 

“These guys, they never flinched and they never wavered,” Dutkowski said. “They developed into being a great team, not just individual talent.”

Powers wasted no time against Spring Lake, taking a 2-0 lead with one out in the top of the first inning on a two-run double to the gap in left-center by Darling. After a ground out, Darling scored on a Spring Lake throwing error to give Powers a 3-0 lead. 

Powers added another run in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-0. 

Teammates congratulate Michael Klein (6) as he returns to the dugout.In the third, Powers scored four runs to take an 8-0 lead on an RBI single by Hendershot, a walk with the bases loaded and a two-run single by freshman Connor Kelly. 

Powers then put three more runs on the board in the fourth inning to take an 11-0 lead. 

Hendershot was the winner on the mound, allowing two hits and striking out five in five innings of work. 

Spring Lake also was attempting to win its first Finals title, but had to settle for its third runner-up finish (to go with those from 1995 and 1978). 

The Lakers finished 32-10. 

“They are a good team, and this was their year,” Spring Lake head coach Bill Core said. “We just couldn’t keep them off of the bases, and our pitching wasn’t as sharp as it’s been. We gave them a couple of free passes, and they mixed in some good hitting. That’s a good team, and that’s why they’ve been ranked No. 1 in the state all year.”

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS (Top) Flint Powers Catholic raises its championship trophy to complete the 2024 baseball season Saturday evening at McLane Stadium. (Middle) The Chargers’ Fischer Hendershot delivers a pitch. (Below) Teammates congratulate Michael Klein (6) as he returns to the dugout.

Healthy Tomlinson Gives Portage Northern Major Reason to Dream Big

By Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com

May 14, 2024

PORTAGE – Ty Tomlinson ended last season as a member of the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association all-state Dream Team.

Southwest CorridorThis season began as more of a nightmare for the Portage Northern senior.

The lanky shortstop stepped up to the plate for his second at-bat of the Huskies’ opening game and started legging out a double.

“On my way to first base, my first step out of the box, I heard a nice little pop,” Tomlinson said. “Coach (Ben) Neal was screaming at me because he thought I wasn’t hustling. Turns out I was just barely making it to the base.”

That’s because the “pop” was a hamstring injury that sidelined him for nearly half the team's games so far.

“It was rough,” the senior said. “Definitely not how I wanted to start my year. I played three years without getting hurt, and to start the year off like that, especially after all the work we put in this off-season, I was really excited to see it pan out.”

His dad, Ryan Tomlinson, said he knew right away what happened.

“I saw it,” he said. “I knew what happened without talking to him. He’s a very competitive kid.”

Ryan Tomlinson is no stranger to seeing injuries. After 20 years, he recently retired as Western Michigan University’s women’s tennis coach. The first thing he did after Ty’s injury was set his son up with a trainer.

Ryan Juodawlkis stands in for a pitch.“Ty would get up at 6 a.m. to work with my trainer, then go to school, then come home to work in the training room,” Ryan said.

The injury kept the shortstop out of the game, but not out of the action.

“It was hard on a personal level because I’ve grown up as a competitor, but we have so much depth,” Tomlinson said. “I did a lot of the pitch charting, so I was in the game every pitch. As much as I hated being away, we still played great.”

While Tomlinson was sidelined, senior second baseman Ryan Juodawlkis lost his infield partner.

“Me and Ty, we’ve been a duo for years,” Juodawlkis said. “We have great chemistry.

“We’ve played together a long time. We grew up together playing ball since 11-U. We’ve always been on the field together, talking to each other and communicating.”

With Tomlinson out, Brice Welke, one of two sophomores on the team, stepped in at shortstop. 

“It’s always harder to adjust to someone else, especially a younger guy,” Juodawlkis said. “It’s the communicating, who’s got the bag for a steal, who’s gonna hold a runner on.”

Prepping to contend

When the schedule comes out at the beginning of the season, the first two dates the Huskies circle are against Mattawan and Portage Central, Tomlinson said.

Central is the crosstown rival with players who are friends outside of school, and Mattawan is the team that ended Northern’s last two seasons in Division I District Finals.

Huskies coach Adam Cardona.Northern, ranked No. 15 in Division 1 this spring, was to take a 16-5 record against eighth-ranked Mattawan into a contest scheduled for last Thursday. But the devastation from the EF2 category tornado two days earlier resulted in school being canceled for three days, postponing the game.

“They know they still get to play, so they’re not too heartbroken about (postponing the game),” second-year head coach Adam Cardona said. “A few have been without power a few days, no one lost their homes, but some of their families have been affected, which I know is weighing on them a bit. Praise the Lord, everybody is safe.

“With everything that’s going on, I think they understand it puts baseball in perspective; there’s bigger things than baseball. I think they’re ready to get back into it and get some of that normalcy back.”

Games against Mattawan and Portage Central, especially, are a good indication of the Huskies' playoff potential.

“Our pitchers need to throw strikes and provide weak contact,” Juodawlkis noted as keys to making it past Districts. “Don’t try to do too much and put the ball in play.”

Senior catcher Braden Welke added, “It’s going to take better situational hitting and a lot better moving runners over (to advance).” 

Baseball is in the Welkes’ DNA.

Their father Ben played college ball, and their grandfather Tim Welke, as well as a great uncle, Bill, are former MLB umpires.

Catcher Braden Welke puts on his equipment. While their grandfather is at most games, he doesn’t try to “umpire” them.

“He more just talks and chats with the umpires. Both give me plenty of stories and pointers,” Braden Welke laughed.

Cardona said Welke is one of the best catchers in Southwest Michigan.

“That dude just loves the game of baseball,” Cardona said. “He’s happy to be out here every single day.

“Behind the dish, he calls everything. He sees the game and knows the game well.”

Welke said he likes being in control.

“I like being able to touch the ball every single play,” he said. “You’re always in the play, always talking. You’re kind of the leader on the field.”

Other seniors on the team are Maxwell Pidgeon, Jack Mick, Antonio Parsayar, Keegan McIntyre and Danny Tafoya. Juniors are Nolan Ratliff, Seth Bartlam, Drew Clyne, Thomas Horein, Mateo Icaza, Izaak Bobbio, Finn Malek, Nolan Wilson, Andrew Wagster, Braden Hembree, Mason Wesaw, David Li and Evan Elkins. Evan McIntyre is the other sophomore.

Diehard fans

While his dad played and coached tennis, Ty Tomlinson knew at an early age it was not for him.

“I grew up playing tennis along with baseball and other sports, trying other sports out,” he said. “Tennis was just not for me.

“I was not the fleetest of foot back in my day, so I couldn’t move around the court all too well,” he laughed. “Dad and I would kind of butt heads a little bit, so I was ‘I’ve got to move on.’”

Ryan Tomlinson is a huge Detroit Tigers fan.

So huge, that his three sons’ names are all derived from former Tigers greats including two Hall of Famers. 

Ty is named for Ty Cobb, while his 11-year-old brother is Graydon Gibson (from Kirk Gibson) and his 7-year-old bother is Myles Kaline (Al Kaline).

However, the two younger Tomlinsons are finding their niche in hockey right now.

Ty Tomlinson originally committed to play baseball at University of Michigan next season. But after feeling he found a better fit at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., the shortstop de-committed and opted to head south to play for the Division I Atlantic 10 Patriots.

“Plus it’s warmer,” he laughed. “I’m not a fan of the cold, and apparently neither is my hamstring.”

Pam ShebestPam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Portage Northern’s Ty Tomlinson smiles during an at bat. (2) Ryan Juodawlkis stands in for a pitch. (3) Huskies coach Adam Cardona. (4) Catcher Braden Welke puts on his equipment. (Action photos courtesy of the Portage Northern baseball program; head shot by Pam Shebest.)