Cool, Calm Contenders Move On in D1

June 16, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

EAST LANSING – Wildly effective, and his record is deceptive.

Both phrases accurately described Warren DeLaSalle sophomore Nino Puckett as he pitched – and won – the biggest game of his life Thursday.

Puckett entered the Division 1 Semifinal against Traverse City West with more losses than wins this spring – and then put together a pitching line that included seven walks but only two hits as the Pilots advanced with a 3-1 win over the Titans.

In fact, Puckett had just two wins entering the postseason before doubling that total with victories in the District and Regional.

But all of this requires some additional perspective – all five of Puckett’s losses came in Detroit Catholic League play, as his team finished only fourth in the Central division while playing a combined nine games against either top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice or reigning Division 2 champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. And he and his teammates certainly benefited from the tough competition.

“We went through our growing pains early on. A great league like we play in, it puts us in a position for games like today to not be able to shy away from the moment,” said DeLaSalle coach Matt Cook, who previously took a team with a sub-.500 record to the Division 1 Final in 2012. “Our guys were loose and having fun. They just keep doing it.”

The unranked Pilots (27-13) will play for their first MHSAA championship since 2009 against No. 2 Saline at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. 

Puckett and another sophomore, Easton Sikorski, have been the team’s aces this season. Sikorski came in to throw the final inning and get the save Thursday, and he’ll be on the mound Saturday.

Cook let Puckett know Monday that he’d be first up. 

“I was just trying to stay calm, do my daily routine,” Puckett said. “I was excited to pitch this game.

“That’s how his demeanor is all the time, and I think to be a pitcher in a situation like this, when he’s calm, cool and collected, his teammates feed off of it too,” Cook said. “The defense doesn’t get nervous when he walks a guy. He doesn’t get nervous when he walks a guy.”

West (41-3) struck first when junior Gavin Garmhausen drove home senior Nick Brzezinski in the third inning.

But Puckett wasn’t rattled. In fact, he didn’t give up another hit.

Sophomore Jake Badalamenti, meanwhile, continued to up the reputation of the Class of 2019 with a two-run single to give the Pilots a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning. The seniors added insurance in the sixth inning, when designated hitter Mike Kostuch drove home second baseman Matt Held.

Badalamenti was the only player on either team with multiple hits, reaching safely in both of his at bats. Another shining sophomore, West’s Ryan Hayes, struck out four and gave up only six hits in tossing a complete game for the Titans, who were playing in an MHSAA Semifinal for the first time.

West, ranked No. 9 heading into the postseason, beat two top-four teams on the way to East Lansing.

“We broke a lot of records this year. Winning 41 games, they’ve just competed this whole tournament, all year long,” West coach Matt Bocian said, “I have to tip my cap to my players for not giving up all day today, and all tournament.”

Click for the full box score.

Saline 5, Hartland 3

Saline senior Josh Nelson has become quite effective relieving pressure-packed situations for one of Michigan’s top high school teams.

Add champion slayer to his body of work as well.

Nelson threw the final 4 1/3 innings of Thursday’s second Semifinal, holding reigning Division 1 champion Hartland to two runs, and drove home the tying run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

One run had scored and the bases were loaded when Nelson came into the game with two outs in the third inning and got a strikeout to end the Eagles’ rally.

"This is the third time this baseball tournament that I’ve come in with the bases loaded. I’ve become used to it, but it’s always stressful,” Nelson said. “But I was just glad that I was able to have the opportunity to help my team win a Semifinal and go to the state championship.” 

Saline (35-6) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but Hartland edged back over the next few with a run in the third and two in the top of the fifth. Nelson’s sacrifice brought home the first of three Saline runs that put the Hornets ahead and then the game out of reach in the sixth inning. 

Senior shortstop Thomas Miller, sophomore first baseman Cole Daniels and junior designated hitter Kellan Huang all had two hits for Saline, and senior right fielder Richard Hovde drove in two runs.

Hartland senior John Baker, a star of last season’s championship run, had two hits and drove in a run for the No. 10 Eagles (36-6-1). 

Last year’s title was the first for Hartland, and Saline is seeking the same. The Hornets have played in four championship games previously, and most recently in 2010, but have yet to end victorious.

“We’re forgetting about that,” Nelson said, “and we’re going to win a state title.”

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS: (Top) Warren DeLaSalle's Nino Puckett prepares to deliver a pitch during Thursday's first Division 1 Semifinal. (Middle) Saline's Cole Daniels slides in safely as Hartland catcher Cade Martin tries to make the tag during the second Semifinal.

Hackett Catholic, Cardinal Mooney Carry Big Bats into Finale

By Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com

June 18, 2021

EAST LANSING – A big opening inning produced two positive results for the Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep baseball team Friday.

Seven early runs helped propel the Irish to an 11-1 six-inning win over Marlette in a Division 4 Semifinal at Michigan State’s McLane Stadium.

The opening surge also provided the opportunity to have starter Sam Shea pitch in Saturday’s 5 p.m. Final against Marine City Cardinal Mooney.

Shea threw only 23 pitches in the first inning, as he was quickly replaced by Alex Blasen. 

“It did work out for us,” first-year Hackett coach Smiley Verduzco said. “The whole idea as we talked about before was that first inning. If we get close to 10 (runs) then you have a chance, and without that you don’t have a chance to do that because you have to win the game. There is no tomorrow.

“Sam was pitching fantastic, and then Alex came in and just shut them down. He did a great job.”  

Blasen allowed only one run on two hits over the final five innings. He struck out four and walked four.

The fifth-ranked Irish (30-9) tallied those seven early runs on only two hits. They were aided by an error and walks. 

After a leadoff triple by Steven Widger, who had a game-high three hits, and a pair of walks, Brenden Collins drove in a pair of runs with a single. 

“We like to score a lot of runs, and when we came out and got that seven it was huge for momentum,” Collins said. “We knew it was crucial to get them down early so that we could roll over them and get to the win.”

Said Verduzco: “Did you see the energy (after the triple)? It just pumps the kids up, and let’s go. Then things started to happen. It was pretty fun to watch, and they have earned it. They’ve worked hard all year, and to get a win against a good team, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Marlette’s starter didn't get out of the first inning after walking four and hitting a batter.    

“The first inning was a killer; that was very disappointing,” said Marlette coach Dave Hayden, whose team was making its first appearance in the Semifinals.

“We knew after that first inning that it would be very difficult to come back on them. I thought we settled down after that, but the first inning kind of did us in.”

The Irish added two more runs in the third inning. Widger ripped an RBI single and then scored on a wild pitch.  

The Red Raiders scored in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Aaron Bower. He brought home Cody Hayden, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

Hackett ended the game in the sixth after a pair of singles and a ground out scored a pair of runs. 

The Irish, who are averaging 10 runs a game in the postseason, will attempt to win their first Finals title in their first trip. 

“We worked hard to get our school here for the first time, and now everyone is watching you,” Collins said. “It’s kind of cool that we can put our school on the map like that.”

Click for the full box score.

Marine City Cardinal Mooney 12, Maple City Glen Lake 2

Cardinal Mooney continued its impressive postseason run with another lopsided affair.

The Cardinals scored in bunches early en route to a 12-2 five-inning victory over Maple City Glen Lake in the second Division 4 Semifinal.

Mooney (28-6), which will face Hackett in the Final, has outscored its six postseason opponents by a combined 71-8.

Cardinal Mooney baseball“It’s let's get out in front and never let go,” said Cardinals sophomore Blake Lutzky, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored. “Never let off the gas.”

Mooney jumped out to a comfortable lead by scoring four runs in the second inning and adding another three in the following inning.

That was just the cushion starting pitcher Thomas Gill needed as he went the distance and scattered five hits while recording five strikeouts. 

“When Tommy Gill, our senior pitcher, gets a run or two, it seems like seven runs,” Mooney coach Mike Rice said. “And in these types of games, I want to get seven or eight runs, but when he’s on the mound and throws first-pitch strikes and with our defense, it makes us unstoppable.”

Rice has been pleased with his team’s approach at the plate, as well as its ability to produce timely hitting. 

Mooney totaled 12 hits and walked 10 times.

“We’re hitting, and we’re focusing on hitting strikes and not swinging at bad pitches,” Rice said. “The pitcher’s goal is to throw the ball over the plate, and when he does we’re raking it.”

The early deficit was too much for eighth-ranked Glen Lake (27-8) to overcome. 

“You can't fall behind against a team like that because they are too good,” Glen Lake coach Kris Herman said. “They are ranked No. 2 in the state for a reason. If you dig yourself in a hole like that, then you have to fight your way out of it. 

“I was proud of our fight. I thought they kept grinding, and we just ran into a better team.” 

Glen Lake’s fight came in the fifth when they trimmed the deficit to 7-2.

However, in the bottom of the inning, Mooney countered with five runs of its own to end the game.

“We let go a little bit, and we thought we had the game in the bag,” Lutzky said. “But they scored two, and we just put them back on the board. There’s a lot of positive energy on this team, and we’re ready to play all the time.”

Trent Rice, Rocco Comito and Julian Iodice also had two hits each for Mooney.

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS: (Top) A Hackett Catholic Prep hitter keeps his eyes on a drive during Friday’s Semifinal win. (Middle) Cardinal Mooney’s Julian Iodice eludes a tag to score at McLane Stadium.