![Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep baseball](/sites/default/files/2022-03/220315_Hackett_2H.jpg)
Family Ties Bind Verduzcos, Reigning Champ Hackett Catholic Prep
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
March 15, 2022
KALAMAZOO — When Nick Verduzco learned his grandfather applied for the baseball head coaching job at Hackett Catholic Prep three years ago, he could not believe it.
When he found out his grandpa got the job, “I was pretty shocked,” the current junior said. “I didn’t really feel like it would happen.
“Once he applied, I was like ‘Wow, he’s actually going to do this.’ He called me right away when he got the job and I was like really emotional, overcome with joy because I knew it was going to be a lot of fun.”
While Smiley Verduzco’s first season leading the Irish was scrapped because of COVID-19, his second was a definite success. Hackett is the reigning Division 4 champ heading into the new season.
Fun and family are the themes running through the Irish baseball program. While Smiley Verduzco is the head coach, his son Steve is one of four volunteer assistants.
And the Verduzcos aren’t the only family filling the Hackett roster. Assistant coach Daniel Backman has two sons, Isaac and Eli, on the team. Catcher Brice Brown’s dad, Steve, is also a coach, and the fourth assistant is Adam Hall.
“I think the thing we found is in small schools like this, we’re pretty tightly knit in our group,” Steve Verduzco said. “We had 12 players on our team last year and will be similar this year. You get to know these kids so well, you learn to love them. They’re all my sons when we’re out there.”
The coaching position also gives Steve Verduzco a bit of leverage over his son. “I can sit him on the bench if he doesn’t make his bed,” he joked.
But all kidding aside, nepotism is not a thing, Brice Brown said.
“The kids don’t treat any of us differently,” he said. “We’re all family.”
Generational Knowledge
The Verduzcos bring tons of experience to the team.
Smiley Verduzco, 78, a retired electrical engineer, has coached youth baseball teams since his son was young.
“He grew up in a poor area and got a football scholarship to go to college (University of Pacific),” Steve Verduzco said of his dad.
“This is who he is. He was captain of the football team, he was student body president, had injuries he played through, got a scholarship for his masters at Stanford, was CEO of companies for years out West.”
Steve added that it is that kind of leadership his dad brings to the team.
“He sets the tone in leadership for how we treat these kids, how we coach them, we encourage them, we love them, we challenge them,” Steve said.
Steve Verduzco played baseball at Notre Dame and was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fourth round of the 1993 amateur draft.
He played in their farm system for three years before leaving to raise a family.
At age 49, Steve Verduzco laughed: “I’m still young enough that I can throw batting practice and can run around a little bit. It’s getting less every year.”
Nick Verduzco said he is thankful for the opportunity to share the experience with both generations.
“To work with my dad and grandpa every day, especially having such a season like last year, and with all their baseball knowledge is great,” Nick said.
“They are also setting an example as a role model.”
However, the father-son coaching styles are not at all the same.
“My grandpa is more level-headed and calmer,” his grandson said. “He sets a really good tone, making sure we’re always keeping our faith and baseball intertwined.
“My dad does more the approach part of the game, coaches third base. He has a good feel as to what’s going on in game situations.”
Besides coaching, Smiley Verduzco is a spiritual leader of the team.
He borrows from the book “The Soul of a Team” by former NFL coach Tony Dungy.
“S is for selflessness,” Smiley Verduzco said. “O is for ownership; take ownership of what you do in school and on the field. U is for unity. We come together, and L is for the larger community.
“We play for the archdiocese, we play for Hackett, for all the teachers in school, all the students in school. We represent ourselves on the field for that community.”
He also said faith is an important component of the team.
“We pray before every practice and game, and afterwards,” he said. “It’s such a special place because there’s that element in faith and trust in Jesus that brings them together.”
Chips on the shoulder
Despite graduating four top players, the team is even more motivated this season.
“Last year, we were unranked in the preseason state rankings and ended up winning it all,” Nick Verduzco said. “This year, we’re ranked third in the state.
“It seems like we lost a lot, but we returned a lot, as well. No pressure, a lot of motivation, just fuel.”
Brice Brown backed up that feeling.
“We always have a chip on our shoulder and this year is no different, even after winning states,” he said.
Practice began Monday and the coaches will get a look at the new team during its first game March 23.
Steve Verduzco said the team will be built around four players beginning with senior Brenden Collins, who earned first-team all-state honors last year with a .537 batting average.
“He’s one of the best two-way players in all of West Michigan, pitching and hitting,” Verduzco said. “He drove in almost 60 runs in spite of missing two weeks. He’s unbelievable. He’s a returning captain.
“Nick had a big year last year and will bat in the middle of the lineup.”
The junior Verduzco drove in 36 runs and posted a .421 slugging percentage.
The Backman brothers round out the preseason top four.
“Senior Isaac Backman had a tremendous year and will be running track this year as well and had a great second half last year,” Smiley Verduzco said. “His little brother Eli is tremendous. Hit .330 as a freshman playing second base and really came through in the playoffs in some really big moments, so that should give him tons of confidence.”
Other returning starters are seniors Brown, Chris Bullard and Zack Johnson, junior Patrick Ogrin and sophomore Andrew Rann.
“We’ll count on some freshmen, too,” Verduzco said. “Small school. You’ve got to have freshmen.”
Nick Verduzco sums it up.
“I’m really appreciative of how much fun I have, not only with my dad and grandpa, but with all my teammates,” he said.
“The camaraderie we had, the state championship, all the lights, all the attention we were getting, was all cool. But at the end of the day, I’m just really grateful for the relationships I made, especially with my teammates.”
Pam 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) Nick Verduzco, here during last season’s Division 4 Final at McLane Stadium, represents one of three generations from his family currently connected to the Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep baseball program. (Middle) From left: varsity assistant coach Steve Verduzco, son Nick, and his father Smiley Verduzco, the varsity head coach. (Below) Smiley and Nick share an embrace after last season’s championship game win. (Top photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos; middle and below photos courtesy of the Verduzco family.)
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Preview: Right Place, Right Time
June 12, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
While it’s an obvious statement this spring’s 16 MHSAA baseball semifinalists have peaked at the right time, it might mean a little more this weekend at Michigan State University’s McLane Baseball Stadium.
Five teams – including half the final fields in Divisions 1 and 2 – were unranked at the start of Districts. The fifth team, Saginaw Nouvel, is riding one of the most impressive playoff streaks in any division despite entering the playoffs below .500.
Meanwhile, seven teams are playing for their first championships this weekend – including the highest-ranked remaining in three divisions.
See below for a schedule of this weekend’s games, plus glances at all 16 teams that will take the field beginning Thursday.
Semifinals – Thursday
Division 1
Macomb Dakota vs. Rockford, 9 a.m.
Portage Northern vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 11:30 a.m.
Division 2
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs. Muskegon Oakridge, 2:30 p.m.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Trenton, 5 p.m.
Semifinals – Friday
Division 3
Pewamo-Westphalia vs. Homer, 9 a.m.
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett vs. Gladstone, 11:30 a.m.
Division 4
Petersburg Summerfield vs. Gaylord St. Mary, 2:30 p.m.
Saginaw Nouvel vs. Decatur, 5 p.m.
Finals – Saturday
Division 1: 9 a.m.
Division 2: 11:30 a.m.
Division 3: 2:30 p.m.
Division 4: 5 p.m.
Tickets cost $8 per round and include admission to softball and girls soccer games those days also at MSU’s Old College Field. Radio broadcasts of all games can be heard online at MHSAAnetwork.com. All games will be streamed live online at MHSAA.tv and viewable on subscription basis. Click for links to brackets, scores and a parking map.
Division 1
BLOOMFIELD HILLS BROTHER RICE
Record/rank: 25-12, unranked
Coach: Bob Riker, 22nd season (603-215)
League finish: Third in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2008), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Tito Flores, sr. OF/1B/P (.368, 44 R, 6 HR, 28 RBI, 26 SB); Sterling Hallman sr. IF/P (.330, 5 HR, 34 RBI); Jack Orlowski, sr. 3B/P/DH (.321, 11 2B, 6 HR, 34 RBI); Tyler Sarkisian, sr. P/OF/IF (3-1, 1.54 ERA, 63 K/50 IP).
Outlook: Brother Rice opened this season ranked No. 1 by the coaches association after making the Semifinals a year ago, but fell out of the list with a 7-7 start. The Warriors have won eight straight, with a District Final victory over No. 8 Birmingham Seaholm and Regional Final win over No. 5 Romeo among postseason highlights. Flores made the all-state second team last season and leads off a lineup that begins with four seniors and ends with five underclassmen. He will continue his career at University of Michigan, and Sarkisian will play at University of Chicago.
MACOMB DAKOTA
Record/rank: 21-16-1, unranked
Coach: Gerald Carley, ninth season (208-99-1)
League finish: Fifth in Macomb Area Conference Red
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Greg Guzik, soph. IF (.359, 25 R, 19 RBI, 11 SB); John Sovey, sr. IF/P (.324 20 R, 5-3 pitching, 2.60 ERA, 50 K/51 IP); Andrew Wouters jr. OF (.315, 25 R), Mike Biebuyck, sr. P (5-4, 2.60 ERA).
Outlook: Dakota is another team that was ranked early – the Cougars have regular-season wins against Brother Rice and Romeo to their credit – but also played in a league with three teams ranked among the top 17 in Division 1 heading into Districts. They got past a big obstacle with reigning Division 1 champ Grosse Pointe South in the Super Regional Final – GPS beat Dakota three times during this regular season and also in last year’s Quarterfinal matchup. This will be Dakota’s first trip to the Semifinals and comes as the team is riding an 8-2-1 wave.
PORTAGE NORTHERN
Record/rank: 37-7, No. 2
Coach: Chris Andrews, 19th season (492-208)
League finish: Second in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2015.
Players to watch: Zach Quinn, sr. OF/P (.434, 44 R, 36 RBI, 13 SB, 2-0 pitching, 0.82 ERA); Nolan McCarthy, jr. SS/P (.430, 45 R, 13 2B, 48 RBI, 16 SB); Cam French, sr. P/1B (10-0, 1.26 ERA, 49 K/61 IP, .301, 23 RBI); Tyler Helgeson, sr. OF/P (.355, 50 R, 30 SB, 27 RBI, 4-3 pitching, 2.12 ERA, 40 K/33 IP).
Outlook: Portage Northern emerged from a Super Regional that included top-ranked Brownstown-Woodhaven, No. 15 Saline and No. 18 Grand Ledge and has won 22 of its last 23 games. The lineup is junior heavy and loaded with hitters: juniors Greg Lapetina (.390, 42 R, 31 RBI, 13 SB), Gannon Andrews (.402), Jack Beffel (.441), Parker Brey (.387, 37 RBI) and Malcolm Gaynor (.344) also stick out as the team hits .373 as a whole. Sophomore Xander Morris (9-0, 1.44) gives Northern another ace as well. Helgeson will continue his career at Eastern Michigan University.
ROCKFORD
Record/rank: 27-9, No. 10
Coach: Matt Vriesenga, fifth season (124-50)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2011.
Players to watch: Joe Kelley, sr. OF (.409, 34 R, 10 2B, 10 HR, 43 RBI); Alex Miller, sr. OF (.371, 18 R, 13 SB); Zach Schamp, sr. OF (.324, 34 R, 21 RBI); Zach Marshall, sr. P/OF (.318, 8-4 pitching, 2.25 ERA, 83 K/62 1/3 IP).
Outlook: The Rams will play in the Semifinals for the first time since that championship season in 2011, and Vriesenga previously led Grand Rapids Christian to a Division 2 runner-up finish in 2005. Rockford has won 12 of its last 13 games since a regular-season defeat to Byron Center, which it avenged in the Regional Final. Kelley is an incredible story – as reported by the Grand Rapids Press, he broke the school’s home run record this season after being cut as a junior. He’s one of six seniors in the starting lineup, and senior Grant Martin (6-1, 1.36) is the team’s second-winningest pitcher. Sophomore Luke McLean (5-1, 2.06) is another important arm.
Division 2
GRAND RAPIDS CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 26-10, unranked
Coach: Tim MacKinnon, third season (54-43)
League finish: Second in O-K Blue
Championship history: Class B champion 1985, two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Myles Beale, jr. SS/P (.330, 42 R, 10 2B, 30 RBI, 41 SB); Joe Collins, sr. P/3B (.420, 6-3 pitching, 1.08 ERA, 50 K/51 2/3 IP); Ben Joppich, sr. P/OF (8-1, 0.73 ERA, 75 K/67 IP); Kyle Tepper, jr. CF/P (.378, 29 R, 15 SB, 2-1 pitching, 2.63 ERA).
Outlook: GRCC owns a 28-7 combined margin of victory over five postseason games including wins over No. 3 East Grand Rapids, No. 4 Holland Christian and reigning Division 2 champion Stevensville Lakeshore in the Super Regional Final. MacKinnon, who previously coached East Kentwood from 2005-15 and overall has a 256-186-2 record, took this program from 13-18 his first season to two wins from the title in his third. Senior Jack Nawrocki is another big contributor, hitting .342 from the clean-up spot and going 6-1 with a 2.19 ERA on the mound, and junior Zach Grabowski (.407) and senior Luke Passinault (.330, 10 2B) are two more key bats in the middle of the lineup.
MUSKEGON OAKRIDGE
Record/rank: 26-7, unranked
Coach: Brandon Barry, 27th season (499-286)
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Koleman Wall, sr. P/SS (.461, 30 R 13 2B, 30 RBI, 8-2 pitching, 1.07 ERA, 129 K/73 IP); Ethan Miller, soph P/1B (.375, 6-1 pitching, 1.06 ERA, 43 K/41 2/3 IP); Kolbe Stewart, jr. LF (.347, 25 RBI, 18 SB); TJ Ruel, sr. P/1B (5-0, 2.15 ERA, 55 K/40 1/3 IP).
Outlook: Oakridge won its fifth Regional title this decade and will play in the Semifinals for the first time since 2011 after beating No. 10 Essexville Garber in the Super Regional Final. Wall came back from injury to shine in that game and has had an all-around stellar season, while Ruel was an all-state pitcher as a junior and with Miller provides intriguing options should Oakridge advance to Saturday. Junior shortstop Austin Fairchild has seen the mound in 10 games, and with a 0.23 ERA also could provide some solid help during the final weekend.
ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 32-9-2, No. 2
Coach: Matt Petry, ninth season (181-128-2)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Dillon Kark, sr. IF (.352, 33 R, 26 RBI); Alex Mooney, soph. IF (.444, 48 R, 15 2B, 42 RBI, 21 SB); Logan Wood, jr. P (9-0, 1.16 ERA 128 K/72 2/3 IP); Nolan Schubart, fr. OF (.393, 25 R, 13 2B, 42 RBI).
Outlook: St. Mary’s finished Division 2 runner-up in 2015 and made the Semifinals a year ago, and has the pitching in particular to take on anyone this weekend. Wood was an all-state first-team selection a year ago, and he’s joined by freshman Brock Porter (8-2, 1.20 ERA, 78 K) and juniors Anthony Fett (6-3, 1.53 ERA, 79 K) and Mikey Gall (4-2, 2.43 ERA) on a strong staff. Kark also was an all-state first-team selection last season and is one of six regulars hitting at least .323. Senior Harrison Poeszat (.323, 32 R, 30 RBI) and freshman Jack Crighton (.379, 10 2B) with Schubart fill out the middle of the lineup.
TRENTON
Record/rank: 32-9, No. 15
Coach: Todd Szalka, 12th season (283-157-1)
League finish: Second in Downriver League
Championship history: Class B champion 1994.
Players to watch: Adam Wilding, jr. P/IF (.458, 43 R, 25 2B, 38 RBI, 22 SB, 5-2 pitching, 2.77 ERA); Jay Solano, sr. P/IF (.427, 33 R, 11 2B, 27 RBI, 12 SB, 4-1 pitching, 2.00 ERA); Kyle Richey jr. P/1B (10-3, 1.09 ERA, 92 K/71 IP); Gabe Cavazos, jr. P/OF (.425, 32 R, 31 RBI).
Outlook: Trenton is playing in its first Semifinal since 2001 and riding a 10-game winning streak. Another reason for excitement is this team has only three seniors – but makes up for any tournament inexperience with assistants Gary Szalka and Bob Jones, who have a combined 90 years of coaching experience in varsity baseball; Szalka ranks 20th all-time with 648 wins from his 37 seasons at Melvindale (1971-2009). Trenton finished second in its league only to Division 1 top-ranked Brownstown Woodhaven. Junior Brenden Donovan (.387, 41 R) and sophomore pitcher Micah Ottenbreit (8-1, 1.32 ERA, 83 K) are others who are likely to play big roles this weekend.
Division 3
GLADSTONE
Record/rank: 29-7, No. 13
Coach: Kelly Shea, first season (29-7)
League finish: First in Great Northern Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Carson Shea, sr. P (.429, 22 SB, 10-1 pitching, 0.63 ERA); Cooper Cavadeas, sr. C (.378, 23 RBI); Cody Frappier, sr. RF (.382, 30 R, 29 RBI); Daniel Martin, sr. DH (.347, 36 R, 28 RBI, 25 SB).
Outlook: Gladstone is back at the Semifinals for the second straight season and fifth time in six years. The Braves have won 13 of their last 14 games and advanced with a Super Regional Final victory over No. 7 Beaverton. Frappier and Carson Shea were among key cogs on last season’s Semifinals team as well, and junior shortstop Zach Hanson (.346, 19 SB) is another impact bat from the lead-off spot and also is 4-1 on the mound. Kelly Shea formerly coached the junior varsity and as a varsity assistant before taking over the program this spring.
GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT
Record/rank: 23-9, No. 4
Coach: Dan Cimini, 16th season (438-99)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League AA
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2016), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Billy Kopicki, sr. SS/P (.411, 25 R, 15 2B, 24 RBI, 16 SB, 2-1 pitching, 2.10 ERA); Alec Azar, sr. P (.357, 11-3 pitching, 1.46 ERA, 104 K/91 IP); Logan King, sr. P/OF (.365, 17 2B, 28 RBI, 6-2 pitching, 2.42 ERA, 73 K/63 2/3 IP); Drew Zelenak, jr. P/OF (.325, 19 RBI).
Outlook: After two seasons playing in Division 1, Liggett is back in Division 3 and a contender for its fifth championship this decade after winning Division 3 in 2014 and 2016 and Division 4 in 2011 and 2013. Azar was an all-state first-team selection in Division 1 last season and this spring one of just five seniors – although all five start. Four losses were to teams either ranked in Division 1 at the end of the regular season or playing in the Semifinals on Thursday, and Liggett has wins over Brother Rice, Portage Northern and Grosse Pointe South among other larger programs. Kopicki will continue his career at Miami University at Ohio.
HOMER
Record/rank: 31-3, No. 6
Coach: Scott Salow, 19th season (559-128)
League finish: Second in Big 8 Conference
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2006), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Zach Butters, sr. P/UTY (. 419, 36 R, 10 2B, 41 RBI, 10 SB, 9-1 pitching, 1.16 ERA, 75 K/60 1/3 IP); TJ VanderKuyl, jr. SS/P (.377, 38 R, 21 RBI, 23 SB, 5-1 pitching, 2.00 ERA); Jacob Wilson, jr. P/OF (.393, 36 R, 19 RBI, 10-1 pitching, 0.82 ERA, 103 K/59 2/3 IP); Kyle Compton, sr. 2B (.449, 38 R, 25 RBI, 10 SB).
Outlook: Homer will follow its third Quarterfinal this decade with its first trip back to the Semifinals since 2006. The Trojans have earned their way with their last three wins over No. 5 Ann Arbor Greenhills, No. 12 Michigan Center and No. 16 Blissfield, and they beat Division 2 No. 6 Edwardsburg during the regular season. Butters made the all-state second team as a pitcher last season, and six pitchers total have at least one win for Homer this spring. Nine regulars are hitting .323 or better; seniors Seth Deigert (.364, 40 RBI) and Gabe Farmer (.356, 34 RBI) and sophomore Damaso LeBron (.351, 40 R) also are main run producers.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Record/rank: 31-2, No. 1
Coach: Mark Rademacher, 35th season (554-325)
League finish: Tied for first in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Class C runner-up 1991.
Players to watch: Anthony Pohl, sr. C (.376, 28 RBI); Brendan Thelen, sr. P/OF (.381, 36 R, 19 SB, 14-0 pitching, 0.73 ERA, 101 K/77 IP); Keegan Smith, jr. P/IF (.410, 29 R, 25 RBI); Tanner Wirth, fr. OF (.441, 35 R, 31 RBI, 18 SB).
Outlook: Pewamo-Westphalia has followed its first Regional title since 1991 with its first trip to the Semifinals since that runner-up season and built its highest win total in Rademacher’s 35 seasons leading the program. The Pirates shared their league title with Portland St. Patrick, top-ranked in Division 4 at the end of the regular season, and their only losses were to the Shamrocks and Division 1-ranked Grand Ledge. Junior shortstop Ethan Thelen is another significant contributor, hitting .351 from the fifth spot, and junior third baseman Ethan Smith is hitting .329 from clean-up and is 11-1 with a 1.55 ERA on the mound.
Division 4
DECATUR
Record/rank: 32-6, No. 5
Coach: Ben Botti, 25th season (543-241-1)
League finish: First in Southwest 10 Conference
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2012), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Jakob Southworth, sr. P/1B (.438, 38 R, 11 2B, 27 RBI, 17 SB, 12-1 pitching, 0.93 ERA, 103 K/67 2/3 IP); Travis Hunsberger, sr. P/OF (.301, 33 R, 25 RBI, 14 SB, 8-3 pitching, 1.47 ERA, 79 K/57 IP); Benjamin Cerven, jr. 2B (.388, 46 R, 11 2B, 24 RBI, 28 SB, 3-0 pitching, 0.00 ERA); Justin Gale, sr. IF/P (.410, 29 R, 13 2B, 43 RBI, 16 SB, 1-0 pitching, 0.68 ERA).
Outlook: Decatur will play in its first Semifinals since finishing Division 3 runner-up in 2014, and this team has made significant strides with the program’s first league title since 2016 while continuing a District streak that now stretches nine seasons. The Raiders have won 17 straight games, with postseason victories over No. 12 Kalamazoo Christian, No. 14 Three Oaks River Valley and No. 18 Colon highlighting the run. The team has only four seniors, but they are high-impact – in addition to Hunsberger, Southworth and Gale mentioned above, shortstop Garrett Smith is hitting .354 from the nine spot in the lineup, another of eight regulars at .300 or higher from the plate.
GAYLORD ST. MARY
Record/rank: 26-5, No. 7
Coach: Matt Nowicki, 15th season (268-171)
League finish: First in Ski Valley Conference
Championship history: Class D runner-up 1988 and 1989.
Players to watch: Drew Koenig, jr. P/C (.400, 10 2B, 37 RBI, 11-4 pitching, 2.56 ERA, 95 K/71 IP); Brady Hunter, jr. CF (.427, 47 R, 10 2B, 33 RBI, 25 SB, 3-0 pitching, 1.88 ERA); Andrew Zielinski, jr. 3B (.356, 39 R, 25 RBI, 14 SB, 2-0 pitching, 1.57 ERA); Alex Pudvan, jr. 1B (.356, 35 RBI).
Outlook: St. Mary is making its fourth straight trip to the Semifinals. This team is led in part by Koenig, an all-state first-team selection as a pitcher last spring, and junior Joseph Moeggenberg (9-0, 1.48 ERA) could take the mound Saturday if the Snowbirds reach their first Final. St. Mary has scored double-digit runs in 13 games this season, including four of five during the playoffs and 14 runs against No. 16 Norway in the Super Regional Final. Moeggenberg (.347) and junior shortstop Steven Koscielniak (.330, 33 R) are two more run producers for a team hitting .335 as a whole.
PETERSBURG SUMMERFIELD
Record/rank: 26-4, No. 3
Coach: Travis Pant, fifth season (87-69)
League finish: First in Tri-County Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Derek Clark, jr. P/OF (.494, 44 R, 52 SB, 12-0 pitching, 0.22 ERA, 105 K/63 IP); Ethan Eyler, soph. RF (.418, 31 R, 37 RBI, 18 SB), Mark Keller, sr. 1B/P (.415, 34 R, 11 2B, 26 RBI, 10 SB); Brendan Dafoe, jr. SS (.402, 32 R, 18 SB).
Outlook: Summerfield took a step from last season’s Quarterfinal loss to make the Semifinals for the first time this spring, in part on the strength of a pitching staff led by Clark but also including sophomore Brock Olmstead (6-1, 0.76 ERA) and junior Brandon Tyler (4-0, 0.48 ERA). Clark made the all-state first team last season, and Dafoe made the second. They help drive an offense that has outscored its six postseason opponents by a combined 75-2 – including an 11-0 win over No. 15 Marine City Cardinal Mooney in the Super Regional Final. What’s more, Keller is the team’s only senior starter.
SAGINAW NOUVEL
Record/rank: 14-16-1, unranked
Coach: Shawn Larson, second season (33-26-1)
League finish: Sixth in Tri-Valley Conference West
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2005), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Justin Osmond, jr. IF (.418, 25 R, 27 SB); Brady Alverson, soph. IF/P (.378, 24 R, 11 2B, 27 RBI); Harrison Dwan, jr. CF/P (.344, 30 R, 36 SB), Jacob Burr, sr. P/IF (3.16 ERA).
Outlook: Nouvel has been in the mix plenty over the years, most recently making the Semifinals in 2012 in Division 3. However, this has been an incredible run. Nouvel so far this tournament has eliminated No. 8 and reigning champ Beal City, No. 11 Marlette and No. 19 Bay City All Saints, a memorable send-off for five seniors who all play significant roles and important experience for a team that should return its top hitters in 2020.
PHOTO: Portage Northern ace Cam French winds up during his team’s Super Regional win over Brownstown Woodhaven on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of the Portage Northern baseball program.)