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.

Southwest CorridorWhen 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.”

Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep baseballSteve 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.”

Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep baseballBrice 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 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) 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.)

Bridgman Finishes 'Miracle' Title Pursuit with 1st Championship since 1987

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

June 17, 2023

EAST LANSING - There’s exceeding a coach’s expectations, and then there is exceeding the expectations Bridgman head coach Justin Hahaj had for his team when the 2023 season started.

“I went through the schedule and thought we’d be a .500 baseball team,” Hahaj said. 

Bridgman ended up being 24 games – and a Division 3 championship – better than that.

The Bees ended up 33-9, with the last win a 7-1 victory over No. 1-ranked Algonac in the Final on Saturday at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium.

The title was Bridgman baseball’s first since 1987.

“This is a miracle what happened with this group,” Hahaj said. “It’s just a testament to what happens when people play for each other.”

Nolan Roberts (2) and a teammate celebrate. It was the second time Hahaj had coached Bridgman in Final, with the first in 2013 when the Bees lost to Madison Heights Bishop Foley. 

Bridgman hadn’t been beyond the District round of the MHSAA Tournament since, with hurdles such as 2022 Division 3 champion Buchanan and Niles Brandywine always standing in the way during the opening week. 

In a District Final this year, Bridgman used an incredible comeback against Niles Brandywine to get past that barrier. The Bees rallied from a 9-1 deficit to beat Brandywine in 10 innings, 10-9. 

Bridgman then recorded one-run wins in a Regional Final (4-3 over Grass Lake), Quarterfinal (4-3 over Ottawa Lake Whiteford in nine innings) and Semifinal (3-2 over Standish-Sterling) to earn a shot at Algonac. 

“The team that comes out of that District — because we play such good baseball against each other — is just primed and ready for tournament runs,” Hahaj said. 

Bridgman completed its long tournament run thanks to the pitching of sophomore Charlie Pagel. By no means a hard thrower, Pagel confounded Algonac with guile and an assortment of breaking pitches, tossing a 3-hitter.

He struck out five and walked one.

“I don’t throw very fast, so I just wanted to keep them off-balance with the off-speed and that was about it,” Pagel said. 

Making its first appearance in a Final, Algonac finished 38-4. 

Bridgman’s Charlie Pagel delivers a pitch.In addition to not being able to figure out Pagel, defensive miscues also proved costly for the Muskrats. 

“You know every pitcher is going to be a strike thrower when you get to this situation,” Algonac head coach Scott Thaler said of Pagel. “I thought he did a nice job of getting strike one over. His curveball was working, so he was able to get some groundballs. We didn’t really do a good job of adjusting to those curveballs and off-speed pitches.”

Bridgman opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the third inning, taking a 1-0 lead after loading the bases with one out.

An infield popup eluded Algonac and landed fair, and while the batter was out due to the infield fly rule, a run was able to score. Senior Riley Gloe then singled up the middle to score two runs, one of which was earned and another unearned following an Algonac throwing error. Senior Nolan Roberts then blooped a double down the right-field line to score a run and make it 4-0 Bees.  

Bridgman added two runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Roberts and a fielder’s choice. 

Algonac finally broke through in its half of the sixth, cutting Bridgman’s lead to 6-1 on an RBI single by junior Evan Sadler. But Bridgman got that run back in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Pagel to make it 7-1. 

Pagel, Gloe, Roberts and junior Alec MacMartin each had two hits to lead the 10-hit attack for Bridgman. 

Click for the box score.

PHOTOS (Top) Bridgman scores one of its seven runs during Saturday’s Division 3 championship game. (Middle) Nolan Roberts (2) and a teammate celebrate. (Below) Bridgman’s Charlie Pagel delivers a pitch. (Photos by John Castine/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)