Marcellus Baseball Making History with 1st League Title, Perfect Regular-Season Record

By Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com

May 28, 2024

MARCELLUS – Crowds have grown so big at Marcellus baseball games this spring that Don Price, the school's athletic director, had to hire extra gate help and make sure the athletic boosters had the concession stand well-stocked.

Southwest CorridorThe Wildcats have put together a memorable baseball season for this community of just more than 1,000 residents located in Cass County.

Marcellus, ranked No. 8 in Division 4, ended its regular season last week at 27-0, which included capturing first place in the Southwest 10 Conference title with a 19-0 mark.

It was the first unbeaten regular season and conference title in the history of Marcellus' baseball program.

With all of that behind the team now, coach Christian Hutson is busily preparing his ballclub for Saturday's noon District Semifinal clash against Burr Oak. Marcellus, just 13-19 a year ago, features a roster that includes four seniors, a pair of juniors, one sophomore and seven freshmen.

"We're hoping to make a run, but first we have to get through a tough District at Centreville. We have to approach it one game at a time. Any team can beat you on any given day," Hutson said.

"Our seniors have gone through lots of growing pains. They've all been asked to play a huge role for us from a young age,” Hutson added. “Now it's all come to life and they are playing real baseball, making plays and picking one another up. Everything has finally come together for these kids.”

A strong pitching staff has been one of the biggest keys to the Wildcats' success. Senior Dawsen Lehew is 5-0 with one save, a 1.04 ERA and 33 strikeouts. Nathan Mihills, another senior, is also 5-0 with one save, a 2.66 ERA and 32 strikeouts and he starts at first base when freshman Cale Hackenberg takes the mound.

"Dawsen won't be outworked. He comes in day in and day out and gives his best performance," Hutson said. "Nathan is Mr. Reliable. He's the guy who stays after practice and makes sure everything is cleaned up and that the field is raked and there's no trash left in the dugout."

Mihills also fills the role of lead-off hitter and threw a no-hitter against Bangor.

"The juniors and seniors have been through the hardship of it all, but it's helped shape us to where we are now. Our freshmen are a great addition. We're all great friends. I'm not a bit scared of who the ball is hit to because I know they'll come up with a good play,” Mihills said. “I'm a lefty and I feel pretty consistent when my curveball is on. Our coaches do a great job preparing us for game situations."

Marcellus freshman pitcher/third baseman Cale Hackenberg, left, stands with grandfather Ron Welburn, for whom the team’s field is named. Lehew agrees with his senior teammate: "Our confidence allows us to play with high energy. We've been hitting the rock very well and our pitching has been real solid. We have a new pitching coach (Ryan Coffey) who has helped me with my velocity and control. I feel like everything is flowing really well at this point."

Two freshmen have also filled big roles on the hill for Marcellus. Hackenberg has been one of the Wildcats' top aces so far with a 6-0 record, including two saves, a 1.83 ERA and 76 strikeouts. Abram Coffey is 9-0 with two saves, a 2.21 ERA and 67 strikeouts.

"On any given night, any of one of our four pitchers could be our No. 1 starter. That's what makes us so special," Hutson said.

Hackenberg has played baseball since age 9. "It took us a couple games up on varsity to settle in as freshmen, but we've done okay. I have a couple pitches that have worked well for me this season" he said.

Hackenberg is the grandson of Ron Welburn, after whom Marcellus' home field is named. Welburn, a former village president, was instrumental in the construction of the field.

"When I was on the village council our old field was on the other side of town, and that was inconvenient for the school. We got a recreational grant from the State of Michigan to build a new field. I went and spoke to the school, and they thought that would be a fantastic idea. After running into some issues with the contractor, I resigned from the council and with the help of Rock Powell and Roy Mann we worked together and finished the field," Welburn said. "It's fantastic to see these boys having some success now. It's quite an honor to be able to come out and watch them."

Marcellus' team batting average is .348, and the Wildcats have scored 326 runs – an average of 12.1 per game.

Coffey, the squad's No. 2 batter and starting shortstop when he's not pitching, is Marcellus' top hitter with a .587 average, 15 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 49 RBI, 43 stolen bases and a .712 on-base percentage. Hackenberg, the No. 3 hitter, is batting .438 with 13 doubles, 37 RBI and 25 stolen bases with an on-base percentage of .566.

Batting in the clean-up spot is senior catcher Brock Buck. Buck is hitting .339 with five doubles, one home run, 17 RBI, and he has 20 stolen bases with .565 on-base percentage.

"Brock's been our glue behind the plate the last four years," Hutson said.

Senior centerfielder Cole Thornburgh is the Wildcats' No. 5 hitter with a .390 average, including eight doubles, 28 RBI, 23 stolen bases and a .465 on-base percentage.

 The Marcellus varsity baseball team and coaching staff hold up the Southwest 10 Conference championship banner last week after a doubleheader sweep of Cassopolis. "Cole keeps us on our toes and always has something funny to say. We asked him to step up this year, and he's answered the bell," Hutson said.

Other starters playing critical roles for Marcellus are juniors Parker Adams at second base and right fielder Brock McWilliams, along with freshmen designated hitter Zade Tyszka and left fielder Matthew Lehew, Dawsen's younger brother.

"At the plate, it's not just one or two guys – it's our entire lineup. Everyone on this team has contributed whether it's with a hit, stolen base or scoring the go-ahead run," Hutson said.

Trust is another huge factor. "Defensively, we have a lot of versatile kids who we can shift around to different positions. I trust every kid we have out on the field," Hutson said.

Hutson points to the Wildcats' team speed as another key element. Marcellus has 229 stolen bases this season.

"We have great team speed, and we pick and choose our spots. Our kids are fast, and that translates to good things happening on the basepaths," Hutson said.

Good team chemistry has also played a vital role.

"This group is just a bunch of good ol’ country boys. They'll go out together fishing or spearing after a night of practice," Hutson said. “Our community has rallied around us, been very supportive and bring so much energy for us. That makes it a lot easier to play at such a high level. Every night feels like a homecoming.”

Marcellus' head coach also pointed out the contributions of assistant coaches Chauncey Hackenberg, Kyle Kahler and Tyler Coffey.

"My three coaches are absolutely amazing. Chauncey is our accountability guy who gets things done. Tyler has been great developing our pitchers. Kyle, my cousin, works with our infielders and is the level-headed one. I'm more of an outfield guy and work a lot with our hitters," Hutson said.

Hutson lists former Decatur head coach Ben Botti and Keith Schreiber as his biggest mentors. Botti is a member of the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Schreiber, previously the head coach at Glen Oaks Community College and now heading Dowagiac’s program, coached Hutson on the 2010 GOCC squad that won a Western Conference championship.

"I've had two really good mentors in Ben and Keith. They are amazing coaches with so much baseball knowledge. They both check in with me and are good resources," Hutson said.

For Hutson and his ballclub, the feeling of being undefeated so far hasn't quite sunk in.

"Baseball is a funny game,” Hutson said. “We've had a lot of tight and one-run games, but our kids continue to battle and scrap and get the job done."

Scott HassingerScott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Marcellus senior pitcher Dawsen Lehew makes his move toward the plate during a recent game. (Middle) Marcellus freshman pitcher/third baseman Cale Hackenberg, left, stands with grandfather Ron Welburn, for whom the team’s field is named. (Below) The Marcellus varsity baseball team and coaching staff hold up the Southwest 10 Conference championship banner last week after a doubleheader sweep of Cassopolis. (Photos by Scott Hassinger.)

Hudson's Horwaths Producing Chart-Topping Hits for Tigers' Diamond Teams

By Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com

May 25, 2022

HUDSON – Let it be known that there is little debate in the Horwath household who has the sweetest swing on the diamond. Dinah does.

“I like my swing and I think it’s good but, honestly, I have to say she does,” said Ambrose Horwath, a junior three-sport athlete at Hudson High School in Lenawee County. 

“I think mine is better,” said Dinah, laughing – but agreeing.

No matter whose swing is better, they both are swinging hot bats this spring.

Going into this week, Dinah Horwath, a sophomore, was batting .479 and has been at or around .500 all season. She is the Lenawee County leader in hits (46), runs (44) and RBI (36). 

Ambrose is batting a healthy .466. He’s among the Lenawee County leaders in hits (41), runs (37), RBIs (34), pitching wins (8) and strikeouts (49). 

The two have a sibling rivalry, but there’s no competition to who will have the highest average at the end of the season. That’s because they are both rooting for each other. 

“A couple of weeks ago, Ambrose was in a two or three-day slump,” said Hudson athletic director and varsity baseball coach Jeremy Beal. “After our practice I walked back to our field and there was Ambrose and Dinah. She was throwing soft toss to him. They must have had two buckets of balls. 

“I’ve seen that before among brothers, but never a brother and sister. It was awesome.”

Ambrose’s slump didn’t last long. 

“They pull for each other, and both have really good attitudes,” Beal said.

Hudson softballThe Horwaths are a sports-crazed family. Father Lance is a Waldron native who is a principal in the Hudson school district and the Tigers varsity boys basketball coach. He played college baseball at Defiance, where he met Jamie. They were later married and had two kids – Ambrose and Dinah.

“I played college baseball with her brothers,” he said. “That’s how we met.”

Horwath was a teacher at Camden-Frontier when he moved into the Hudson district a little more than two decades ago. Ambrose has been a varsity basketball player since his freshman season and will go into his senior campaign a few 3-pointers shy of 1,000 career points. He also was a starter on Hudson’s Division 8 championship football team in the fall.

Dinah has plenty of varsity experience herself, despite being just as sophomore. She was second on the team in scoring this past basketball season and one of the area's top 3-point shooters. She said she and Ambrose often play one-on-one in basketball.

“We’ve done that since we were little,” she said. “We’re competitive, but we get along very well. We don’t really fight.”

Lance Horwath said the two of them are often together working on either their shot in basketball or swing in baseball/softball.

“They are always playing something,” Lance said. “Sports is a big part of our family. They’ve both been playing since before they even started school. It’s cool to see them together. They are very supportive of one another.”

Dinah, who is considering pursuing a career in sports management, throws right-handed in softball but has been batting from the left side of the box since she picked up a bat.

“From Day 1, she’s batted lefthanded,” Lance Horwath said. “I put her on the left side of the plate because that’s how I batted, and I wanted to teach her. She makes good contact.

“I love how she’s carved out her own niche in softball. She played travel ball when she was younger. She just loves playing the sport.”

Hudson softball coach Amy Hill said Dinah is constantly trying to get better.

“Her secret is she works very hard,” Hill said. “She puts in the time to improve and takes practice time seriously. She spends a lot of time on the tee. She’s a coach’s dream, always looking for ways to improve.”

Hudson baseballDuring Hudson’s baseball and softball games, Lance and Jamie try to find a location where they can stand and watch both games. 

“In Hudson, we can stand along the leftfield line and see both games,” he said. “They are both fun to watch. We’re blessed.”

If one sibling’s game ends early, the other gets to the other field as quickly as possible.

“I like it when our games get done so I can get over and see him play,” Dinah said.

Ambrose is no different.

“It’s cool to get to watch her games,” he said. “Every time I look over there or go watch, she’s on base.”

Ambrose said sports came natural to them.

“We will go out and hit together two or three times a week,” he said. “We’ve always been very close. It helps, I think, that we are only one year apart. 

Hudson’s baseball team is looking to make some history this spring. The football and wrestling teams have already captured state championships, as did the competitive cheer team. The baseball team is 23-5 and close to winning at least a share of its first Lenawee County Athletic Association championship since 1968.

The Tigers are 9-3 with a doubleheader remaining against Ida. Onsted leads the league at 8-2 but has doubleheaders remaining against Clinton and Dundee, both formidable opponents.  

“We need some help for that to happen,” Ambrose said. “But we just have to take care of our games first.”

Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Dinah, left, and brother Ambrose Horwath are among Lenawee County’s leading hitters in their respective sports. (Middle) Dinah prepares for the pitch from her spot in the infield. (Below) Ambrose makes his move toward the plate. (Photos by Rachel Stiverson.)