Moment: Hartland Wins Marathon Matchup
April 29, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Hartland and Portage Northern both entered the 2015 Division 1 baseball championship game as frequent contenders, but both pursuing their first Finals title on the diamond.
Over the last five seasons, both have gone on to claim what previously had been elusive – but a 10-inning marathon decided which program would celebrate first.
On the arm of pitcher John Baker, and thanks to Brett Oliver’s game-winning drive up the hill in right field at McLane Stadium, Hartland earned that privilege with a 2-1 win over the Huskies.
Richard Bortle had led off the 10th inning for Hartland, setting up the eventual blast by the ninth-hitting Oliver. Baker, meanwhile, threw all 10 innings and struck out 11 while giving up only five hits. He also drove in the game’s first run, in the bottom of the first inning.
“Getting over the Quarterfinal hump was huge for our program because we’ve been getting there, we’ve been pretty successful,” said Hartland coach Brian Morrison that day, referring to how his team had made the Quarterfinals four times in seven seasons. “We kept knocking on the door and finally broke through. You get here and anything can happen.”
Portage Northern enjoyed a similarly-strong eight innings from its starter, Tommy Henry, who gave up just the first run while striking out eight. The Huskies did earn their first baseball championship last year, defeating Rockford in the title game.
Click for coverage of the 2015 Final from Second Half and watch the game winner below from the NFHS Network.
Flashback 100: Michigan High School Baseball Trio Provide World Series Voices
November 1, 2024
The 2024 Major League Baseball World Series showcased a distinct Michigan flair during its television broadcasts these last few weeks.
The Los Angeles Dodgers triumphed over the New York Yankees in five games, with viewers treated to the commentary of Joe Davis and John Smoltz, while Derek Jeter made appearances on the pre- and postgame shows. Notably, all three athletes hail from Michigan and have left their mark on the sports field.
Davis graduated from Potterville High School in 2006, where he earned honorable mention all-state honors as a quarterback while playing football for his father, Paul. He played four years of baseball at Potterville, too. After high school, he continued his football career at Beloit College in Wisconsin before transitioning to broadcasting. Today, he serves as the television voice of the Dodgers and covers both MLB and NFL national games for Fox.
John Smoltz, a graduate of Lansing Waverly in 1985, made his mark as an all-state basketball player but gained fame on the baseball diamond. During his senior year, he hit a game-winning home run in the championship game of the Greater Lansing Diamond Classic after pitching in the semifinal. Drafted by the Detroit Tigers out of high school, Smoltz enjoyed a remarkable 21-year career in Major League Baseball, spending 20 seasons with the Atlanta Braves. He holds the unique distinction of being the only pitcher in history to record 200 wins and 150 saves.
Derek Jeter graduated from Kalamazoo Central in 1992, where he was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year after an impressive third consecutive season with a batting average exceeding .500. In addition to baseball, he also excelled in cross country and basketball. Jeter was selected in the first round of the 1992 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, where he went on to win five World Series championships during his illustrious 20-year career.
Both Jeter and Smoltz are members of the MLB Hall of Fame, representing two of only six inductees who played high school baseball in Michigan.
Previous "Flashback 100" Features
Oct. 25: Flashback 100: Before Leading Free World, Ford Starred for Champion GR South - Read
Oct. 18: Mercy Links Legend Becomes World Golf Hall of Famer - Read
Oct. 11: Fisher Races to Finals Stardom on Way to U.S. Olympic First - Read
Oct. 4: Lalas Leaves High School Legacies on Ice & Pitch - Read
Sept. 27: Tamer's History-Making Run Starts in Dexter, Continues to Paris - Read
Sept. 20: Todd Martin’s Road to Greatness Starts at East Lansing - Read
Sept. 13: James Earl Jones, Dickson High Hoops to Hollywood Legend - Read
Sept. 6: Pioneers' Unstoppable Streak Stretches 9 Seasons - Read
Aug. 30: Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship - Read
PHOTOS Top row, from left: Fox Sports broadcasters Joe Davis, John Smoltz and Derek Jeter. Bottom row from left, Davis as a student at Potterville, Smoltz pitching for Lansing Waverly and Jeter playing infield for Kalamazoo Central. (Current photos courtesy of Fox Sports. Past photos courtesy of Potterville High School, the Lansing State Journal and the Detroit Free Press, respectively.)