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Things Change, Result Same for Ventures

June 14, 2013

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

BATTLE CREEK – Last season as a sophomore, Garrett Schilling was Madison Heights Bishop Foley’s number two starting pitcher and earned a complete-game victory in the team’s Division 3 Semifinal.

Now the team’s ace and a junior, he did exactly the same Friday against Bridgman.

Bishop Foley advanced to the championship game with 6-0 victory at Bailey Park

Some things haven’t changed since a year ago. And yet, so much is different for Schilling and the Ventures.

Many of the teammates surrounding him in the lineup last spring graduated, with his catcher Brett Sunde moving on to Western Michigan University. 

But Schilling and his current crew find themselves one win away, again, from an MHSAA title – which would be their third straight if they can defeat Grandville Calvin Christian on Saturday. 

“We’ve just got a great group of guys. We’re all a family here,” Schilling said. “If one guy has a bad day, the other guy is picking (him) up. We haven’t really skipped a beat. We just have to keep rolling.” 

The top-ranked Ventures take on Calvin Christian at 3:30 p.m. at C.O. Brown Stadium.

And there’s a good chance Schilling could see the mound for a few more innings, if needed. 

He improved to 15-0 this season by beating Bridgman, and he’s 31-0 during his varsity career. He was nearly untouchable this time, giving up three hits, walking none and striking out nine. 

Schilling throws five pitches, and Bishop Foley coach Buster Sunde said his ace can throw all of them for strikes on demand.

“I can’t say enough about him,” Sunde said. “He’s got command of so many pitchers. It’s so hard even when (batters) see him the second time around. He’s not throwing the same pitches to hitters.” 

Schilling also was 2-for-4 at the plate with one of the team’s six stolen bases and a run scored. Sophomore Nathaniel Grys was 2-for-4 with two RBI, and junior Austin Lukaschewski was 2-for-3.

Senior Brady Wasko was one of three Bridgman players to hit safely, and he also pitched in relief to finish the game for the Bees (26-6-1). 

Grandville Calvin Christian 5, Whittemore-Prescott 1

Junior Jamie Bristol won a competitive pitching battle, allowing only four hits and striking out six for Calvin Christian (24-3). He also had a hit and an RBI. 

Whittemore-Prescott senior Tyler Janish also threw a complete game, but only two of the Squires’ runs were earned. Janish gave up only five hits, one walk, and he struck out seven. 

Senior third baseman Josh DeYoung was 2-for-3 with two RBI for Calvin Christian, which scored three runs in the first inning and built the 5-1 advantage by the end of the second. 

The Cardinals were making their first appearance in an MHSAA Semifinal. They finished this spring 24-6. 

Click for full box scores.

PHOTOS: (Top) A Bishop Foley batter swings through a pitch, but the Ventures found the ball enough to score five runs against Bridgman on Friday. (Middle) Calvin Christian catcher Danny Carrasco prepares to unload a throw to second base during Saturday's win over Whittemore-Prescott. (Click to see more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)

High 5s: 6/12/12

June 14, 2012

A few thousand teams began this spring on MHSAA fields and courts. Heading into the final weekend of the 2011-12 school year, that number is down to 100 and change.

Each week, Second Half gives "High 5s" to athletes and a team based on their accomplishments the previous week or throughout the season. Below are an athlete and team who will be looking to finish this season with one last win.

Josh Vyletel
Howell senior
Pitcher

Vyletel threw a complete-game no-hitter as Howell beat rival Brighton 4-3 in a Division 1 Quarterfinal on Tuesday to advance to the MHSAA Semifinals for the first time. Vyletel improved to 15-2 this spring, which ties him for 10th in the MHSAA record book for most wins in one season. He’ll take the ball again Friday for the Highlanders against Warren DeLaSalle at Battle Creek’s Bailey Park.

My kind of pitcher: “I want to be a pitcher that’s a go-to guy. I always want to be consistent. I know how to throw strikes; I don’t walk too many batters. I know if I get it over the plate, good things will happen. I’m not really the kind of pitcher that will blow it by you. My game is hitting the corners and such, and when I do it pretty well and locate my pitches, I believe in myself.”

He winds up and delivers: “My fastball moves by itself, and I usually keep them off-balance with the curve. My fastball and curveball I can locate the best.”

No. 1 highlight: “Against Brighton, the last game we played. It was crazy. There was a big crowd, and every pitch the parents and students were just going out cheering. It got my adrenaline going.”

I learned the most about baseball from: “My dad (John) has always been there for me. He’s always backing me up on baseball. He was never a great baseball player, but he says if you believe in yourself you can go far in life. He taught me to believe in myself.”

Up next: Vyletel will attend Lansing Community College beginning this fall and join the Stars’ baseball team. 

Grandville Calvin Christian girls soccer

Calvin Christian will play for its first MHSAA championship Saturday at Michigan State University. Last weekend, the Squires (24-2-1) knocked out two ranked teams in last week’s Division 4 Regional – first No. 8 St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 7-0 and then No. 2 Kalamazoo Christian 7-2. The Squires entered the postseason ranked No. 4.

This spring's previous honorees