WHITEHALL — Whitehall’s baseball team hosted a round-robin event Saturday (April 29, 2023) featuring state-ranked squads from North Muskegon and Bay City John Glenn.
CatchMark’s Scott DeCamp captured photos and video from the first game of the day, featuring North Muskegon’s 16-1, four-inning victory over Whitehall.
CatchMark student reporter Emily Vanderstelt shot images of Division 2 fifth-ranked John Glenn’s 5-3 win over Division 3 No. 16 North Muskegon as well as John Glenn’s 7-4 victory over Whitehall.
North Muskegon-Whitehall photos can be seen at the top of this story, followed by this video highlighting a three-run home run by Norse junior Ben Meyers:
NORTH MUSKEGON 16, WHITEHALL 1 (4 INNINGS)
North Muskegon rapped out 16 hits in the game and scored 10 runs in the fourth inning.
Ben Meyers finished 3-for-4 at the plate for North Muskegon with a three-run home run (his second homer of the season), a double and three runs scored.
Denny Belmonte was 3-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI for the Norse.
Carsen Moat was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored for the Norsemen.
Ryan Delora tripled for North Muskegon, while John Caliendo, Carter Mieler and Charlie Meyers had doubles for the Norse. Delora, Caliendo, Mieler and Charlie Meyers had two RBIs apiece.
Troy McManus earned the pitching win for North Muskegon. The left-hander allowed three hits and one earned run with five strikeouts and two walks in four innings. He carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning.
Landon Howe led Whitehall with an RBI double.
Jack McDowell took the pitching loss for the Vikings, allowing six runs on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks in three innings.
Photos by Emily Vanderstelt for CatchMark
BAY CITY JOHN GLENN 5, NORTH MUSKEGON 3
Tanner Sonntag, a senior shortstop and pitcher commited to Division I Oakland University, hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie for John Glenn. He finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored. He also earned the pitching win, allowing two hits with four strikeouts and no walks in two innings of relief.
Brody Krzysiak, also an Oakland University commit, had two hits and two runs scored for the Bobcats.
Belmonte, Mieler and Sam Gallo had two hits apiece to lead North Muskegon. One of Gallo’s hits was a double.
Delora took the pitching loss for the Norse. He allowed five runs on five hits with five strikeouts and four walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Photos by Emily Vanderstelt for CatchMark
BAY CITY JOHN GLENN 7, WHITEHALL 4
Nathan Ball went 2-for-2, including a home run, to lead John Glenn. He drove in two runs and scored two.
Sonntag, Krzysiak, T.J. Cwiklinski and Wilson Weyrowske finished with two hits apiece for the Bobcats. Sonntag and Krzysiak doubled.
Brock Morningstar paced Whitehall with three hits and an RBI, while Howe and Ryne Christensen had two hits apiece. Each of those Vikings doubled in the game.
MEET TROY ‘EL TORO’ MCMANUS
CatchMark Sports Podcast co-host Ken Byard is a man of many hats. One that the former North Muskegon principal wears is being perhaps one of the biggest supporters of Norse athletics.
Between North Muskegon’s games Saturday, Byard had a little fun with Norse senior pitcher Troy McManus. Playfully, Byard dubbed McManus “El Toro,” which means “the bull.”
Watch the TikTok below for the light-hearted moment: