Shelby and Manistee punched their tickets to regional championship games Wednesday night, moving one step closer to the state quarterfinals and keeping memorable seasons alive. Meanwhile, Spring Lake’s outstanding campaign came to a heartbreaking end in a one-run battle with Sparta, while Holton saw its postseason run conclude in regional action. As the road to East Lansing narrows, the Tigers and Mariners now find themselves just one win away from adding another chapter to already remarkable seasons.
Tigers One Win Away From First Regional Title Since 2010
Shelby’s postseason run continued Wednesday afternoon as the Tigers defeated host Kent City 7-3 in the MHSAA Division 3 Regional Semifinal, earning a trip to Saturday’s Regional Final against Kalamazoo Christian at Derek Jeter Field in Kalamazoo.
With Hall of Fame coach Brian Wright in his 45th and final season, the Tigers improved to 30-10 and moved within one victory of their first regional championship since 2010.
Shelby wasted little time getting on the board. DayDay Garcia drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and scored on an RBI single from Leighton Belasco for an early 1-0 advantage. After Kent City tied the game 2-2, the Tigers responded with two runs in the third inning and added two more in the fourth to take control.
Trevor Weiss earned the victory on the mound, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out four over five innings. DayDay Garcia closed the door with two strong innings of relief, striking out three and allowing only one hit.
Chase Simon led the offense, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Evan Waller added two hits and an RBI, while Eli Kelley, Cam Smith and Michael Regeczi each contributed hits.
Shelby out-hit Kent City 7-3 and overcame three defensive errors to continue what has become one of the most successful seasons in program history.
Saturday’s matchup features two teams playing their best baseball of the season.
Shelby enters with conference and district championships and has won three straight postseason games, including victories over Montague and Kent City.
Kalamazoo Christian advanced with a 9-2 win over Saugatuck and has been dominant throughout the tournament, outscoring district opponents 28-0. The Comets also own quality wins over teams such as Constantine, Bridgman, Parchment and Comstock.
Shelby’s veteran pitching staff, led by Trevor Weiss and DayDay Garcia, will be challenged by a Kalamazoo Christian offense that has been rolling throughout the postseason. If the Tigers continue to get strong performances on the mound and play the clean defense they’ve shown during their recent tournament run, they will have an excellent opportunity to capture their first regional championship since 2010 and keep Brian Wright’s final season alive.
Freshman Edmondson Leads Mariners Into Regional Championship
Freshman pitcher Hoyt Edmondson delivered a performance beyond his years Wednesday night, helping Manistee earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Harrison in the Division 3 Regional Semifinal.
Despite battling back discomfort earlier in the week, Edmondson went the distance, scattering seven hits while striking out seven and walking just one.
Manistee gave him an early lead in the first inning when Miles Joseph was hit by a pitch, Landin Sowa worked a walk and freshman Jacob Bielski came through with an RBI single to make it 1-0.
The Mariners added what proved to be the game-winning run in the fifth. Calvin Edmondson reached on a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored when Sowa ripped an RBI double.
Harrison threatened throughout the contest and collected seven hits, but Manistee’s defense committed just one error and continually made key plays behind its freshman starter. Bielski led the Mariners offensively, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Sowa drove in the eventual winning run. Braylen Zimmerman and Bielski each added stolen bases.
The win sends Manistee into Saturday’s Regional Final against Hancock at Gladstone High School. Hancock enters with the better record, but the Mariners have proven throughout the postseason that records mean little in June.
Manistee followed its district championship with Wednesday’s gritty regional semifinal win, while Hancock advanced with a 3-2 victory over Menominee. Both teams have been tested against strong competition and arrive in the regional final playing quality baseball.
The biggest storyline for Manistee is its youth. Edmondson and Bielski both played major roles Wednesday and continue to be key contributors during the Mariners’ postseason run.
Hancock’s experienced lineup will challenge Manistee’s emerging young pitching staff, but if the Mariners continue to play clean defense and deliver timely hits, they have a strong chance to keep their postseason run alive and advance to the state quarterfinals.
Sparta Ends Spring Lake’s Season
Spring Lake’s outstanding season came to a close Wednesday in a tightly contested Division 2 Regional Semifinal.
The Lakers finished 26-8 after capturing an OK Black Conference championship and district title.
Oliver Smies did everything he could to keep Spring Lake alive, reaching base in all three plate appearances with two doubles and a walk. He also struck out seven over four innings on the mound.
Max Feltner added a single and a walk, while Noah Sanders and Maddux Kipling each recorded hits.
Spring Lake’s lone run came in the sixth inning when Smies doubled and eventually scored on a pair of wild pitches. Sanders brought late drama to the seventh inning with a single and stolen base, but Sparta held on.
The Lakers were held to one run despite averaging nearly eight runs per game this season.
Sacred Heart Ends Holton’s Tournament Run
Holton’s postseason run came to an end Wednesday as Sacred Heart used a late offensive surge to claim a 13-0 victory in a Division 4 Regional Semifinal matchup.
The game was scoreless through the first two innings before Sacred Heart broke through with three runs in the third inning. The Irish continued to apply pressure, adding five runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to pull away.
Despite the final score, Holton received a strong effort on the mound from Brady Davis, who threw three innings without allowing a hit while striking out eight batters. Noah Zeien worked the final two innings and surrendered the only hit of the night for Holton while recording three strikeouts.
Offensively, Teegan Duffy led Holton with three hits. Davis and Hank MacDonald each collected two hits, while Nate Siler, Brody Collin and Jaxon Moore drove in two runs apiece during the postseason run.
The loss ends another successful season for the Red Devils, who advanced to regional play after capturing a district championship and finishing among the top teams in the area.
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