Photos by Laura Moat for CatchMark
NORTH MUSKEGON — North Muskegon’s baseball team got people’s attention when the Norsemen defeated defending Division 2 state champion Forest Hills Eastern and topping Division 1 Forest Hills Central in back-to-back games Saturday.
The Norse kept that momentum going Tuesday with a pair of lopsided wins over visiting Ravenna, 17-7 and 14-2, a key West Michigan Conference Rivers Division doubleheader.
Check out the photos at the top of the story, courtesy of CatchMark contributor Laura Moat.
Here are more details and notables, followed by video highlights and reaction shot by student reporter Emily Vanderstelt:
- In Saturday’s games, North Muskegon beat Forest Hills Central, 3-1, then knocked off Forest Hills Eastern, 7-2.
- In Game 1, Jaxon Bean picked up the pitching win for North Muskegon. The sophomore struck out five and walked four in 3 1/3 innings of work.
- Denny Belmonte was 4-for-4 with a double, home run, four RBIs and four runs scored in the first game for the Norsemen.
- Troy McManus went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI for the Norse in Game 1.
- Sam Gallo doubled, homered, drove in four and scored a pair of runs for North Muskegon in the first game.
- Ben Meyers homered, walked twice, drove in two and scored a run in Game 1 for the Norse.
- Hunter Hogan paced Ravenna with a pair of hits in the first game, including a three-run home run.
- Collin Poley and Drew Mabrito each doubled for Ravenna in Game 1.
- In Game 2, Logan Slimko pitched a great game for the Norsemen. The freshman allowed two runs on four hits with 12 strikeouts and non walks in six innings.
- Gallo homered again in the second game in his 2-for-3 plate performance along with four more RBIs and three more runs scored.
- John Caliendo went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and an RBI for the Norse in Game 2.
- McManus went 2-for-4 in Game 2 with a double and an RBI.
- Meyers doubled and drove in three in the nightcap.
- Hogan doubled in Game 2 for Ravenna.
- North Muskegon improved to 12-3-1 overall and 6-0 in the WMC Rivers Division. Ravenna is now 8-4 and 3-2, respectively.
