EAST LANSING – When you’re hitting near the bottom of the batting order you’re usually taken for granted more so than players hitting at the top or middle of the order.
Or to put it another way the seven, eight and nine-hole hitters are usually slotted near the bottom for a reason and that reason is they usually don’t have a ton of pop at the plate.
However, that’s not been the case with the Beal City baseball team over the last two weeks.
Since the Division 4 regional round Beal City’s Nate Wilson, Aaron Schafer, Lucas Schumacher and pinch hitter Tyler Darnell have been absolutely stellar at the bottom end of the Aggie order.
This foursome has gone a combined 18-for-33 at the plate with 12 runs scored and nine RBIs at the plate. They have also swiped quite a few bases while playing great defense and providing a little relief out of the bullpen.
On Friday morning from Michigan State’s McLane Stadium the Beal City bottom-feeders came up big again as they helped the Aggies defeat fourth-ranked Gaylord St. Mary’s 7-3 in a Division 4 semifinal contest. With the victory Beal City advances to Saturday’s Division 4 state championship game from McLane Stadium against Unionville-Sebewaing (22-15). First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
“There’s quality ballplayers one through nine (on the Beal City team) and somebody has to bat seven, somebody has to bat eight and somebody has to bat nine,” said Beal City coach Steve Pickens, who has the Aggies in the state final for the first time since 2014. “We hadn’t been getting this kind of production (from seven, eight and nine) but now we are. They’re back on it and we’re riding that pony all the way to the state finals.”
Prior to the season the Aggies (22-8) weren’t too sure they’d get Aaron Schafer or Schumacher back. Aaron Schafer was coming back from ankle surgery and Schumacher hadn’t played baseball since his freshman season. Schafer was cleared to play on the first day of spring practice while Schumacher also decided to come back. Both of these decisions have proven to be big as both are playing big roles for the Aggies right now.
“I wasn’t going to play, but I’m glad I did because we’re playing for a state championship tomorrow,” said senior Aaron Schafer, who worked a walk and singled Friday all while igniting a second-inning rally that pushed a 2-0 lead to a 6-0 lead. “I guess you’d say I made a good decision.”
Of this foursome no one has been as fearsome as Wilson. In regional action he went 5-for-5 with six RBIs. He followed that up with a 2-for-4 showing with two runs scored and an RBI in Tuesday’s quarterfinal. While he went 0-for-2 Friday he did sting a liner to left that was caught all while playing solid at shortstop.
“We’ve been picking up the slack,” said Wilson. “If the middle of the order isn’t hitting we step up like we have been. We have a ‘next man steps up mentality’ from top to bottom. We didn’t do much today, but we contributed.”
While the bottom of the order only went 1-for-6 with one run scored Friday, it did have a pair of sacrifice bunts and worked a walk so it did the job and kept the order moving.
With one game left to go the Aggies are chomping at the bit to get back at it. In six playoff games Beal City has outscored its opponents 51-5 and committed only four errors. They also have ace Brett Upton ready to toe the mound Saturday.
“I’m excited and we’re excited because not a lot of people thought we’d be here,” said Wilson. “We got our pitching set up and we’re playing great ball. I can’t wait till (Saturday).”
As for the game itself the Snowbirds (26-6) looked like they might take flight in the first frame.
Beal City starter Keegan Haynes was wild in the first as he walked the No. 2 and No. 3 hitters on eight pitches. However, he induced a groundball double play to Gaylord St. Mary’s cleanup hitter to squirm out of the jam.
Beal City posted a two-spot in the bottom of the first as Ryan Schafer singled with one out and moved to second on a walk to Kollin Sharrar. Haynes delivered an RBI single to right to make it 1-0. Cameron Lynch then singled to plate Sharrar to up the ante to 2-0.
In the second the Aggies posted four runs to take a 6-0 lead. Aaron Schafer started the rally with a walk and moved to second on Schumacher’s sacrifice bunt. Ryan Schafer’s single drove in Aaron before Upton was intentionally walked. Sharrar tripled to right to make it 5-0 before he scored on a Haynes single.
In the top of the fifth the Snowbirds strung together five-straight singles to cut the deficit to 6-3 and chase Haynes. Upton came in and got two strikeouts and a pop out to close the frame. He only threw 22 pitches so he can go Saturday.
Beal City closed the scoring out in the bottom of the fifth via a Haynes triple and Lynch RBI single.
Haynes got the win as he allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking four in four innings. Upton didn’t allow a hit and walked none while striking out two in one and two-third innings while Aaron Schafer went the final one and one-third to close the game out.
Haynes led the offense as he went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Ryan Schafer also went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lynch also had a great game with two hits and two RBIs. Sharrar added in a triple and two RBIs.
Drew Long took the loss for the Snowbirds as he allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits while walking three and striking out four.