Algonac baseball punches ticket to regional final with combined no-hitter

ALGONAC — One could make the argument that the Algonac baseball team is the best in Michigan.

The Muskrats have been the top-ranked program in Division 3 all year. However, that status is of little value to them. Forget the ranking, they want a state championship ring.

But if Algonac keeps playing at this level, it may soon have both.

The Muskrats demolished Montrose, 10-0, in five innings of a regional semifinal at home Wednesday.

Andrew Thomason (four innings, eight strikeouts) and Cole Thaler (one inning) pitched a combined no-hitter for Algonac, which improved to 34-3 overall and advanced to Saturday's regional final at home against Ecorse.

"We talked before the playoffs about how we were going to (approach) every team," Thomason said. "We're going to take every team the same and we'll play them like they're the best team in the state — no matter who it is. That's what we've been doing and it's been working."

"Regardless of who we play, we're coming out and playing 110%," said senior Caleb Thomas, who finished with two hits in the victory. "So that we're ready for anything we see."

By now, the Muskrats are used to seeing everyone's best shot. That comes with the territory of being ranked No. 1 since the preseason.

"We have that target on our back and we've learned to play with it," Algonac coach Scott Thaler said. "Early in the year, we didn't do great with the (high) expectations and probably stole a couple games that we weren't supposed to. But I think (our players) gained confidence from that."

Perhaps no Muskrat had more confidence Wednesday than Thomason, who suffocated Montrose's offense from the start.

"I felt really comfortable," Thomason said. "All of my pitches were working. I trusted my catcher, I trusted my defense and I had fun."

"He pitched a total of about six innings for us last year," Scott Thaler said of the lefty. "But he's sitting at 8-1 now with a (1.50) ERA and has had a great senior season."

With Algonac hosting Saturday's regional final and subsequent state quarterfinal, the Muskrats have a rare chance to make history on their home field. Two wins will send them to their first-ever state semifinal.

But for now, the club's attention is on Ecorse and nothing else. This meeting will be a rematch of last year's regional final, which Algonac won 4-0. First pitch is at 10 a.m.

"We've got to focus on taking care of business in the first game on Saturday," Thomas said. "And then, right after, we can take care of business again."

"I'm looking forward to seeing what the other teams have and what they're going to bring to us," Thomason said. "Because we have a big target on our back and we don't want that to go down. We're going to keep pushing."

Madison Heights Lamphere 6, Marine City 5

The Mariners scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull within one, 6-5. But they wouldn't draw any closer and fell to Lamphere in a Division 2 regional semifinal.

Zach Tetler went 2-for-3 at the plate and had two RBIs. Marine City finished its best season in 15 years at 21-6 overall.

Royal Oak Shrine Catholic 6, Cardinal Mooney 4

After grabbing a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning, the Cardinals appeared to be in control of the Division 4 regional semifinal. But they were outscored 3-0 from that point on.

Trent Rice led the way offensively with two hits, two runs and one RBI. Cardinal Mooney ended the year at 17-9 overall.

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.