ZEELAND – Nothing like a rivalry showdown to get aces a little more amped.
Zeeland East’s Mason Raade and Zeeland West’s Logan Nash were stellar as they squared off on the mound.
Both pitched well enough to earn a win, but of course, only one would get it.
Raade allowed one run and the Chix defeated the Dux 2-1 in the first game of the doubleheader. Zeeland East won the second game 12-2.
“It gets me pumped (when my opponent is pitching well),” Raade said. “Throwing strikes has been the key for me this year. I have a great defense behind me. I use my curve pretty often because it makes my fastball look even faster.”
Raade pitched a complete game with 82 pitches. He struck out six and walked none.
“Mason held his own. He misses barrels but they put balls in play and whenever we play good defense behind him, we have a chance to win,” Zeeland East coach Matt Sattler said. “
Raade is following in the footsteps of his older brother Trevor, who starred at Zeeland East before getting a scholarship to play at Western Michigan.
They are similar in demeanor, though they attack hitters differently.
“He is completely different because Trevor was a power strikeout pitcher and was left-handed. Mason is right-handed, but they are both calm on the mound, not rattled. They are competitors and very confident in their abilities, but don’t show their emotions,” Sattler said.
For Mason, their differences allow there not to be the same kind of pressure for him to be like his brother – or at least to do things the same way as his brother.
He definitely wants to be like his brother.
“I am just trying to be as good as my brother, follow in his steps,” Mason said. “It was really fun learning the game from him.”
Nash allowed two runs, but both were unearned, coming on an error and a passed ball, and he took the tough-luck loss.
“Credit to Logan Nash because he pitched an absolute gem,” Sattler said. “He pitched out of a bunch of jams. It was a really good baseball games.”
The Chix swept the doubleheader with an offensive outpouring in the nightcap, scoring 12 runs on 14 hits.
Raade was the designated hitter in the second game and came through with three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Ethan Campbell had three hits, three runs scored and an RBI.
Caden Hunderman earned the win in the second game, allowing two runs in four innings. He struck out three.
The Chix improved to 22-5 and 12-2 in the OK Black.
“I think our team can go as far as a state championship,” Raade said.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: How Zeeland East’s Mason Raade won the pitcher’s duel with West’s Logan Nash – barely
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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