HILLSDALE — Every summer, the Hillsdale County baseball all-star game gives graduating seniors one final opportunity to wear their high school uniforms, represent their schools and share the field with players they spent years competing against.
Team Oaks, featuring athletes from Jonesville, Reading, Camden-Frontier and Pittsford, defeated Team Pines, made up of players from Hillsdale, North Adams-Jerome, Waldron and Litchfield, 6-5 in a back-and-forth game played in front of family, friends and fans that were able to attend for free.
The game itself was competitive from the opening inning.
Pines grabbed a 2-1 lead after the first inning before Oaks responded with four unanswered runs to take control and build a 5-2 advantage, and Pines answered in the fifth.
Hillsdale’s Tyson Duff delivered a line-drive hit that brought home Hale, cutting into the deficit. Later in the inning, Waldron’s Aiden Boyd crossed the plate on an error, helping Pines complete the comeback and tie the game at 5-5.
The momentum appeared to be shifting toward Pines, and Hillsdale’s Tydan Bible kept Oaks off the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning with a strong performance on the mound.
Jonesville’s Marshall Baker answered with a scoreless sixth inning for Oaks, setting the stage for the deciding run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Pittsford’s Jacob Drawe delivered a sacrifice infield hit that allowed Jonesville’s Talon Titus to score, giving Oaks a 6-5 lead heading into the seventh inning.
That left the final outs in the hands of Herendeen.
The former 2025 Hillsdale Daily News Baseball Player of the Year made just his second pitching appearance of the season and closed out the victory in his final inning wearing a Jonesville uniform.
“I came out for senior night for one batter after coming back from an injury, not fully coming back,” Herendeen said. “But I’m glad I got to come out and throw the seventh inning.”
For Jonesville’s Devan Herendeen and North Adams-Jerome’s Kaleb Hale, Monday’s game at Lenda and Glenda Hill Stadium on the campus of Hillsdale College carried additional significance.
A chance to compete again
The appearance was another milestone in a season that looked much different than he expected.
Herendeen entered the spring as one of the county’s top returning baseball players. He was expected to be a leader for a Jonesville team that eventually advanced to a regional final. Instead, a back injury sidelined him before the season could fully develop.
“I was ready for anything — I was ready to take on the world,” Herendeen said.
Unable to contribute on the field, Herendeen remained involved with the Comets while focusing on recovery.
“I still needed to be a part of everything,” Herendeen said. “I came out and decided I wanted to, not necessarily coach, but help with absolutely anything I could.”
He earned the nickname ‘Coach’ from his teammates and coaches. While he wasn’t able to make an impact on the diamond, his dugout presence helped carry Jonesville through a tough Cascades schedule.
Herendeen returned for senior night, where he pitched one batter, before appearing in Jonesville’s final five games as the Comets battled their way to a regional final appearance.
“I worked my tail off to where I could be strong enough to run,” Herendeen said. “Senior night, I got to come out and pitch one batter for the team that I love and the boys that I’ve become family with.”
Monday’s all-star game allowed him one final opportunity to share the field with many of the players he spent years facing throughout the county.
“A lot of guys I know, a lot of guys I’ve spent a lot of time with,” Herendeen said. “It was a great ball game all the way around and couldn’t enjoy it more.”
Kaleb Hale’s senior season followed a similar path, although his recovery process began much earlier.
The North Adams-Jerome standout suffered a torn ACL during a preseason football scrimmage in August, an injury that sidelined him for most of his senior year.
“It was a rough time, honestly,” Hale said.
The injury was particularly difficult because Hale entered the year as one of the county’s top returning multi-sport athletes. A captain in multiple sports, Hale was an all-area football and baseball selection and one of the Rams’ top returning players entering the school year with hopes of competing collegiately.
“I’ve never been hurt like that,” Hale said. “I’ve always been able to stay playing a sport at all times and stay motivated through it all.”
After surgery in January, Hale attacked the rehabilitation process in hopes of making it back before the baseball season ended.
“It was a lot of mental,” Hale said. “I started rehabbing every day until the point where at the end of May, I could get into the last games we had for districts.”
While Hale eventually returned to the lineup, he said remaining connected to his teammates became one of the most important aspects of the recovery process.
“Really it was just showing up with the team,” Hale said. “Showing the boys that it’s bigger than just baseball — that you’re there for a family that you’ve created over the years.”
Hale returned in time to help North Adams-Jerome during the postseason. The Rams advanced to a district final after earning a share of the SCAA-East title, and Hale quickly showed the impact he could still make, collecting multiple hits during district play after missing most of the season.
His return culminated Monday night with one more opportunity to take the field alongside many of Hillsdale County’s graduating athletes.
“All of them are talented players out here,” Hale said. “It was really fun to get a diverse group of kids together and play seven innings.”
Next chapter
For many players, the all-star game marks the final baseball game of their careers. For others, it serves as a bridge to the next chapter.
Herendeen will attend Saginaw Valley State University, where he plans to study mechanical engineering. While he intends to focus on academics during his freshman year, he said the possibility of trying to continue his baseball career remains open depending on his recovery and future opportunities.
Hale will attend Grand Valley State University to study electrical engineering. He said he plans to pursue a football walk-on opportunity after his freshman year.
For both players, Monday’s game represented another chance to step onto the field after injuries threatened to keep them away from the sport during their final high school seasons.
Hillsdale County Baseball All-Star Game Rosters (pre-game)
Not every player selected to the all-star rosters was able to make an appearance during the game, but athletes from eight county schools were recognized as part of the event.
Team Oaks
Team Pines
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale County all-star baseball game offers injured seniors closure
Reporting by Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News | USA TODAY Network
