Here’s a breakdown of the Michigan high school baseball semifinals in each division heading into the action at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium, which start Thursday.
Division 1
Friday semifinal matchups: Detroit Catholic Central (27-12) vs. Mattawan (29-8), 2:30 p.m.; Rochester Adams (28-8) vs. Woodhaven (33-6), 5 p.m.
Final: 5 p.m. Saturday
Scouting Catholic Central: Catholic Central has had talented teams in recent years, but it is seeking its first state championship since 1999. Catholic Central was plenty battle-tested during the regular season, playing in the vaunted Catholic League Central Division against the likes of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Birmingham Brother Rice, Warren De La Salle and Toledo St. John’s Jesuit. Catholic Central is led by a trio of seniors who have been on varsity since they were freshman: Andrew Mahoney and Dylan Fairchild, both of whom are infielders/pitchers who have signed with Cincinnati, and Bennett Thompson, an infielder/pitcher who will play in college at Michigan State.
Scouting Mattawan: This will be the second semifinal appearance in four years for Mattawan, which was one strike away from making the 2023 championship game before losing in extra innings to eventual champion Novi. Seniors Kaden Jominy (Cornell) and Max Vanantwerp have carried the pitching staff, while senior infielders Nolan Jominy and Jack Reiter, and senior outfielder Patrick Dougherty have been big bats in the lineup.
Scouting Rochester Adams: Thirty years after losing in the Class A state championship game for the second straight year, Adams is back in the semifinals. It’s been quite an eventful playoff run for Adams, which has won three games in its last at-bat and rallied from a 6-2 deficit in the top of the seventh to beat Rochester in a district final. Adams is a senior-laden team led by outfielder Matt Toeppner (Michigan State), infielder Andrew Wozniak (Adrian College), and left-handed pitcher Rino Watters (Central Michigan football commit). But Adams has two prominent non-seniors in junior ace pitcher Brady Lindstrom and sophomore left-handed hitter Flip Watters, already one of the top high school sophomores in the country.
Scouting Woodhaven: Woodhaven has quietly become one of the most consistently strong programs in the state, making state championship game appearances in 2018 and 2023 and getting back to the semifinals. Juniors Cam Thorning (Wright State commit) and Lucas Farmer are two of the state’s best in the 2027 class, while senior Kaden Newsted is a reliable ace on the mound. Woodhaven knocked off two Catholic League Central powers Saturday, beating Brother Rice in a regional final and De La Salle in a super regional.
Division 2
Thursday semifinal matchups: Vicksburg (29-6) vs. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (35-2), 9 a.m.; Dearborn Divine Child (29-6) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (32-5), 11:30 a.m.
Final: 9 a.m. Saturday
Scouting Vicksburg: Vicksburg is led by senior infielder Mitch Beyer, who has signed with Western Michigan, infielder/pitcher Maddox Rosalin and junior pitcher Graham Kubiak.
Scouting Kenowa Hills: On a 21-game winning streak, Kenowa Hills has been led by senior pitcher Keegan Garvin and junior outfielder Will Fussman.
Scouting Divine Child: A state powerhouse in the 2000s which won state championships in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2010, Divine Child is back on the state’s map this year, winning the Catholic Cardinal Division championship and making it back to the semifinals. Senior Dallas Terski has signed with Western Michigan, and he boasts the team’s biggest bat. Senior Andrew Ryan is also a big offensive contributor, while the pitching staff has been led by Ian Hall and Liam Gibbons. Divine Child was eliminated by St. Mary’s in the regional semifinal round last season.
Scouting St. Mary’s: Up to this point, St. Mary’s probably has been the best team in the state regardless of division. Not only has it beaten other state powerhouses on its schedule, but done so handily, including Brother Rice in the Catholic League Bishop Division final and Rochester Adams. St. Mary’s comes to East Lansing on a 22-game winning streak. Seniors Luke Crighton (Indiana) and Hudson Brzustewicz (Notre Dame) have dominated on the mound, in the field and at the plate, while senior Drew Tribul (Michigan State) has been a hitting machine as well to lead a balanced and deep roster. St. Mary’s is going for its fourth state title since 2019, having won Division 2 in 2019 and 2021 and the Division 1 crown in 2022 when it finished unbeaten.
Division 3
Thursday semifinal matchups: Detroit Edison (22-8) vs. Kalamazoo Christian (26-7), 2:30 p.m.; Traverse City St. Francis (33-6) vs. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest (28-6), 5 p.m.
Final: 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Scouting Detroit Edison: This will be the third trip to the final four in five years for Edison, which was runner-up in 2022 and a semifinalist in 2024. Edison was down to its last out in a super regional against Jackson Lumen Christi, but tied the game at 6-6 with two outs in the seventh and then won the game, 7-6, in the eighth. Senior infielder/pitcher Jamir Campbell (Southern University commit), senior first basemen JonTae Wright, senior pitcher/outfielder David Hemphill, and senior pitcher DaiJon Brooks are veteran standouts for a well-rounded team that also has talented underclassmen coming up in the pipeline, including freshmen Troy Hammon and Elijah Hines.
Scouting Kalamazoo Christian: This is a team that can match Edison’s speed, given it stole eight bases in a regional semifinal win over Saugatuck. Kalamazoo Christian is led by a pair of juniors in pitcher Crosby Croel and infielder/outfielder Jake Bonnema.
Scouting St. Francis: The defending champion has been No. 1 most of the year and is the favorites going in, although it did have to rally from down three runs in the seventh inning to beat Sanford Meridian in a regional final Saturday. Seniors Sam Wildfong and Tyler Thompson lead the way for St. Francis.
Scouting Lutheran Northwest: A program that won the Division 4 state title in 2004 and was a semifinalist in 2006, it’s been a great spring for Lutheran Northwest, which will try and be giant killers against St. Francis. Lutheran Northwest scored 13 unanswered runs in a super regional win over Millington, winning 15-8 after falling behind 8-2.
Division 4
Friday’s semifinal matchups: Royal Oak Shrine (26-8) vs. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (36-4), 9 a.m.; Marcellus (21-11) vs. Painesdale Jeffers (17-7), 11:30 a.m.
Final: 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Scouting Shrine: Making its first semifinal appearance since being Division 4 state runner-up in 2004, Shrine won’t be expected by many to beat a powerful Sacred Heart squad. But Shrine will hope to prove those doubters wrong and continue a terrific season. Senior Sean Murphy is the team’s ace who has signed with Western Michigan, while seniors Caydin Barbato and Owen Bellows are two more veteran standouts that ignite Shrine’s offense.
Scouting Sacred Heart: The previous three years, Sacred Heart lost to the eventual state champion in districts or regionals. Finally past that point, it enters as the team to beat. Senior Brady Davis and senior Nate Siler are a terrific pitching tandem and important offensive players, as is senior Teegan Duffy.
Scouting Marcellus: The program won a district for the first time in 17 years, and has ridden that momentum all the way to East Lansing. Marcellus is led by junior Cale Hackenberg, an Eastern Kentucky commit.
Scouting Painesdale Jeffers: Located way up in the Upper Peninsula in Houghton County, Painesdale Jeffers will attempt to become the first U.P. team to win a baseball title after knocking off a Norway team that made the final four the last two years in a quarterfinal. Senior Cameron Anderson is the team’s ace.
Keith Dunlap is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Breaking down the Michigan high school baseball semifinals
Reporting by Keith Dunlap, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Keith Dunlap, Special to The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
