You never know what you’re going to get each spring season.
But, one thing recently struck me with less than a week to go before the MHSAA district baseball postseason begins. Where are all the games? The win-loss records of so many teams around northern Michigan seem incomplete, lacking and like midseason marks.
It’s not everyone, but a majority of teams in the area are sitting around 20-24 games played, some even less. For the majority of teams downstate, 30-32 games is common. It might not feel like a lot, but six or seven games is the difference of three or four doubleheaders and 42 innings of experience.
That’s a lot of words to say: We could be in for a team still to reach its peak and hit its stride in northern Michigan once postseason play starts up. That’s exciting to think about.
Around Emmet and Charlevoix Counties, five districts will feature area teams. Here’s a look at each ahead, with opening pitches on Tuesday, May 26.
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DIVISION 2
District 34 – at Gaylord
Tuesday, May 26
Petoskey (16-7) vs. Sault St. Marie (10-14), 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 30
Sault/Petoskey vs. Cheboygan (4-18), 11 a.m.
Grayling (9-15) vs. Gaylord (15-7), 1:30 p.m.
TBD, District Championship, 4 p.m.
Regional Semi Site: Kingsford
QUICK LOOK: We almost got a clearer picture on this bracket, particularly Petoskey and Gaylord, until a rainy day a week ago. Luckily, it looks like this matchup is back on the schedule this week.
The Blue Devils are in the midst of a 15-7 season, while Petoskey sits at 16-7. They’ve both got some talent and as great of a rivalry as this is, it’s hard to say anyone has the early edge here.
Both teams have easily swept Sault Ste. Marie, then Cheboygan and Grayling are each struggling with losing records.
For the Northmen, a lot would ride on the arm they decided to go with in a title game with the Blue Devils. Jonah Mattingly has some impressive starts, as does Tyler Pool. Mattingly carries the higher strikeout rate, while Pool keeps runs off the board.
An arm to keep an eye on down the stretch looks like Dylan Aukeman, with back-to-back really nice starts within the BNC.
Petoskey should be able to work past the Sault and Cheboygan easily, then, in a single-game, winner-take-all final, it would be hard not to trust the bats of Pool, Parker Ward and Tate Russell getting things done atop the lineup. Early Pick: Petoskey
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DIVISION 3
District 67 — at Elk Rapids
Tuesday, May 26
Charlevoix (1-21) at Mancelona (20-7), 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 30
Mancelona/Charlevoix vs. Harbor Springs (21-3), 10 a.m.
Boyne City (10-16) vs. Elk Rapids (12-14), Noon
TBD, District Championship, 2 p.m.
Regional Semi Site: Elk Rapids
QUICK LOOK: It’s always interesting to see how teams use their ace arm. And the Boyne City and Harbor Springs baseball teams will have some deciding to do before a potential district championship.
Mancelona is a sleeper here and wouldn’t be an easy game for the Rams to get by, though. The Ironmen own a win over Inland Lakes and a sweep over East Jordan, with a 2-2 record vs. the Northern Shores.
Does Harbor use Nick Lemieur in that one? The junior owns 44 strikeouts and a 0.20 ERA in 34 innings. Boyne City faces a similar decision. They’ve split with Elk this season, so do they turn to Anderson Ward and his 1.51 ERA and 42 strikeouts?
Both the Rams and Ramblers own reliable secondary arms, with Brayden Joyce for Boyne and Ryan Novak and Thaddeus Cosens for the Rams. It’ll be fun to see how the games are managed here.
While Lemieur has been an all-state worthy arm and driving force for the Rams this season, they’ve also got eight guys hitting .300 or better and three hitting better than .420, so it’s not like they’re a one trick show. Early Pick: Harbor Springs
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DIVISION 4
District 102 — at Pellston
Friday, May 29
Burt Lake NMCA (8-7) vs. Harbor Light Christian (19-5), 1 p.m.
Pellston (4-15) vs. Inland Lakes (15-8), 3 p.m.
TBD, District Championship, 5 p.m.
Regional Semi Site: Hillman
QUICK LOOK: Like on the basketball court, the Harbor Light Christian baseball team hasn’t backed down from a challenge this spring.
The tiny school has scheduled tough, with the likes of Boyne City, Glen Lake, Gaylord, Inland Lakes, Shepherd, Greenville and more. And, plenty have come as wins.
This Swordsmen team has impressive talent, from Daniel and Jonny Urman, to Will Paulus, CJ Dubois, Travis Rose and more. They can win the close one, leaning on arms, or by lighting up the scoreboard.
The challenge for the Swordsmen comes in a potential district final against a solid Inland Lakes team they’ve split with this season, falling in a 10-5 matchup, before taking a 4-1 win.
You might not find a better potential Division 4 district final around Northern Michigan than the one in Pellston. Early Pick: Harbor Light Christian
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DIVISION 4
District 103 — at Bellaire
Tuesday, May 26
Ellsworth (7-9) vs. Central Lake (6-11), 4 p.m.
Bellaire (6-11) vs. East Jordan (15-7), 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 30
Ellsworth/Central Lake vs. Boyne Falls, 10 a.m.
Bellaire/ East Jordan vs. Gaylord St. Mary (19-3), Noon
TBD, District Championship, 2 p.m.
Regional Semi Site: Bellaire
QUICK LOOK: This one feels like two teams could easily be penciled into the district final on Saturday, though you’ve still got to play the games.
But, to save some time, we’ll do it anyway.
St. Mary earned a sweep over East Jordan the last time they met in late April, taking games of 6-2 and 14-4, with GSM’s Cal Royce shutting down the EJ bats – like he has to everyone this season – to the tune of 13 strikeouts.
East Jordan has run hot and cold this season, splitting with Ellsworth an example of that, though they should have enough to get to the final.
But, in a single-game matchup and in a bracket where St. Mary can save Royce until the final, it’s hard to pick against the 19-win Snowbirds. They’ve been impressive down the stretch, winning 13 of 14. Early Pick: Gaylord St. Mary
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DIVISION 4
District 100 — at Pickford
Tuesday, May 26
Mackinaw City (11-7) vs. Cedarville (1-16), 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 29
Mackinaw/Cedarville vs. Rudyard (12-11-1), 10 a.m.
Pickford (14-6-1) vs. Brimley (11-11), Noon
TBD, District Championship, 2 p.m.
Regional Semi Site: Norway
QUICK LOOK: You really almost have to look beyond the records here. The matchups don’t lie, however.
Many of these teams have met over the course of the season or are in the same conference and Pickford has stood above the group all season.
The Panthers own sweeps over Rudyard and Brimley, then swept the Sault, split with Inland Lakes and topped Boyne City. It’s looking like another postseason of Pickford standing tall.
What will be interesting is when the Comets turn to all-time wins leader Braylon Currie on the mound. They should be able to top Cedarville without him, then roll him out against Rudyard in the semifinal. Early Pick: Pickford
Reach Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com and follow him on X @DrewKochanny and Instagram @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey-area baseball district schedules and the standouts that’ll carry each team
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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