By Jason Goorman
localsportsjournal.com
Muskegon Catholic Central kept its baseball season alive Saturday, topping Saugatuck 10-4 for the Division 4 regional championship.
Falling behind 3-0 after a rough first inning, it didn’t take long for the Crusaders to respond. MCC posted a five-run second inning, led by senior Jason Ribecky, who collected a two-run double in the frame to spark his squad.
“The kids were calmer than I was” MCC coach Steve Schuitema said. “I was a little edgy, but they just came out and did the job. It was really a team effort.”
The Crusader bats stayed consistent the rest of the way, adding single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings and finished the scoring with a two-run sixth.
Pitcher Connor Seymour settled down after a shaky start, giving up one run in the fifth. Seymour also helped himself out at the platen with two hits and two RBIs.
“The kids kind of bail you out,” Schuitema said. “They came to play and contributed all day.”
MCC’s Dominic DeTorres had a pair of hits and an RBI, while Zach Houston and Phil Mesker each added RBI singles for the Crusaders.
In the regional semifinals, MCC defeated Beal City 6-2 in 10 innings.
The Crusaders scored four runs in the 10th to close the door on the Aggies.
Freshman Nick Holt pitched all 10 innings. He gave up two runs in the third inning.
The Aggies came close to ending MCC’s season in the eighth inning with two outs and a runner on third. But Ribecky made a diving catch in centerfield to end the inning.
Ribecky also finished with a pair of hits.
MCC moves on to face Harbor Beach in Tuesday’s quarterfinal game at Saginaw Valley State University. Game time is set for noon.
