LocalSportsJournal.com
MONTAGUE — Montague’s baseball team defeated North Muskegon, 4-1 in the MHSAA Division 3 district championship game on Saturday afternoon on its home field.
Kade Johnson was the winning pitcher, going 6 2/3 innings allowing just one run on only two hits with four walks and striking out four.
Colton Blankstrom led the Wildcats at the plate with two hits and scored a run. Johnson also had a base hit and drove in two runs, Hayden McDonald contributed one hit and had one RBI, Chase Gowell had a hit and one RBI and Tugg Nichols also had a hit and scored a run.
The Wildcats scored one run in the first inning when Aiden Buchberger walked and came around to score on a single by Johnson.
North Muskegon answered with a run of its own in the third inning when James Young singled, advanced to second on Ben Meyers sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Troy McManus.
Montague took the lead for good with a two-run fourth. Johnson started the frame by drawing a walk, and McDonald reached on an error which sent courtesy runner Bryton Belinger to second.
Belinger was erased at third on a fielder’s choice, but Gowell followed with a single that scored pinch runner Owen Fairchild from second to make it 2-1 for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats scored two runs in the fifth when Blankstrom and Nichols each singled. They each moved up on a wild pitch, and Blankstrom came home on a sacrifice fly by Johnson. Nichols scored from second on McDonald’s single.
“Kade Johnson pitched a great game, and we had great defense behind him,” said Montague head coach Kevin Buchberger. “North Muskegon got a runner on base in the seventh, and Blankstrom came in and retired the only batter he faced.”
The Wildcats got past Hesperia, 1-0 in the semifinals as Owen Peterson surrendered just three hits, no walks and struck out 12 in 6 2/3 innings. Blankstrom pitched one inning and struck out one.
Gowell, Blankstrom, Tate Stine and Johnson each had singles for the Wildcats and Buchberger had one RBI.
Montague improved to 22-14 and will play in the regional at home again on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. against the Central Montcalm district winner.