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Michigan Diamond Notes: April 14-20

Braylon Sayles had a game to remember for Hanover Horton this past week.

The uncommitted senior shortstop tied a state record with four home runs in the first game of a doubleheader with Addison. Sayles tied the record held previously by six players, Pinckney’s JP Calder (2010), Holland West Ottawa’s Jon Brand (2009), Williamston’s Dan VanSickler (2001), Elk Rapids’ Jeremy Reisig (1999), South Lyon’s Aaron Cash (1998) and Chesaning’s Steve Gasser (1994).

Sayles, who hit another blast in the second game of the twinbill with the Panthers, also had hits in eight consecutive at-bats, the second most in school history.

For the week the right-handed hitter was 10-19 with a 1.421 slugging percentage. Sayles hit five home runs and one triple, drove in 13 and scored seven runs, while also stealing three bases. 

There were other outstanding weeks in the state, just read on… 

TWO-WAY STANDOUTS

Kellen Ford and Brady Sager both play shortstop and pitch for their respective teams. Each was spectacular this week, Ford a junior at Hopkins High School and Sager a senior with Chesaning Union.

Ford, the second-rated 2026 outfielder in the state, had 10 RBIs on the week with five extra base hits - two doubles, two triples and a home run. A Future Games participant for Team Michigan in the summer, Ford also stole six bases and walked in seven games played.

Additionally, the right-hander struck out seven and did not give up a hit in three innings to pick up a win on the mound. He is now 2-0 with 17 Ks in seven innings and a 0.00 ERA.

Sager had nine runs scored and stole eight bases during an impressive week in which the Alma commit went 8-12 with four doubles, five RBIs, five walks and a triple.

The Chesaning Union senior also threw a four-inning no-hitter at Birch Run, striking out seven in a 15-0 mercy rule win. Sager came back to record a save with one no-hit inning in a 5-2 victory over Birch Run.

For the season Sager is batting .563 while on the mound has not permitted an earned run, fanning 30 in 14 innings with a 2-0 record.

There were other players also worth noting that came up big at the dish as well as pitching this week.

- Matthew Rahilly, of Newberry in the Upper Peninsula, threw a two-hitter in the team’s first win since 2023. Rahilly struck out eight and walked three, allowing one earned run. For the week the senior, who scored the game-winning run in the win, was 3-5 with a double, home run, three runs, four stolen bases and six RBIs. Rahilly, who missed last year with an injury, is a 4.0 student with hopes of playing baseball at the next level.

- Bryce Simpson fanned nine in a five-inning one-hit outing against Croswell-Lexington, going 2-3 at the plate with a double, home run and two RBIs for Algonac, the 10th-ranked team in D-3. For the week, the 15th-rated senior left-handed pitcher in Michigan, a Wayne State signee, was 5-10 with two doubles, a homer, three RBIs, three walks, three runs and three stolen bases.

- Caleb Jewell threw a six-inning two-hitter with 14 Ks, while recording six hits, including two doubles, with five RBIs, seven runs and six stolen bases helping Watervliet to four wins this week.

- Trevor Rusnak hit three home runs and had 11 RBIs while scoring five runs during a 5-10 week for Fruitport. The sixth-rated senior first baseman in Michigan, who is batting .583 on the season, also picked up a win with five innings of four-hit pitching, giving up one earned run while fanning nine.

- Tyler Finkbeiner went 5-8 with a home run and five RBIs in a series sweep of Grosse Pointe North. The third-ranked senior RHP in the state, a Michigan commit, also threw four innings of one-hit ball with nine strikeouts and one walk for Anchor Bay.

- Only 78 pitches were needed by St. Clair’s Braden Schalk in a four-hit victory. The junior, who also plays shortstop and center field for the 12th-ranked Division 2 team in the state, drove in five runs and scored three while going 5-12 at the plate.

- Andrew Lehto was a dual standout this week for Paw Paw. The uncommitted senior gave up one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out eight in five innings for a win. Lehto was also 7-15 with six runs and five RBIs, connecting on a double and triple.

- Davenport commit Drew Duthler went 6-9 with a pair of doubles, reaching base on a HBP while driving in three and scoring three times. The 18th-ranked senior RHP in Michigan also picked up a win for Coopersville, the No. 10 D-2 team in the state, with five innings of two-hit ball, giving up one earned run against Sparta.

- Kurtis Miles struck out 14 and walked just one allowing two hits and one earned run in a six-inning win over Houghton Lake. The Lake City senior also scored five runs with three singles and two walks in 12 plate appearances, with two RBIs.

- Wyatt Jolman garnered his 100th career hit during a 7-13 week that included a double for Swartz Creek, driving in six runs. The junior right-hander also moved to 2-0 with 6.2 innings on the mound, fanning 11, walking three and surrendering two earned runs.

- Six Ks in three innings gave Carson Bennie a save for Fraser, with the right-handed hitting senior producing at the plate as well, bringing in four runs and scoring three in a 5-12 week that included three base on balls and a double.

- Grandville senior Sam Hungerford showed off some power with a home run, triple and two doubles to go along with five singles in 17 at-bats for Grandville. The Calvin recruit did not allow an earned run in five innings of pitching for a win, striking out seven.

HOT STICKS

Owen Epple is doing a little bit of everything for Watervliet this year.

Epple produced six hits, six RBIs and tallied five runs for the unbeaten 16th-ranked D-3 team in Michigan this week.

The 25th-rated senior catcher in the state also threw out all five attempted base stealers in the week while not committing an error or a passed ball.

There were others that came up big with the bat worth mentioning as well…

- Joe Treder of Division 1 12th-ranked Detroit Catholic Central went 5-8 on the week, reaching base 10 of 13 plate appearances with two home runs, three walks and two HBP, driving in six runs and scoring four runs in two games against De La Salle and two with U of D. 

- Millington junior Lukas Henderson was 5-10 with five runs scored, three RBIs and a double for the 20th-rated team in Division 3.

- Tyler Baker drove in nine runs and scored eight in a big week at the plate for Buchanan. The senior third baseman was 7-13 with a 1.247 OPS and .632 OBP, hitting a double while walking five times and stealing three bases.

- Garrett Kraenzlein had a 1.22 OPS for the week, going 6-13 with two doubles and a triple for L’Anse Creuse North. The senior scored five times, stole three bases and walked twice.

- Howell, the 25th-rated team in Michigan, won three of four games against #3 Dakota and Novi with JT Thomas leading the way. The 17th-ranked senior catcher in the state, a Saginaw Valley State commit, hit two home runs and brought in nine going 8-14 for the week.

- Landon Buhl was 5-10 with seven runs scored for Paw Paw. The senior outfielder had a triple, stole five bases, walked three times and had three RBIs.

- Left-handed hitting senior Ty Gielczyk showed off his bat this week going 6-12 with two home runs and nine RBIs. The Kalamazoo Valley CC signee walked seven times and scored six runs, producing a .684 OBP and 1.000 OPS.

- Lake City senior outfielder Jase Goodrich had eight stolen bases and scored seven runs during the week, going 7-12 with two doubles and three RBIs.

- Trevor Reed batted .769 for Novi with five doubles, five runs scored and five RBIs. The Macomb CC commit also walked three times.

- Brenden Olsen is the 13th-rated 2026 outfielder in the state and showed why with a power display last week. The Niles junior belted four home runs and drove in 12, with a .538 batting average, .625 OBP and 1.538 slugging percentage. Olsen, who now has five homers and 17 RBIs on the campaign, also stole four bases for the ninth-ranked D-2 team.

- In eight games Johnny Karsten has 13 RBIs and scored six runs for Hudsonville, the No. 8 D-1 team in Michigan. The Muskegon CC recruit is now 13-28 with two doubles.

- Henry Domzalski had seven doubles for Grosse Pointe South this week. The senior outfielder also had a home run and seven RBIs for the fifth-rated D-1 team in the state.

- Bobby Griffon scored six runs for Hartland during the week. The Northwood commit was 8-13 with two doubles, two RBIs, two HBP and one walk.

- Josh McCune had a hit in all five games for East Grand Rapids this week, going 12-19 with five doubles.

STRONG PITCHING

While Brandon Sayles was getting it done for Hanover Horton with the stick this week, his teammate was outstanding on the mound.

Luke Soper pitched 12 innings, facing 45 batters and gave up just one run and three hits with 23 strikeouts and one walk. The 13th-rated senior left-handed pitcher in the state threw 157 pitches for the week with a 0.583 ERA, the lone run coming when another pitcher was in the game. Opponents had a batting average against him of just .073.

The Kellogg Community College commit has led in all four games started this season, but two were blown saves, and is 2-0 on the year with 44 Ks in 21.1 innings.

There were more good outings reported on the hill …

- Cash Moczydlowsky of New Boston Huron tossed six no-hit innings on the week. First the third-ranked 2027 RHP in the state blanked Airport with eight Ks and no walks in a five-inning gem, then came back with two strikeouts in one inning against Southgate Anderson for a save.

- Chris Worley is yet to allow a hit this year in 10 innings after the uncommitted senior right-hander fanned 12 and walked six in six innings against Midland. The eighth-rated 2025 RHP in the state has now struck out 22 on the season for Grand Blanc.

- With a fastball sitting 88-91, Midland’s Brett Faccio, the sixth-rated senior RHP in Michigan and a Yale commit, fanned 15 in a no-hitter against Grand Blanc, walking two. Faccio is now 2-0 with 22 Ks in 11 innings for the season.

- Coleton VanderPloeg and Will Pennington combined on a no-hitter for Hudsonville in a win over Stevensville-Lakeshore. VanderPloeg, the eighth-rated junior southpaw in the state, struck out five and walked five in five innings before Pennington, a 2026 RHP, came in for two innings to close it out.

- Blake Ilitch threw a five-inning no-hitter against U of D Jesuit, recording 10 Ks while walking two for Brother Rice, the No. 4 D-1 team in Michigan. The 43rd-ranked 2025 RHP in the country is an Ole Miss commit.

- Wyatt Mosley broke the 400 career strikeout mark in a game against Dansville. The 60th-rated senior left-handed pitcher in the country took a perfect game into the seventh and finished with a one-hitter, striking out 15 and walking one, topping out at 89. A West Virginia commit, Mosley is the fifth-ranked 2025 southpaw in Michigan.

- Jax Racht gave up just one hit and one walk in eight innings for Niles, the ninth-rated Division 2 team in the state. The uncommitted Racht, the fourth-ranked 2026 RHP in Michigan, did not allow an earned run while striking out 15.

- Chris York pitched Clarkston past Troy, the 24th-rated D-1 team in Michigan. The 25th-ranked junior right-handed pitcher in the state allowed two hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts in the seven-inning shutout.

- Jackson Miller threw a two-hitter this week in Lakeland’s win over Walled Lake Northern. The No. 7 2025 southpaw in Michigan, a Bowling Green commit, struck out 13 and gave up two walks for the 18th-rated D-1 team in the state.

- Bobby Crane fanned 18 leading U of D Jesuit past Brother Rice. The sixth-ranked 2025 LHP in Michigan allowed one earned run on three hits with two walks in seven innings.

- Portage Central junior Noah Klein did not give up an earned run in 6.2 innings, surrendering five hits and striking out three to beat Grandville.

- Novi’s Uli Fernsler, the top-ranked senior in the state, racked up 11 strikeouts across five innings, hurling 88 percent strikes while giving up no walks or earned runs. The sixth-rated 2025 LHP in the nation is a TCU commit.

- The numbers just keep improving for Ian Maness, an Edsel Ford senior right-hander. The Henry Ford CC commit did not permit a run in five innings, fanning 11 and giving up two hits. For the year Maness has surrendered just one earned run and five hits in 16 innings, striking out 32.

- Henry Ewles fired a three-hit shutout at Detroit-Western, not walking a batter and striking out nine in seven innings. The Notre Dame Prep junior, a Lehigh commit, is the 23rd-rated 2026 in Michigan.

- In three appearances this week, Isaac Lalonde threw 12.2 innings and struck out 30 for Rogers City, the 18th-ranked D-4 team in Michigan. The uncommitted junior gave up two runs and three hits while walking eight.

CONGRATULATIONS TO NEWBERRY

It was good news for Newberry High School this past week.

The Indians knocked off Manistique 3-2 to snap a 25-game losing streak. It was the first win for Newberry since May 22, 2023.

“Our team is much improved from last year's 0-19 team, with a group of four-year varsity seniors leading the way,” explained head coach Dan Hardenbrook, whose team is 1-2-1 with a 17-17 tie against Manistique in a game called due to darkness. “We had two very close losses to a solid, well coached, Sand Creek team to start the season and brought that momentum back north of the bridge. Our two doubleheaders have been the only two days we have been outside all season so with limited field time, it’s impressive to see how far we have come and how quickly we have developed. It’s a different culture and mindset this season and this win is huge for our program to get that pressure of finally winning a game after so long off of our backs.”  

NOTEWORTHY NUMBERS

- Todd Scalka of Trenton picked up his 400th coaching win this week. Trenton is the seventh-ranked team in the state in Division 2.

- Brad Guenter of Hartland recorded coaching win number 100. 

- There was more news with the No. 11 D-1 team in Michigan when Wright State recruit Mike Zielinski produced career hit number 100. The left-handed hitter is a senior outfielder and left-handed pitcher for Hartland.

- Grass Lake, the sixth-ranked Division 3 team, has outscored opponents 126-23 in winning its first 10 games of the season.

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