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Michigan Diamond Notes: April 6-12

Hackett Catholic Prep is off to an 8-0 start and the one-two punch of David Verduzco and Max Gerl is a big reason why.

Verduzco, is now 3-0 on the season after picking up a win this past week. In 2.1 innings in an outing cut short by pitch count due to an upcoming start, Verduzco struck out eight including four Ks in the first inning (one came on a dropped third strike). The Kalamazoo commit gave up two hits and no earned runs.

At the plate, the senior infielder was 5-6 in a doubleheader sweep of Parchment, with two doubles, four runs, four RBIs and five stolen bases. For the season, Verduzco has 16 steals, 14 runs and 14 RBIs.

Gerl, went 5-7 with a double in the two games against Parchment, driving in five, stealing five bases and scoring four runs. The left-handed hitting senior now has 13 runs, 12 RBIs and nine steals on the season.

TWO-WAY STARS

Owen Tappenden belted five home runs for the week for Coldwater, including 4 in a DH with Marshall, but that was far from all the senior did.

The Kellogg recruit fanned eight in six two-hit innings for Coldwater, walking three and permitting one earned run.

At the plate, in addition to the five long balls, the future Bruin went 12-19 with three walks, driving in 10 and scoring a dozen runs in seven games against Gull Lake, Marshall, Cadillac, Three Rivers and Brandywine.

- Jacob Metzger fanned 15 in 9.1 innings for the week, giving up five hits and three earned runs while earning a win over Portage Northern. A shortstop and outfielder in addition to pitcher for Holt, Metzger drove in seven runs while going 11-18 hitting for the week, belting two doubles, two triples and two home runs. For the year, Metzger now has four two-base hits, three triples and three home runs to go along with 10 RBIs.

- Brandywine picked up four wins this week over Coloma (twice), Cadillac and Coldwater, as well as a tie with undefeated Three Rivers, and Ryder Richard was a big reason why. The senior catcher in Michigan was 8-12 with five doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs and seven runs scored in addition to stealing three bases. The uncommitted 6-0 190-pounder also pitched three innings to earn a save, striking out eight while being clocked at 87-88 mph.

- Joseph Fair picked up wins over Maple Valley and Centreville allowing one earned run in nine innings with seven strikeouts and a 0.778 ERA. The Bronson junior also produced nine RBIs and touched home five times while going 10-20 on the week with a double and three stolen bases. 

- Brady Davis is the 18th-ranked 2026 left-handed pitcher in the state but it was at the plate where the Sacred Heart lefty stood out this week. Davis finished 13-17 with 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored. The southpaw did his part on the mound as well with 13 strikeouts in four innings.

- Blake Brown picked up a win on the mound while also going 9-12 at the plate with a pair of home runs for Gull Lake. Brown is the sixth-rated junior right-handed pitcher in Michigan.

HITTING STANDOUTS

Conor Rentfrow is certainly making the best of his senior year.

The Taylor recruit had a stellar week going 8-12 at the plate with four doubles and two home runs, while also driving in 14 runs and scoring eight during four games played by Columbia Central.

- Williamston’s Kaleb Nielson finished 11-15 at the plate against three Division 1 squads, Dewitt, Fenton and East Lansing. The uncommitted left-handed hitting senior scored 10 runs, drove in seven and had three doubles with a 1.661 OPS. The 6-1 185-pounder also reached base on five walks and stole five bases.

- Noah Banas was on base 10 times in 11 plate appearances this week for New Boston Huron. The Saginaw Valley recruit went 6-7 with three doubles and a home run, walking three times and reaching once on a HBP. Banas also scored six runs and stole five bases, with an OPS of 2.623, slugging percentage of 1.74 and on-base percentage of .909.

- Casey Archer and Anderson Adams both went 6-14 at the dish for Lake Orion. Archer, a senior signed with Mott CC, had four RBIs and scored five runs while Adams, who plays third for Lake Orion, had a pair of doubles and walked once, driving in four, scoring four and stealing two bases.

- Bedford left-handed hitting junior Cashton Sedlar was 6-10 in two games with a pair of doubles, a triple and four runs scored while also rolling up four RBIs. Sedlar is the sixth-ranked 2027 outfielder in Michigan.

- Leadoff hitter Caleb Sadowski did a little bit of everything for Chippewa Valley last week. The Glendale CC recruit had 6 hits, 3 doubles, 3 RBI, scored 5 runs and stole 5 bases in a 4 win week for the Big Reds.

- Evan McIntyre scored nine runs in four games for Portage Central. The Kellogg CC recruit was 8-13 with four doubles while producing seven RBIs.

- Noah Zeien tallied 17 runs and Brody Collin reached base 17 times out of 20 trips to the plate for Sacred Heart. Zeien went 11-15 at the plate and stole nine bases while Collin scored 13 runs.

- Bay City Western won five games during the week with Owen Dominowski doing his part with nine runs and seven RBIs. The third-rated junior outfielder in Michigan went 10-14 with four doubles and three stolen bases.

- Logan Beckwith is now batting .500 on the season after a 9-13 week for Swartz Creek. The senior center fielder had five doubles and a home run, walking twice and stealing two bases while scoring six times and driving home five.

- Silas Anderson had an OPS and OBP of 1.727 for the week. The Mesick junior left fielder was 5-8 with three doubles and seven RBIs.

- Tristin Fisher touched home plate six times and stole five bases for Shepherd. The junior shortstop was 7-12 with a double and two walks, driving in one run.

- In only four at-bats,  junior shortstop Cole Nickerson had a big week with a single and triple, stole three bases and two runs scored for Vassar.    

THROWING THE BALL WELL

Only 72 pitches were needed for Griffin Delusky to pick up a win.

The Brother Rice junior fanned nine and did not walk a batter in a two-hit masterpiece against Saline. The 6-3 190-pounder is the No. 14 2027 right-handed pitcher in the state.

- Maddux Kipling and Logan Slimko were pitchers of the week the previous week during limited action in the state. A Michigan State commit, Kipling, threw a no-hitter with 15 Ks, walking two and picking off one for Spring Lake. Slimko, a Dartmouth signee, also tossed a no-no for North Muskegon, striking out 16 and allowing three free passes.

- The top-ranked senior in Michigan, Ethan Armstrong, was perfect for Garden City, striking out all 12 Detroit Edison batters he faced. The 41st-rated 2026 right-handed pitcher in the nation is a Michigan commit.

- Khannor Hamilton fanned 18 in a one-hit victory for Michigan Lutheran. The junior right-hander did not permit an earned run in the seven-inning win, walking just one.

- Derek Smith threw a five inning no-hitter for Troy Athens. A 3B/RHP, the Muskingum recruit struck out eight.

- Howell senior left-hander Nick Myers fired a three-hit shutout against Brighton. The Alma commit retired five batters on strikes while walking one.

- Seven pitchers combined to allow just eight hits over 27 innings for Sacred Heart with Nate Siler, the 10th-rated junior RHP in Michigan, fanning 17 in 6.2 frames.

SOPHOMORES SPARKLE

The future looks bright for Potterville with a pair of 10th-graders showing off their abilities on the ball diamond this past week.

Tooker Harris recorded 16 strikeouts in 7.2 innings in picking up a pair of wins. The sophomore had a 0.913 WHIP and ERA and now has 33 Ks in 19.2 frames for the season.

Another sophomore, Alex Jackson hit .636 for the week with six RBIs, five runs and a stolen base. Jackson carries a .571 batting average for the year.

- Mason Esterline is coming up huge as a two-way for Farwell. At the plate Esterline went 8-11 with five walks and three doubles. The left-handed hitter scored eight runs, drove in a pair and also swiped five bases. On the mound, the southpaw gave up one earned run in 5.1 five-hit innings, fanning 11 and not walking a batter. Esterline has 24 Ks in 11.1 frames on the season.

- Flint Powers Catholic sophomore Logan Gowan threw just 82 pitches and gave up one hit in a 4-0 win over Linden striking out four.  

WIN NUMBER 400

Three coaches in the state picked up their 400th career coaching victory.

Notre Dame Prep’s Jason Gendreau garnered his 400th in a 7-2 win over Lamphere on Saturday while Brad Antcliff of Beal City also hit the magic number on that day during the Cass City Wood Bat Classic. Corey Farner of Woodhaven, in his 18th season as a head coach, rounded out the trio of 400-win coaches after beating Wyandotte Roosevelt.

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