Finals Pitchers' Duel Falls Foley's Way
June 17, 2017
By Andy Sneddon
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING – Casey Peterson had allowed one run all season.
That total doubled with one swing of the bat.
Mason Minzey’s two-out, two-run triple in the fifth inning was the difference Saturday as Madison Heights Bishop Foley defeated Traverse City St. Francis, 3-0, in the Division 3 Final at McLane Baseball Stadium on the campus of Michigan State University.
It was the fourth championship for Foley (25-12-1), all coming since 2011.
Peterson, a junior left-hander and one of a plethora of stingy hurlers on the Gladiators roster, entered the tournament with a miniscule 0.15 earned run average. St. Francis pitching had recorded seven consecutive shutouts – and 17 (the fourth-highest total in MHSAA history) on the season -- leading up to Friday’s 3-2 Semifinal win over Schoolcraft.
Peterson was cruising in the fifth inning when he surrendered back-to-back singles with one out to Evan Ludwick and Payton Schuster, and then Minzey’s hard-hit triple that went directly over the head of St. Francis’ centerfielder.
“I told our assistant coach, Tom (Schuster), ‘This game is going to be won on a mistake,’” second-year Foley coach Greg Fettes said. “The centerfielder lost his footing, and that’s what wins us the baseball game. Between two great teams, that’s what’s going to happen. One mistake is going to cost you a game.”
Minzey’s triple broke a scoreless tie, the Ventures added another run on a Justin Campbell RBI single, and then Campbell did the rest on the mound. The lanky 6-foot-4 senior lefthander, who has signed with Tulane, struck out eight and did not walk a batter in firing the complete-game shutout.
“That’s Campbell in a nutshell right there,” Fettes said. “That’s the guy you’re going to get day in and day out. That’s why I love when he’s on the mound. I’m going to be extremely sad to see him go, but I know he’s off to bigger and better things at Tulane and I know they’re getting one heck of a pitcher.”
Peterson gave up seven hits, struck out three and walked only one in a strong effort.
While the Ventures eventually got to Peterson, however, Campbell seemed to get stronger as the game progressed. Four of St. Francis’ six hits came over the first three innings, and Campbell retired nine in a row at one point, a streak that ended when the Gladiators put two on with two out in the ninth inning to bring the potential tying run to the plate.
Campbell induced a game-ending fly ball.
“Very well-played game,” fourth-year St. Francis coach Tom Passinault said. “We knew going in that we’d have trouble scoring runs on the Campbell kid, so every pitch, every hit, every run was magnified. They strung things together at the right time, and we didn’t.
“Really proud of our kids. Been a great year.”
Conner Sweet had two hits to lead St. Francis, which finished with a school-record 38 victories against four losses.
PHOTOS: (Top) Bishop Foley pitcher Justin Campbell delivers during Saturday’s Division 3 Final. (Middle) A Ventures hitter gets down a bunt.
Dakota Wins Battle of Aces, Hartland's Crowe Brothers Come Through in Clutch
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
June 13, 2025
EAST LANSING – Luke DeMasse wouldn't be opposed to continuing as a two-way threat in college, but for now he'll settle for mastery on the pitching mound.
Especially if it contributes to a Division 1 championship.
The Macomb Dakota senior was outstanding both pitching and at the plate in Friday's 6-2 Semifinal win over Bay City Western at Michigan State's McLane Stadium.
In a matchup of the top two ranked teams in Division 1, DeMasse remained unbeaten as a pitcher (8-0) in tossing a three-hitter while also contributing a two-run single that sparked a five-run fourth inning. He also singled, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Gjonaj in the sixth inning.
On top of his eight straight wins as a pitcher, DeMasse, bound for Ball State next season, is a key to the offense. He's third on the team in extra-base hits (11), fourth on the team in RBIs (26) and batting (.351), and fifth in runs (29). Still, DeMasse said he's a pitcher first.
"Definitely I'm a pitcher who also hits," he said. "It'd be cool to two-way (in college); maybe if I worked at it. But when I pitch, I focus on pitching. I just try to help the team on both sides, especially in high pressure situations. I just try to stay calm."
DeMasse's three-hitter furthered an amazing stretch of pitching for No. 1-ranked Macomb Dakota, which will play Hartland in Saturday's 2:30 p.m. Final. Cougars pitchers have allowed two runs or fewer in six tournament games while giving up one run or fewer or tossing a shutout 16 times this year.
"I knew going into the season we had some very good arms," Macomb Dakota coach Angelo Plouffe said. "I've been around for years, and I'm not surprised. They way they act on the mound, they know how to throw it."
Gjonaj, a junior shortstop, said it's a huge positive playing behind such talented arms. Gjonaj and Jadon Ford each had RBI singles during the five-run fourth inning.
"We probably have the best pitching in the state, and the offense comes through when we need it," Gjonaj said. "Our pitchers get groundouts and easy fly balls, and that's good for us."
Bay City Western, ranked No. 2 in Division 1, got a two-run single by Brayden Simmon in the fifth inning.
Plouffe said the five-run inning was a game-changer.
"The big inning was there for us," he said. "The kids kind of grinded out at-bats against a great, great pitcher."
Warriors coach Tim McDonald said he saw Dakota (36-6-1) in two tournaments this year, but his team hadn’t played the Cougars.
"That's impressive from (DeMasse), but I'll take my chances with (Warriors starter Luke LaCourse)," he said. "He's carried us so many times this year. I told them after the big inning that we need to pick him up, he's carried us so much this year. And we made some noise."
Hartland 4, Grosse Point South 2
Making good on a guess was just enough for Dylan Crowe to help Hartland advance to the Division 1 championship game.
The Eagles sophomore third baseman lined a two-out, two-run double in the third inning to give Hartland a 4-2 win over Grosse Pointe South. The clutch hit wiped out a 2-1 deficit and was another step in Crowe overcoming a personally-tough second varsity season.
"I got a first pitch changeup, he came back with it and I stayed back and drove it," said Crowe, who drove in all four Hartland runs. "We've been barreling the ball against people, and today they just fell.
“(The win) means a lot because I've struggled with adversity. My dad passed away last November, and it's been tough. But I wouldn't want to do this with any other team."
Crowe's father died last fall after battling cancer, but Crowe has responded by leading the team with 36 RBIs while batting in the middle of the team's order. His first inning sacrifice fly gave Hartland a 1-0 lead, his two-run double made it 3-2 in the third inning and Crowe added a fifth-inning RBI double for the 4-2 win.
"He's had a tough season obviously when you lose a loved one," Hartland coach Brad Guenther said of Crowe, whose brother Brayden singled, doubled and scored a run Friday. "His dad was a rock, and it's hard not to have him around for that support. But (the brothers) have handled it. Dylan kind of grinds it out with the tough times."
Brayden Crowe, a senior catcher, said it doesn't surprise the Eagles that they find themselves in the Final.
"We're always the underdog, but we feel like we should be here," he said. "We were hoping to get hot for the playoffs, and we have been. We have a lot of trust in our pitching and defense – they keep us going."
The win upped unranked Hartland to 27-15-1, while Grosse Point South finished 35-8. The Blue Devils, who had outscored five tournament opponents by a combined 38-9, set a school record for wins while playing in their ninth Semifinals.
Coach Dan Griesbaum, finishing his 42nd year as coach, credited Hartland starter Ty Kraut with an excellent showing. Kraut scattered eight hits, allowing an RBI double to Evan Bernard and sacrifice fly by James Michelotti during the second inning.
"He did a real nice job of keeping us off-balance and throwing strikes,' Griesbaum said. "That's the name of the game, and I give him a lot of credit. Our starting pitcher doesn't throw that hard. He needs to hit his spots, and the strike zone was tight for both teams. But I give them credit for playing hard and being well-coached."
PHOTOS (Top) Macomb Dakota’s Luke DeMasse throws a pitch during his team’s Division 1 Semifinal win Friday. (Middle) Grosse Pointe South’s Henry Domzalski slides into second base as a Hartland throw approaches.