Marcellus Baseball Making History with 1st League Title, Perfect Regular-Season Record
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
May 28, 2024
MARCELLUS – Crowds have grown so big at Marcellus baseball games this spring that Don Price, the school's athletic director, had to hire extra gate help and make sure the athletic boosters had the concession stand well-stocked.
The Wildcats have put together a memorable baseball season for this community of just more than 1,000 residents located in Cass County.
Marcellus, ranked No. 8 in Division 4, ended its regular season last week at 27-0, which included capturing first place in the Southwest 10 Conference title with a 19-0 mark.
It was the first unbeaten regular season and conference title in the history of Marcellus' baseball program.
With all of that behind the team now, coach Christian Hutson is busily preparing his ballclub for Saturday's noon District Semifinal clash against Burr Oak. Marcellus, just 13-19 a year ago, features a roster that includes four seniors, a pair of juniors, one sophomore and seven freshmen.
"We're hoping to make a run, but first we have to get through a tough District at Centreville. We have to approach it one game at a time. Any team can beat you on any given day," Hutson said.
"Our seniors have gone through lots of growing pains. They've all been asked to play a huge role for us from a young age,” Hutson added. “Now it's all come to life and they are playing real baseball, making plays and picking one another up. Everything has finally come together for these kids.”
A strong pitching staff has been one of the biggest keys to the Wildcats' success. Senior Dawsen Lehew is 5-0 with one save, a 1.04 ERA and 33 strikeouts. Nathan Mihills, another senior, is also 5-0 with one save, a 2.66 ERA and 32 strikeouts and he starts at first base when freshman Cale Hackenberg takes the mound.
"Dawsen won't be outworked. He comes in day in and day out and gives his best performance," Hutson said. "Nathan is Mr. Reliable. He's the guy who stays after practice and makes sure everything is cleaned up and that the field is raked and there's no trash left in the dugout."
Mihills also fills the role of lead-off hitter and threw a no-hitter against Bangor.
"The juniors and seniors have been through the hardship of it all, but it's helped shape us to where we are now. Our freshmen are a great addition. We're all great friends. I'm not a bit scared of who the ball is hit to because I know they'll come up with a good play,” Mihills said. “I'm a lefty and I feel pretty consistent when my curveball is on. Our coaches do a great job preparing us for game situations."
Lehew agrees with his senior teammate: "Our confidence allows us to play with high energy. We've been hitting the rock very well and our pitching has been real solid. We have a new pitching coach (Ryan Coffey) who has helped me with my velocity and control. I feel like everything is flowing really well at this point."
Two freshmen have also filled big roles on the hill for Marcellus. Hackenberg has been one of the Wildcats' top aces so far with a 6-0 record, including two saves, a 1.83 ERA and 76 strikeouts. Abram Coffey is 9-0 with two saves, a 2.21 ERA and 67 strikeouts.
"On any given night, any of one of our four pitchers could be our No. 1 starter. That's what makes us so special," Hutson said.
Hackenberg has played baseball since age 9. "It took us a couple games up on varsity to settle in as freshmen, but we've done okay. I have a couple pitches that have worked well for me this season" he said.
Hackenberg is the grandson of Ron Welburn, after whom Marcellus' home field is named. Welburn, a former village president, was instrumental in the construction of the field.
"When I was on the village council our old field was on the other side of town, and that was inconvenient for the school. We got a recreational grant from the State of Michigan to build a new field. I went and spoke to the school, and they thought that would be a fantastic idea. After running into some issues with the contractor, I resigned from the council and with the help of Rock Powell and Roy Mann we worked together and finished the field," Welburn said. "It's fantastic to see these boys having some success now. It's quite an honor to be able to come out and watch them."
Marcellus' team batting average is .348, and the Wildcats have scored 326 runs – an average of 12.1 per game.
Coffey, the squad's No. 2 batter and starting shortstop when he's not pitching, is Marcellus' top hitter with a .587 average, 15 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 49 RBI, 43 stolen bases and a .712 on-base percentage. Hackenberg, the No. 3 hitter, is batting .438 with 13 doubles, 37 RBI and 25 stolen bases with an on-base percentage of .566.
Batting in the clean-up spot is senior catcher Brock Buck. Buck is hitting .339 with five doubles, one home run, 17 RBI, and he has 20 stolen bases with .565 on-base percentage.
"Brock's been our glue behind the plate the last four years," Hutson said.
Senior centerfielder Cole Thornburgh is the Wildcats' No. 5 hitter with a .390 average, including eight doubles, 28 RBI, 23 stolen bases and a .465 on-base percentage.
"Cole keeps us on our toes and always has something funny to say. We asked him to step up this year, and he's answered the bell," Hutson said.
Other starters playing critical roles for Marcellus are juniors Parker Adams at second base and right fielder Brock McWilliams, along with freshmen designated hitter Zade Tyszka and left fielder Matthew Lehew, Dawsen's younger brother.
"At the plate, it's not just one or two guys – it's our entire lineup. Everyone on this team has contributed whether it's with a hit, stolen base or scoring the go-ahead run," Hutson said.
Trust is another huge factor. "Defensively, we have a lot of versatile kids who we can shift around to different positions. I trust every kid we have out on the field," Hutson said.
Hutson points to the Wildcats' team speed as another key element. Marcellus has 229 stolen bases this season.
"We have great team speed, and we pick and choose our spots. Our kids are fast, and that translates to good things happening on the basepaths," Hutson said.
Good team chemistry has also played a vital role.
"This group is just a bunch of good ol’ country boys. They'll go out together fishing or spearing after a night of practice," Hutson said. “Our community has rallied around us, been very supportive and bring so much energy for us. That makes it a lot easier to play at such a high level. Every night feels like a homecoming.”
Marcellus' head coach also pointed out the contributions of assistant coaches Chauncey Hackenberg, Kyle Kahler and Tyler Coffey.
"My three coaches are absolutely amazing. Chauncey is our accountability guy who gets things done. Tyler has been great developing our pitchers. Kyle, my cousin, works with our infielders and is the level-headed one. I'm more of an outfield guy and work a lot with our hitters," Hutson said.
Hutson lists former Decatur head coach Ben Botti and Keith Schreiber as his biggest mentors. Botti is a member of the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Schreiber, previously the head coach at Glen Oaks Community College and now heading Dowagiac’s program, coached Hutson on the 2010 GOCC squad that won a Western Conference championship.
"I've had two really good mentors in Ben and Keith. They are amazing coaches with so much baseball knowledge. They both check in with me and are good resources," Hutson said.
For Hutson and his ballclub, the feeling of being undefeated so far hasn't quite sunk in.
"Baseball is a funny game,” Hutson said. “We've had a lot of tight and one-run games, but our kids continue to battle and scrap and get the job done."
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Marcellus senior pitcher Dawsen Lehew makes his move toward the plate during a recent game. (Middle) Marcellus freshman pitcher/third baseman Cale Hackenberg, left, stands with grandfather Ron Welburn, for whom the team’s field is named. (Below) The Marcellus varsity baseball team and coaching staff hold up the Southwest 10 Conference championship banner last week after a doubleheader sweep of Cassopolis. (Photos by Scott Hassinger.)
Union City to Omaha: Skirka Takes Murray State Baseball to 1st College World Series
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
July 28, 2025
UNION CITY – From his days fielding ground balls at Alumni Field in Union City to coaching the Murray State Racers at the 2025 College World Series in Omaha, Neb., Dan Skirka has never taken the game of baseball for granted.
A 2003 Union City graduate, Skirka credits his experience of growing up with three older brothers as playing a major impact in his athletic development.
"I played all three sports – football, basketball and baseball – when I was younger while growing up. After my freshman year, I began to concentrate solely on basketball and baseball," he said.
Inspired by watching his older siblings Darren (graduated 1995), Justin (1999) and Brian (2001) compete for the Chargers, Dan couldn't wait to be just like them when he reached the high school level.
"I would attend my brothers' games and I was always trying to emulate them and their teammates,” Dan Skirka said. “The desire to compete for my school when I got the chance helped turn me into the person I am today. It was just really special being on that field, and I never take the game for granted."
While his older brothers played multiple positions, Dan began his career as a pitcher, but an arm injury his freshman year convinced him to switch to shortstop, where he started his last three years for the Chargers.
Skirka was brought up to varsity his freshman year in both baseball and basketball. He played baseball under Joe Tinervia, earning all-conference at shortstop his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. As a senior, Skirka batted .520 in earning all-region as well.
He also was selected all-conference in basketball his sophomore, junior and senior years. A small forward, Skirka remembers well the thrill of winning a District championship his junior year before losing in the Regional Final. Being able to share that experience with guys he grew up with was priceless.
"I learned a lot about leadership skills and how necessary they were in my growth and maturity as a player in high school and college. I learned a great deal from the example the older guys set," Skirka said.
After graduating from Union City, Skirka became a two-year starter at shortstop at Kellogg Community College for head coach Russ Bortell. The Bruins captured a Michigan Community College Baseball Association title during Skirka's sophomore season. The Bruins also reached the regional semifinals that spring after falling in the regional final his freshman year.
"We had a great program at Kellogg, and I learned a ton about baseball from the coaching staff there.” Skirka said. “Grand Rapids Junior College won the regional both years I was at Kellogg. They had a tremendous team and were tough to beat."
Skirka received a Division II baseball scholarship to Grand Valley State University, where he played under Steve Lyon and helped the Lakers win two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. As a senior, Skirka was selected GVSU's Scholar-Athlete of the Year and named to the Division II all-region team, one step away from All-America honors, after hitting .400. He graduated from GVSU majoring in social studies with future plans to become a high school teacher and coach.
Skirka helped his teams at Kellogg and GVSU win a combined 173 games. He credits then-assistant coaches Eric Laskovy (Kellogg) and Jamie Detillion (GVSU) as being heavy influences in his decision to pursue a career in coaching college baseball.
"Laskovy and Detillion were both great assistant coaches who later became head coaches at those schools, and they served as great mentors to me. They both felt that I'd make a good college coach,” Skirka said. “I had always had good relationships with my college coaches, and I served as a team captain at each school. I learned a lot of lessons about toughness and loving the game. Sometimes we played in front of no spectators, and there were a lot of long bus rides."
Laskovy, now a highly-successful head coach himself at Kellogg, describes Skirka as the same genuine and humble person that he was during his playing career.
"Dan was quiet, but real confident and he handled himself well on the field. His strong work ethic as a player made him a coach's dream. He had good leadership skills and he always led by example,” Laskovy said. “That shows up now in his personality as a head coach. He knows the game well and won't get outworked by anyone, and he's seen every situation there is to see in baseball. He knows his stuff, and he's earned the respect of every one of his players and they love him. I couldn't be any prouder of him and the success he's went on to enjoy."
Detillion, who served as GVSU's head coach for 12 seasons before joining Henry-Scheim as a dental sales rep, described Skirka as being another coach on the field during his playing career.
"Dan went from being a good contact hitter to being a power hitter his senior season at GVSU. He was another coach on the field and he outplayed others by how well he prepared," Detillion said. “He always does the right thing, and his mannerisms and the way he goes about his business reveal his high character.”
While student-teaching before graduating from GVSU, Skirka served as an assistant coach in 2008 at GRJC before becoming an assistant coach in 2009 for Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. He joined Murray State's coaching staff as an assistant from 2010-2015 before leaving to become the recruiting coordinator at Walters State Community College (Tenn.), which finished as national runner-up in 2018.
Skirka accepted the position of head baseball coach back at Murray State on July 2, 2018. He’s only a few weeks removed from leading the Racers to a historic season.
Murray State, which is 206-151 under Sirka, finished with a school-record 44 wins this spring, winning the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament championships. The Racers earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003 and fourth in program history. Murray State then upset host Ole Miss to claim the school's first NCAAA Regional crown, followed by a Super Regional victory over Duke that earned the Racers' their first trip to the College World Series. Murray State ended the season 44-17 after CWS losses to UCLA and Arkansas.
Skirka, who received Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Mike Martin National Coach of the Year awards, turned down several coaching offers at other schools to remain at Murray State. He recently received a four-year contract extension that came with a substantial pay raise to become reportedly the highest paid coach in the MVC.
Skirka stated that his decision to stay on at Murray State was a simple one.
"Murray State is a real special place. I love the guys and people in this community, and it just feels like home,” Skirka said. “College baseball presents a lot of challenges. The game is difficult sometimes, and guys need to remember to be patient. It takes weeks, months and sometimes years to earn your time and develop a winning program."
Skirka pointed out clutch performances this season from his senior duo of outfielder and lead-off hitter Jonathan Hogart and third baseman and No. 3 hitter Carson Garner. Hogart hit a school-record 22 home runs, and Garner had 17.
"We have tough kids who grinded out and won 14 games by one run. We were never out of any game with a good mixture of veterans and underclassmen,” Skirka said. “It was a group of guys that loved one another and went out every day and had fun. This group worked hard and competed like crazy. They play the game the right way, and do it with a smile on their face. Our coaching staff is great as well. We meshed pretty well together."
Skirka and his wife Kelsey (Hanson) – also a 2003 Union City grad and a standout in volleyball, basketball and softball – have a 9-year old son, Keagan.
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PHOTOS (Top) At left, Union City sophomore shortstop Dan Skirka makes a throw to first base after fielding a grounder in 2001. At right, Skirka dons headphones for a postgame interview this past season. (Middle) Skirka (32) lays the ball up for two points while playing for Union City against Athens. (Below) Skirka is pictured with wife Kelsey and son Keegan before a game this spring. (Union City photos courtesy of Union City High School. Murray State photos courtesy of ProfEatonPhoto/Murray State athletics.)