Unionville-Sebewaing, Mendon Earn Highly-Anticipated Title Game Rematch
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
June 13, 2025
EAST LANSING — Rain delays usually produce moans and groans for many, but a storm break during Friday’s first MHSAA Division 4 Semifinal seemed to be beneficial for Unionville-Sebewaing.
Before the skies opened up, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary seemed to have all the momentum, holding a one-run lead with runners on second and third base and one out in the bottom of the second inning.
When play resumed one hour and 15 minutes later, it was all USA.
The Patriots’ dominated from there, rolling to a 4-1 win and continuing their bid for a record sixth-straight Finals title.
“I told the girls that we outdanced them,” quipped USA head coach Marc Reinhardt, referring to the dancing both teams were doing in their dugouts to pass the time during the delay. “It came at a good time. The momentum was all on their side.”
After play resumed, USA pitcher Olivia Green first got her team out of the jam in the bottom of the second with two strikeouts, stranding the bases loaded for a second consecutive inning.
In the top of the third, USA (21-15) implemented a small ball strategy to perfection. A bunt single by freshman Morgan Armbruster and a sacrifice bunt put Armbruster at third base with one out, and then junior Kate Beagle laid down another bunt that scored Armbruster after she beat the throw home.
Green then delivered an RBI double to score Beagle and make it 2-1 USA.
“When we got (batting), we were in a perfect spot to start doing what we ended up doing,” Reinhardt said. “The girls executed like we worked on all year long. I get kids who come in as freshmen and say, ‘I don’t bunt, Coach.’ I say, ‘You will.’ Sometimes it’s necessary.”
The Patriots added a run in the fifth inning on an RBI triple by junior Macy Prime and another in the sixth on an RBI double by sophomore Nataley Harder.
It was more than enough support for Green, who finished with 15 strikeouts and tossed a three-hitter. She didn’t allow a hit after the rain delay.
“I would say it was more of a strategic reset,” Green said of the delay. “I was talking to our coaches about what we should do with the top of their lineup because they had good hitters coming up. It was just knowing how to set up for them and what to throw to them.”
Alley Coffey stuck out 10 batters for Michigan Lutheran Seminary (32-11), which was seeking its first appearance in a championship game.
“We still had an opportunity with the bases loaded,” MLS head coach Seth LaBair said about the scenario when play resumed after the delay. “We needed to come up with a hit, and that probably would have given us more momentum too. The rain delay, maybe it did change things a bit. But that happens. USA had to come back and go through that too.”
Mendon 4, Hillman 2
To win its first Finals championship in school history, Mendon will have to go through the state’s gold standard in USA. But it’s a challenge the Hornets will relish.
“These girls are dying for another opportunity,” Mendon head coach Steve Butler said. “It’s all we’ve thought about for the last year, and they’ve got it.”
Mendon lost to USA in the championship game two years ago and in the Semifinals last year, and will get a crack at the Patriots again after grinding out a win over a Hillman team that also played in the Semifinals last year.
Mendon (35-2) committed two errors in the top of the first inning, which led to a pair of Hillman runs. Autumn Lis had an RBI single during that first inning rally for Hillman (33-8).
In the third inning, it was Mendon’s turn to capitalize on mistakes. Hillman (33-8) committed a pair of errors, one a throwing error that allowed two runs to score and made it 3-2 Mendon. The Hornets got on the board earlier in the inning on an RBI triple by junior Jadyn Samson.
Mendon rounded out the scoring in the fifth inning on an RBI groundout by Taya Bingaman.
All game, Mendon rode the pitching of junior Rowan Allen, who struck out 12, walked one and allowed just five hits.
“I was feeling pretty good today, and I knew I could attack the batters and go after them because I have a great defense behind me,” Allen said.
Hillman pitcher Gretchen Weiland allowed just six hits, striking out eight and walking two in six innings of work.
Hillman head coach Jason Weiland said his team was in a familiar position of jumping ahead quickly, given it lost the coin flip before every game of the postseason and thus was the road team for the entirety of its playoff run.
Ultimately, Mendon’s experience and resolve prevailed.
“We just fell short,” Weiland said. “I’m happy with this team’s success after graduating four seniors last year. They really instilled that they wanted to go (back) to the Final Four. We were hoping to take one step beyond, but back-to-back Final Four trips for us is the first time in history. I’m really proud of the girls.”
PHOTOS (Top) Unionville-Sebewaing’s Olivia Green blasts a drive during her team’s Division 4 Semifinal win over Michigan Lutheran Seminary. (Middle) Mendon’s Rowan Allen makes her move toward the plate.
Performance: Three Rivers' Kali Heivilin
April 26, 2019
Kali Heivilin
Three Rivers sophomore – Softball
Heivilin, coming off 18 home runs last season as a freshman, already has hit 12 more over 17 games this spring including six over five games last weekend to earn the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.” The sophomore shortstop drilled three in Friday’s doubleheader sweep of Plainwell and then one each in all three games as her team went 2-1 at the Constantine Invitational.
Heivilin made the Division 2 all-state first team last spring and is hitting .667 this season with 33 RBI and 46 runs scored to go with her 12 homers. She's been walked 15 times and hasn't struck out; she's carrying an incredible .731 on-base percentage. Three Rivers is 15-3 with its only losses to No. 10-ranked Edwardsburg twice and once to Portage Central. Her athletic talents are not exclusive to the softball diamond; Heivilin is a starting outside and middle hitter on the varsity volleyball team and two-time all-league honoree in basketball. Also this winter, she earned a fifth place at the Michigan High School Powerlifting Association championships.
She also excels academically, carrying a 3.89 grade-point average with her favorite classes in science – particularly anatomy – and aspirations of studying something in the medical field down the road. She’s following the example of senior brother Jalen Heivilin, himself a multi-sport and academic standout at Three Rivers this year, and sports stardom runs in the family – their grandfather Al, a longtime MHSAA official, was a Three Rivers record holder in track & field and competed at Ferris State University after high school. Kali has lots of time to figure out her college future, of course – but is receiving interest from softball programs both north and south. Her big week also earned her recognition from Extra Innings Softball, which named her its National Player of the Week on Monday.
Coach Kendra Kutz said: "She just has a passion and drive for what she does, not just in softball but in life. She's very dedicated to herself and her well-being. She takes care of herself; I had the honor of helping her during basketball season when I was an assistant coach this year, and even on game days she'd go to CrossFit at 6 a.m. before school. She's just a beast -- not a typical 16-year-old girl. She's focused, she has a passion for what she does with her life and she's a great student, and she comes from a very well-rounded family that is very supportive of her. As a freshman, she just had a breakout to begin her career. She's not one of those types of leaders that's verbal. She's just a silent leader; she's young, and she's still trying to find her place as far as what she can say to her players and to feel comfortable in that atmosphere. (But) when she's focused, it's game time, and that to me is the start of leadership. ... I can put that girl anywhere on the field and she can get the job done. She's just a kid every coach wishes they had."
Performance Point: “I’m just having a good spring. I trained really hard in the offseason to make sure I improve from last year and don’t go downhill. I have a really big summer ahead of me. … I’m just doing really good right now, and hoping I stay where I’m at. Since we do CrossFit, and I do powerlifting, it makes me a lot stronger, helps me more at the plate approach and attack the ball. And then in the field it makes me more mobile and able to get places faster and more efficiently because I have more mobility.”
Workout warrior: “I get up every morning and work out before school. It’s just a big motivator for me because I see what it’s done for me in the past. I really like the outcome of it. The place I work out at, we’re all like a family, so we all push each other. We’re cheering for each other. … My brother, his best friend did CrossFit for a long time working out, so my brother joined. I look up to my brother, so I want to do what he did. So I started about four and a half years ago, and I haven’t stopped since.”
We manage: “I love playing everything because I like having things to do. I like my rest time, but I like staying active. So that’s why I do all the stuff I do. I manage it; I talk to my coaches, like I have to be at this place at this time, and they’re like, ‘OK, we’ll do practice from this time to this time.’ I like to make sure I do everything I need to do and want to do … because I like to stay busy. My dad (Shawn) likes me and my brother to be independent and wants us to learn how to manage our time, so he really helped me with it – like, ‘You’re responsible for this. If you want to do it, you have to figure out how to do it, how you’re going to be able to do it.’ So I give credit to my dad for helping to figure all of that stuff out.”
Brotherly love: “I learned a lot of responsibility and confidence from my brother. He’s so good. He’s worked hard to get to be where he wants to be, and I looked up to him to be like, ‘Oh, he did that. I want to do that.’ I learned how to work hard, how to be confident, how to be humble.”
Colleges are watching: “I want to play down south for softball for college … but I will stay up north if that is what fits me best. It’s weird. (Recruiting) comes fast. My parents and my brother are the ones that help me. My dad and brother are probably having the biggest impact – my brother is going through it right now and my dad has experience going through it, and my mom (Crystal) is there for me too. They are the ones helping me do what I need to do, make the right decisions and keep my head where it should be.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Had a good 5 game stretch. 2 yesterday 3 today. 11/14 6 HR 3 doubles 5 walks .785 @magicgold03 #staysharp pic.twitter.com/0FQRntQKJX
— kali heivilin (@kheivilin03) April 20, 2019
Every week during the 2018-19 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard recognizes a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Past 2018-19 honorees
March 28: Rickea Jackson, Detroit Edison basketball - Read
March 21: Noah Wiswary, Hudsonville Unity Christian basketball - Read
March 14: Cam Peel, Spring Lake swimming - Read
March 7: Jordan Hamdan, Hudson wrestling - Read
February 28: Kevon Davenport, Detroit Catholic Central wrestling - Read
February 21: Reagan Olli, Gaylord skiing - Read
February 14: Jake Stevenson, Traverse City Bay Reps hockey - Read
February 7: Molly Davis, Midland Dow basketball - Read
January 31: Chris DeRocher, Alpena basketball - Read
January 24: Imari Blond, Flint Kearsley bowling - Read
January 17: William Dunn, Quincy basketball - Read
November 29: Dequan Finn, Detroit Martin Luther King football - Read
November 22: Paige Briggs, Lake Orion volleyball - Read
November 15: Hunter Nowak, Morrice football - Read
November 8: Jon Dougherty, Detroit Country Day soccer - Read
November 1: Jordan Stump, Camden-Frontier volleyball - Read
October 25: Danielle Staskowski, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep golf - Read
October 18: Adam Bruce, Gladstone cross country - Read
October 11: Ericka VanderLende, Rockford cross country - Read
October 4: Kobe Clark, Schoolcraft football - Read
September 27: Jonathan Kliewer, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern soccer - Read
September 20: Kiera Lasky, Bronson volleyball - Read
September 13: Judy Rector, Hanover-Horton cross country - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Three Rivers' Kali Heivilin powers through a pitch. (Photo courtesy of Three Rivers' athletic department.)