State Final Preview: Beal City vs. Riverview Gabriel Richard
And then there was one, an entire season reduced down to seven innings.
On Saturday morning from Mclane Stadium on the campus of Michigan State University the Beal City baseball team will take on Riverview Gabriel Richard for the Division 4 state championship.
First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
Coming into the game both the Aggies (30-2) and Pioneers (18-12) have had sensational postseasons as Beal City has outscored its playoff opponents 79-12 while Gabriel Richard has done the same to the tune of 63-6. In Thursday’s D4 semifinal round Beal City rolled over Whitmore Lake 14-4 in six innings while Gabriel Richard topped Rudyard 10-3.
On paper the unranked Pioneers have also defeated ninthranked Marine City Cardinal Mooney (10-0) and 20th-ranked Bay City All Saints (9-0) in recent weeks all while posting four shutouts in their last six games. Gabriel Richard won the D3 state title in 2018, the same year Beal City claimed the D4 state title.
For the Aggies, well, they enter the game as the favorites as they’ve been ranked No. 1 in D4 all season. Moreover, they bring in one of the most potent offenses in state history as they average 13 runs per game. On the mound they should also be set as staff ace Brendan Martin, a senior who hasn’t lost a game since his freshman season, should be ready to go after throwing one inning Thursday.
Beal City struggled early in its semifinal win, trailing 2-0 right out of the chute before the offense kicked it into gear by playing small ball. The Aggies had numerous bunt singles in the game which eventually broke the flood gates open.
If Beal City’s offense is on Saturday the Aggies will be very difficult to beat. If not, well, it could be a long day.