Norsemen drop doubleheader; Weber earns 300th career win

Suttons Bay's Jeff Ruthkowski swings at a pitch in Game 1 of Suttons Bay's opening day
doubleheader Tuesday against Traverse City West. Ruthkowski was wearing the jersey
of coach Doug Periard because his new uniform hadn't yet arrived.

Suttons Bay opened its 2007 baseball season Tuesday by dropping a doubleheader to Class A Traverse City West.

West won the opener 15-2 and the nightcap 16-6.

Norsemen coach Doug Periard said he noticed “encouraging signs” from his team despite the losses.

“The score didn’t show it, but we played really well defensively. Also, we had a lot of younger players who performed well for us,” he said. “West just hit the ball very, very well.”

Josh Feickert lost the opening game, but had a double in the first game and a single in the second game. Ryan Gardner added an RBI in the opener.

In the nightcap, Jeff Ruthkowski scored a pair of runs for the Norsemen after getting on base with a single and a walk, and Kevin O’Neill had a pair of hits. Shane Kaufman took the loss.

Though the Norsemen dropped both games, it was a good day for Centerville Township resident and Glen Lake graduate Randy Weber, the coach of Traverse City West. Weber, a former Glen Lake baseball player who later coached the Lakers for nine years, recorded his 300th career coaching victory Tuesday. Weber, in his fourth year as the Titans’ coach, has a 301-105-8 career coaching record.

“We congratulated Randy after the game and are happy for him,” said Periard. “He’s had a great career.”