Glen Lake is clearing out more space in its trophy case as the Laker baseball team captured its third conference championship in a row after defeating Benzie Central on Tuesday night.
“We won three conference championships in a row and then finished 2nd for six straight years, so it feels good to finally break through and get one again,” Glen Lake baseball coach Kris Herman said.
Glen Lake hopes this is a good omen as postseason trophies are there for the taking.
The Lakers (19-3 overall, 10-0 NWC) are three games up in the conference with two games left in the regular season conference play. Kingsley and Benzie are battling for second place at this point.
The Lakers won game one of the double-header against Benzie 3-2 in extra innings. Glen Lake senior Cooper Bufalini was the winning pitcher with 12 strikeouts. Leading hitters for the Lakers included junior Benji Allen (single, double), Bufalini (two hits), and Tanner Crick (two hits). In game two, Glen Lake wouldn’t keep it so close with a 10-0 victory. Allen earned the win with 10 strikeouts on one hit. Peter Gelsinger and Aiden Gokey each had two hits.
“Our pitching has been really good this year, and the guys played just enough defense and scraped for just enough runs to get it done in the first game. I was really proud of how they stayed steady and got it done,” Herman said.
Glen Lake will be hosting Boyne City and Rogers City in the Randy Weber Invitational this Saturday.
NORSEMEN EARN WINS OVER CL
Suttons Bay (9-14, 5-4) took a pair of wins in high-scoring fashion over Central Lake on Tuesday.
The Norsemen defeated Central Lake 12-8 in game one, and 15-14 in game two. Suttons Bay scored seven runs in the fifth inning to take game one.
Lucas Gordon went 2-for-3 with two runs. Gavin Schichtel went 3-for-3 with four RBIs, while Ty Brenner went 3-for-3 with three RBIs.
Gavin Schichtel and Tyler Porter earned wins with stout pitching.
In game two, Suttons Bay scored 10 in the fifth inning.
Jackson Loucks went 2-for-5 with two runs, and Lucas Gordon went 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a double.
Schichtel added another two RBIs in a 2-for-4 performance.
Porter went 3-for-3 with three RBIs.
Zacharia Raphael went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
Friday, Suttons Bay defeated Mason County Central 9-3, 7-4 in a doubleheader.
Gordon earned the win with 11 strikeouts, allowing only three hits. Loucks and Jabin Aguilar led the Norsemen going 3-for-3 and 2-for-3, respectively. In game two, Raphael earned the win with eight strikeouts. Shane O’Boyle had a double.
The Norsemen travel to Bear Lake today.
EAGLES DEFEAT PORTAGERS
Lake Leelanau St. Mary dominated Onekama in a pair of games Thursday.
The Eagles made quick work in a 25-0 and 17-2 wins.
Josh Bunek drove in four runs on two hits in game one. the Eagles scored 12 runs on two hits in the second inning. Eagle sophomore Gavin Mitchell earned the win for St. Mary.
In game two, an eight-run explosion in the second was enough to pull away from Onekama.
Bunek earned the win for St. Mary.
