Pewamo-Westphalia vs. Detroit Edison – – MHSAA Division 3 Baseball Semifinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 16, 2022 – – by Chuck Krafft
This afternoon, the Pirates from Pewamo-Westphalia will face the Pioneers from Detroit Edison in the Division 3 Semifinal. Pewamo-Westphalia is 23-10-2 and unranked coming into this game. Detroit Edison is rated Number 16 and is 24-12.
For Edison, Gregory Pace is hitting .425 with 8 home runs, 33 RBI and 44 stolen bases. Marwynn Matthews is batting .387 with 35 RBI and 18 stolen bases. Keith Smith is batting .360 with 36 RBI and 35 stolen bases. Edward Gregory is hitting .318 with 11 doubles and 46 stolen bases. Caleb Johnson is hitting .311.
For Pewamo-Westphalia, Tanner Wirth is hitting .423 with 11 doubles and 14 stolen bases. Nate Simon has a .347 batting average with 10 stolen bases. Ashtin Wirth is hitting .329 with 27 RBI. Brock Thelen is batting .337 2ith 38 doubles and 36 stolen bases. Adam Nurenberg is hitting .333.
On the mound, Drew Nurenberg is 4-0 with a magnificent 0.63 ERA. Austin Schafer has a 6-2 record along with an ERA of 1.84. Gabe Miller is 7-2 with a 1.15 ERA.
While we wait for these teams to take the field, here is a piano solo from my “Chuck Krafft” You Tube Channel!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvrOo-TYs-E
Here are the starting lineups! Pewamo-Westphalia will bat first. Detroit Edison will be the home team.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA:
Tanner Wirth cf
Nate Simon rf
Ashtin Wirth c
Troy Wertman dh
Brock Thelen ss
Caleb Stopczynski 3b
Adam Nurenberg 2b
Trent Channell lf
Conner Russell 1b
Drew Nurenberg will pitch, but will not bat.
DETROIT EDISON:
Edward Gregory, Jr. ss
Gregory Pace, Jr. cf
Keith Smith, Jr. lf
Caleb Sanders rf
Marwynn Matthews p
Jordan Jones 3b
Kole Waterman 1b
Davion Williams c
Terrell Crosson 2b
It is now time to record the events of this game through the occasionally observant eyes of a Bleacher Denizen will always fondly remember the only fair ball he ever hit in Little League. (I’m a right handed batter and it rolled to the shortstop, so technically, I pulled it!!!) (Of course, if I ever have great grandchildren, the ball will have gone over the fence, but that’s a story for another day.)
Tanner Wirth singled down the left field line to open the top of the first inning for P-W. (To save wear and tear on your aging Bleacher Denizen’s fingers, we will be using those initials a lot!) Marwynn Matthews picked the Pirate runner off first base. Ashtin Wirth rifled a single off the third baseman’s glove. Marwynn Matthews retired the next batter on a grounder to second base to end the inning.
Drew Nurenberg struck out the three Edison batters in the bottom of the first inning.
Marwynn Matthews retired the three Pirate hitters in the top of the second inning on a popup to the shortstop, a strikeout and another popup to the shortstop.
Drew Nurenberg struck out the Pioneer leadoff batter in the bottom of the second inning. Marwynn Matthews beat out an infield single. Marwynn Matthews stole second base and moved on to third base when an error was made on the play. Drew Nurenberg struck out the next Edison batter. Marwynn Matthews scored when Kole Waterman was safe at first base on an error.
Kole Waterman went to second base on a wild pitch. Davion Williams singled down the right field line to drive in Kole Waterman. Aceion Royster entered the game as a courtesy runner for Davion Williams. Edison made its final out of the inning on a grounder to the shortstop.
Detroit Edison scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Trent Channell lined a single up the middle to lead off the top of the third inning for P-W. Marwynn Matthews struck out the next Pirate hitter. Trent Channell advanced to second base when Tanner Wirth was safe at first on an error. The next Pirate batter was called out for batter’s interference. Ashtin Wirth walked to load the bases. Grant Pohl entered the game as a courtesy runner for Ashtin Wirth. Marwynn Matthews struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Drew Nurenberg struck out the Pioneer leadoff batter in the bottom of the third inning. Tanner Wirth made a fine running catch in centerfield to record the second out. Edison made its third out of the inning on a bouncer to the mound.
Brock Thelen led off the fourth inning for P-W by beating out an infield single. Gregory Pace, Jr. made a fine running catch of a drive by Caleb Stopczynski to record the first out. Brock Thelen moved up to third base when Adam Nurenberg was safe at second base on an error. Trent Channell singled to drive in Brock Thelen. Adam Nurenberg advanced to third base. Edison Right Fielder Caleb Sanders threw Trent Channell out when he tried to stretch the single into a double. Marwynn Matthews struck out pinch hitter Zach Raines to end the inning.
Pewamo-Westphalia scored one run in the top of the fourth inning to trim the Edison lead to 2-1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Edison’s leadoff batter was out on a fly to center field. Marwynn Matthews lined a single up the middle. Marwynn Matthews advanced to second on a groundout to second base by Jordan Jones. Kole Waterman singled up the middle to drive in Marwynn Matthews.
Kole Waterman stole second base. Drew Nurenberg struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Detroit Edison scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning to boost its lead to 3-1.
Tanner Wirth bounced a single over the third baseman to lead off the top of the fifth inning for P-W. Marwynn Matthews retired the next Pirate hitter on a fly to left field. Tanner Wirth went to second base when Ashtin Wirth walked. Grant Pohl came into the game as a courtesy runner for Ashtin Wirth.
Tanner Wirth scored on an overthrow when Troy Wertman was safe at first and the runner out at second base on a grounder to the shortstop. Troy Wertman went to second base on the play. Marwynn Matthews struck out the next Pirate batter to end the inning.
Pewamo-Westphalia scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to shave the Detroit Edison lead to 3-2.
Terrell Crosson was safe at first on an error to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for the Pioneers. Drew Nurenberg struck out the next batter. Terrell Crosson escaped a rundown and safely returned to first base. Aceion Royster entered the game to pinch run for Terrell Crosson. Drew Nurenberg retired the next two hitters on a fly to center field and a strikeout to end the inning.
Marwynn Matthews retired the three Pirate sixth inning batters on a strikeout, a fly to center field and a strikeout.
Gabe Miller came into the game to pitch for Pewamo-Westphalia. Gabe Miller retired the three Pioneer sixth inning batters on two grounders to the shortstop and a fly to left field.
Gregory Pace, Jr. came in to pitch for Edison. Deshaun Williams came in to play left field. Keith Smith moved to centerfield. Marwynn Matthews moved to second base.
The first two Pirate hitter in the top of the seventh inning were out on a strikeout and a groundout to the shortstop. Nate Simon was hit by a pitch. Blake Birchmeier came in to pinch run for Nate Simon. Blake Birchmeier took second base on a wild pitch. Ashtin Wirth walked. Grant Pohl entered the game as a courtesy runner for Ashtin Wirth. Blake Birchmeier stole third base. The Pirates made their final out of the game on a grounder to first base.
Detroit Edison won the game 3-2 and will play in tomorrow’s state final.
Trent Channell had two singles and one RBI for Pewamo-Westphalia. Tanner Wirth had two singles. Ashtin Wirth and Brock Thelen each had one single.
Drew Nurenberg pitched five innings and struck out nine Pioneer batters. Only one of the three runs he allowed was an earned run. Gabe Miller pitched one shutout inning.
Marwynn Matthews had two singles for Detroit Edison. Kole Waterman and Davion Williams each had one single and one RBI.
Marwynn Matthews pitched six innings and struck out 8 Pirate batters. Neither of the two runs he allowed was an earned run. Gregory Pace, Jr. pitched one shutout inning at the end and struck out one batter.