Merrill swept Coleman to finish off its first baseball conference title since 1985.
The Vandals knocked off the Comets in a pair of five-inning games, 10-0 and 12-2, Thursday to finish the Mid-State Activities Conference with a 17-1 record. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, which split with Merrill during the season, is 14-2 with a doubleheader Friday against Carson City-Crystal.
It is Merrill’s first conference title since claiming the Central Michigan League championship in 1985.
The Vandals are 21-6-1 overall and ranked 19th in the state in Division 4. Sacred Heart is ranked 16th. Merrill heads to the Holton Tournament Saturday.
Baseball
- Midland High edged Heritage twice to claim a Saginaw Valley League doubleheader, 2-1 and 8-6. Tommy Kroll hit a two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh to break a scoreless tie for Midland. Kroll finished with two hits to support starting pitcher Lane Kloha, who allowed one run on five hits with six strikeouts. Wyatt Vondette allowed two hits, no earned runs and three walks in 6 2/3 inning for Heritage, with Jace Sullivan and Drew Schafer getting two hits for the Hawks. Midland held an 8-3 lead in the fourth before holding off a Hawks’ rally. Aidan O’Malley had two hits to lead the Chemics, with Brett Faccio earning the win and Kroll the save. Owen Turner led the Heritage offense with three hits and three runs, with Joe Williams adding two hits.
- The Freeland Falcons split with Midland Dow, earning a 4-1 win the first game and dropping the nightcap, 6-4. Daniel Duley struck out seven and threw a complete game for the win in the opener. Jack Kowalski and Jake Metiva had two hits each for Freeland. In the second game, Duley and Jacob Clawson paced 20-7-1 Freeland with two hits each.
- Vassar swept Brown City in a non-conference doubleheader, 15-5 and 13-2. Rylan Mansueto, who earned the win the opener, had three hits for Vassar, as did Trevor Gleeson. Nate Whitney and Logan Stroup added two hits each. Dustin Henderson allowed four hits and no earned runs in the second game, striking out six. Brayden Strunk, Mansueto and Zac Klinesmith had two hits each for the Vulcans.
Soccer
- After beating Essexville Garber, 4-1, in the first meeting, Freeland dropped a 5-0 decision in the rematch, leaving the two teams with one loss in the Tri-Valley Conference. Freeland is 10-1 with a TVC match against 7-10-1 Birch Run. Garber is 9-1 with conference games against 10-5 Bay City John Glenn and 5-13-1 Alma.
Softball
- Coleman claimed a pair of Mid-State Activities Conference, beating Merrill, 15-5 and 13-4. In the first game, Madison Miller earned the win, leading the offense with two hits and five RBIs. Ava Gross had two hits and scored five runs. Hannah Glover led Merrill with two hits. Miller also earned the win in the second game, adding three hits and six RBIs on offense.
- Midland High took two wins from Heritage, 15-0 and 10-0. Grace Schloop threw a shutout in the opener, adding two hits on offense. Morgan Williams also had two hits, including her ninth homer of the season. Williams added two hits and three RBIs in the second game, with Haley Worsley also getting two hits and three RBIs for Midland High.
Tennis
- Midland Dow finished second at the Division 1 regional tennis tournament Thursday at the Greater Midland Tennis Center, with Okemos taking the top spot with 24 points. Dow finished with 22 and Traverse City Central 19. Dow claimed two regional titles, both in singles. Ayesha Middha won the No. 3 singles regional crown with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Emily Wang from Okemos. Tessa Wood added the No. 4 singles championship for the Chargers with a 7-6 (5), 0-6, 6-3 win over Marta Torres from Holt.
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