Eight years ago, a motley group of 9 and 10 year olds started getting serious about baseball. They set goals for themselves, to win the league, to win a tournament, to increase batting averages, but one goal stuck from year to year.... to earn a trip to Battle Creek and win a state championship. That goal seemed so far away, but they worked hard like it was tomorrow.
Eight years later those 9 and 10 year olds are now juniors and seniors playing varsity baseball for the Bath Fighting Bees, joined by a sophomore with an electric arm and a couple other new faces, they are surprising and shocking their opponents, their fans and maybe even themselves.
The Bees have been on a winning rampage, taking down league rivals Pewamo-Westphalia and Portland St. Pats in one day to win the CMAC tournament championship, then Laingsburg and Lansing Catholic to win the State District championship, then Stockbridge and Grandville Calvin Christian to win the State Regional championship and most recently defeating Shelby to take the State Quarterfinal and accomplish half of that eight year old goal, a trip to Battle Creek.
The Bees took on Shelby at Hope College's Boeve Stadium on Tuesday as Nick Stiles took the mound and proved electric as he went the distance and hurled a no-hitter en route to the 2-0 win, striking out 15 Shelby batters. Scoring started in the second inning when Brandon Wahrer singled, Scott Kirkpatrick sacrifice bunted him to second and Brenden Plemmons RBI singled him home. Then in the third, Nick Stiles hit a absolute bomb for a solo home run and the eventual 2-0 win.
The Bees look to continue their winning ways as they travel to Battle Creek on Friday to face Shepard at 1:00pm on Nichols Field for the State Semifinals just two games away from completing that eight year old goal and their destiny.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Well done.
ReplyDelete