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Troy Bethany wins first MACS baseball state crown since 2000

Dan Stickradt | June 3, 2011 | Comments (0)

RAISETHE ROOF: Troy Bethany Christian's baseball team celebrated Wednesday by hoisting a trophy following an 11-9 victory over Davison Faith Baptist in the Michigan Association of Christian Schools state championship game at Auburn Hills Oakland Christian. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

AUBURN HILLS — Troy Bethany Christian proved it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

That was the Bruins’ motto Wednesday at Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, site of the 2011 Michigan Association of Christian Schools state championship game featuring Bethany Christian and defending state champion Davison Faith Baptist.

After falling behind 6-1 through two innings, the Bruins slowly clawed back to earn an 11-9 triumph over the top-seeded Eagles.

It marked the first state title for Bethany Christian (16-7) since 2000.

Senior right-hander Luke Combs, who recently committed to Oakland University, went the distance for the Bruins to finish the season with a 7-1 record. He recorded eight strikeouts, five walks and scattered seven hits — five in the first two innings before settling down. Only five of his runs were earned.

During the final four frames, Combs got better, striking out the side in the fourth and fanning seven in the final four innings where he gave up only one run coming off a sacrifice fly.

“We knew we could come back,” smile Combs, the team’s ace the past two years after transferring over from Lake Orion Baptist. “We eventually got the lead and held on to it.”

MAD RUSH: Troy Bethany Christian's Tyler Parsons (left) and Noah Francis (No. 16) give pitcher Luke combs a bear hug immediately following the Bruins' MACS state championship win over Davison Faith Baptist. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

With two on and two out, in the bottom of the seventh with the winning run at the plate, Combs got Kordall St. Amand to pop out to end the game.

“”I just had to concentrate on getting the last out. That’s all that matters,” who has been in similar situations during travel ball leagues in the summer months when championships were on the line. “I didn’t worry about who was the batter or how many guys were on base, I just had to get the out.

“This is a little bigger, being a high school player,” added Combs. “It feels great. All I wanted to do was play baseball. We finish as the (MACS) champions.”

Bethany Christian coach Mark Nowak took over the program five years ago and has seen a vast improvement each year. He knew his team had the mettle to bounce back from the early deficit.

PICKED OFF: Troy Bethany Christian's Noah Francis applies a tag on Davison Faith Baptist's Ethan Moore during Wednesday's MACS state championship game. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“These kids didn’t quite on me. They kept working and we came back,” said Nowak.”I think it means more knowing how we came back and won.”

With Faith Baptist’s Jon Knapp, the team’s No. 1 ace for four years, getting the nod in the mound, the Eagles came out on fire and built their five-run lead through two innings. Knapp slammed a RBI double and later scored on a balk as part of a three-run first.

Andrew Lowe reached base on an error, where two more runs plated, and Branden Breil had an RBI single to push the lead to 6-1 in the second inning.

Troy Bethany, which scored on a RBI single by Combs in the first, plated three runs in the third to close the deficit to 6-4. Landon Cathers supplied an RBI groundout and Mike Brewer knocked home two more runs on an unusual play, as his high chopper to second snuck through the infield, giving two runners ample time to cross the plate.

Davison Faith Baptist (14-7) pushed the league back to 8-4 in the bottom half of the third when No. 9 hitter Tim Rodman laced an RBI double to right center and Jordan Delay followed suit with a RBI infield single.

The Eagles cooled after that point and Bethany Christian eventually chased Knapp, a Division I prospect, with no outs in the fifth with his team up 8-7. Relief pitcher eventually took the loss, going three innings and giving up four runs and three hits.

“We started to get to him and tired him out,” said Nowak of knocking Knapp from his pitching duties. “I’m proud of how we just battled back. We could have (folded) when we were down 6-1 and 8-4. We didn’t. We just kept getting guys on base and scored some runs.”

Back-to-back RBI singles from Brewer and Tyler Parsons brought Bethany to within a run and the Bruins scored three in the sixth and one more in the seventh to go ahead for good.

Cathers reached base on an error and scored on an errant pickoff throw to third, Brewer added another RBI single, Brewer added another RBI single and scored on a wild pitch in the sixth. In the seventh, Travis Woodham, who was 3-for-4, had a single and, stole his third base of the game and scored on an error for the 11-8 advantage.

“I’m really proud of our boys and how are baseball program and how it is going forward,” added Nowak. “The boys are excited about next year. Hopefully, we’ll be able to work on our game and get back here next year. We only lose a couple of key seniors from this team.”

Faith Baptist has reached the state title game every year since 2003 and collected five state titles in that span. This year’s run just wasn’t mean to be.

The two teams split a double-header back in April, with Bethany posting a 7-6 win in the first game and Faith Baptist posting a 15-5 victory in the nightcap.

WELL AHEAD: Troy Bethany Christian's Noah Francis slides in safely at home as Davison Faith Baptist catcher Josh Vanaman awaits the throw. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“We usually play them in a double header once a year, so I knew they had a good team this year,” said Faith Baptist coach Doug Lowe. “Basically, we’ve got the same team from last year and they have (roughly) the same team from last year, and both teams are strong with key seniors. We’ve had some pretty close games with them the past couple of years.”

“In this game, the momentum shifted (in the fifth inning) and we couldn’t get guys out,” added Lowe. “They are a good team and deserved it.”