Season Preview

Here we go. Back again for one final go around to try and win the league and maybe even more. Before the 2015 year starts here's an intro for every single player. 

2-Blake Swift

Position:C/2B

Fun Fact: Locked for Lindsey. His sister is the most decorated pitcher in Caledonia history, and currently plays at the University of Michigan.

3-Joe Stegehuis**

Position:OF

Fun Fact:Something about trucks. 

Baseball: Also signed at Aquinas next year. All Conference last yr

4-Trent Foreman*^

Position:P/OF

Fun Fact: Still wearing designer jeans and dating Baby Ky.

5-Keegan Mulvey*

Position:IF/P

Fun Fact: Hasn't been single for more than a month in high school.

6-Drake Ellens*

Position:OF

Fun Fact: Looks like flappy bird.

7-Chris Clark***

Position:C

Fun Fact: Still runs like a penguin. 

Baseball:Signed with KCC. All Conference Last yr

8-Nick Tuori*

Position:P

Fun Fact:Struck out from both sides of the plate last year.

9-Mitch McCallum*^

Position:UTIL

Fun Fact: Always succeeds even in a tough count.

10-Sam Vanderwal*

Position:P

Fun Fact: By far the slowest kid on the team, 40 time around 10.

Baseball: Signed with DU

11-Caleb Sleeman**^

Position:P

Fun Fact: Still dating Paas' ex.

12-Tristen Flowers

Position-IF

Fun Fact: Paas' twin. 

13-Logan Hudson**

Position-SS

Fun Fact: Easily biggest head on the team.

Baseball: Honorable Mention All Conference Last Yr.

14-Mitch Horgan***

Position-1B/P

Fun Fact: Hasn't been a full week of practice since 2012. Too busy in Keegan's neighborhood still.

Baseball: Honorable Mention All Conference Last Yr. KCC Commit.

15-Danny Paas*

Position-C

Fun Fact: Girlfriends contact is "Queen Sav"

16-Tanner Schaafsma

Position-1B

Fun Fact: Frequent user of the free Wendy's frosty keychain.

17-Dan Zeman*^

Position-P/Wanna be OF

Fun Fact: Has a list of things he has screwed up on in life. List continues to grow.

18-Matt Kikkert

Position-P/C

Fun Fact:Loves his purple jacket.

19-Rob Gontjes

Position-P

Fun Fact: Would rather be longboarding.

20-Austin Coon*

Position-OF

Fun Fact: Notre Dame's future mascot.

22-Cody Jakiel

Position-UTIL

Fun Fact: Fastest sprinter to pick up a bucket in program history.

Regional Tournament Recap

Today the Scots traveled up the Beltine to Rockford High School for the regional round of the Division 1 MHSAA Baseball playoffs. The Scots were starting Caleb Sleeman, who pitched in game one of the district round. Sleeman today had an incredible outing. In just over 105 pitches, Sleeman went 8 innings and allowed only 3 hits and one run. It was by far the greatest outing pitching wise the Scots had all season long yet the offense was stagnant and couldn't produce the support to win the game. The Scots scored one run on an RBI single by Chris Clark to give them the 1-0 lead. The Knights resiliently got a run off of a hit, a walk and some very devious base running. In a little league style play, the Knights baited the Scots into making a throw to the trailing runner, and the runner scored from gird to tie it up. Sleeman along with Kenowa starter Zach Zobro were in a duel all game long. The Scots had quite a few opportunities including one inning with runners on second and third with nobody out, yet runners were never plated. Zobro went the distance for Kenowa pitching all 10 innings and allowing 9 hits. In the bottom of the tenth, the Knights got a single up the middle past the diving middle infielders into centerfield and the trow was just a hair late and Kenowa prevailed victorious 2-1 after 10 innings to advance to the regional finals against the Jenison Wildcats. The Scots end the year 16-11 and overachieved in the eyes of many. Predicted to finish last in the OK White, the Scots finished second. The Scots earned the school's first district title since 2007 and next year is filled with optimism. The Scots return 15 of 17 players and will be looking to earn the schools first regional title ever and a lot of other lofty expectations that are definitely within reach. This is the last post of the season and I wanna give a shoutout to all of the people who read this along with the support from all of the fans throughout the entire season. Until next year, GO SCOTS!

District Tournament Recap

Today the Scots headed across town to East Kentwood for the district rounds of the MHSAA Tournament. The Scots in the first game took on the host East Kentwood Falcons. The Scots sent Caleb Sleeman to the hill in game one. In the first inning, the Scots got on the board to take an early 1-0 lead. Mitch Horgan's RBI single scored Keegan Mulvey to give the Scots the advantage. Sleeman worked out of multiple jams in his 5 innings and only allowed one run that came on a base hit to left field in the 3rd inning. Nobody would score again until the bottom of the 8th inning. Joe Stegehuis reached on a single with one out in the inning. He promptly stole second base and then a groundout brought him over to third with two down and Chris Clark at the plate. It should be noted that when Stegehuis was on second there was an apparent balk on the pitcher that was not called. So with one strike on Clark, Stegehuis broke off toward the plate trying to steal the victory. Stegehuis slid in under the tag and the Scots were victorious and headed to the finals with a 2-1 win.
In the second game the Scots would play OK White foe Forest Hills Central for the district title. Dan Zeman was on the bump facing Mitch Ashcraft. Each team scored 3 in the first inning setting an apparent pace for a shoutout. The Rangers bats however went silent. While the Scots paced out 11 runs over 15 hits, the Rangers would not score again until the seventh. The Scots scored in every inning except one, and finally showed the full offensive potential everybody longed for the entire season. The Rangers got 2 runs in the 7th to make the game appear closer, however it was not a contest past the 3rd. The Scots handily took an 11-5 victory to win the schools first district title since 2006. The Scots advance to next Saturdays regional at Rockford High School where in the first round they will meet the Kenowa Hills Knights. If the Scots can get that win, they would play either Jenison or Lowell (both OK White opponents) in the regional final for a shot to play in the quarter finals at Central Michigan University. The game Saturday appears to be set for 10:00 AM but stay tuned and keep in contact with players for further changes. Hopefully the Scots will be able to draw a huge crowd in their pursuit for history.

May 29 West Ottawa Recap

Today the Caledonia Scots headed out to Holland for the final regular season game of the year against the West Ottawa Panthers. The Scots sent Nick Adams to the hill today and he had his best outing of the year. Adams went 6 innings and gave up one earned run and scattered only a few hits. The Scots scored early today, much in contrary to other games. In the second inning Logan Hudson crossed the plate to put the Scots up 1-0. Three more Scots would score in the third, as Joe Stegehuis, Mitch Horgan and Trent Foreman all drove in one run a piece. Up 4-0, the Scots got a little complacent and a couple errors and walks led to the Panthers getting three runs. In the fifth, the Panthers strung together a few hits and they tied the game at 4. The offenses would trade zeroes until the top of the seventh when the Scots got rolling again. The Scots got a few hits, some quality base running and a few more hits to break this game wide open. Austin Coon started the inning off with a single and it snowballed out of control. 5 hits and 4 runs later, the Scots were up 8-4 and sitting real pretty with Senior Jake JaBaay coming in to relieve. JaBaay allowed one hit but nothing more and the Scots got out of Holland with an 8-4 win. Nick Adams picked up the win, and the Scots improved to 14-10 on the season. The Scots will play again in the start of the district tournament against the East Kentwood Falcons at East Kentwood High School at noon. The Scots will be needing two wins Saturday to win the schools first district title since 2007. Come out and support the squad just down the road in Kentwood.

May 28 EGR Recap

Today the Scots took the trip to Remington Park just off Reeds Lake in the cozy community of East Grand Rapids to take on the Pioneers. The Scots started lefty Sammy Vanderwal and he faced the Pioneers righty Joel Dayton who had beaten the Scots previously this season. The game was a pitching duel with little offensive action until the bottom of the third when the Pioneers took an error and a walk to put a couple runners on and Nathan Kamradt drove them both in to put the Pioneers in front 2-0. In the 5th, the Scots responded with a a pair or runs themselves. Chris Clark scored on a throwdown to second base to draw the lead to one. On the next hit by Keegan Mulvey, Austin coon hauled all the way from second to score on an infield single to tie the game at 2. Trent Foreman bridged the Scots with scoreless ball from the 4th until the 6th when Nick Tuori entered. Tuori got three outs in the bottom of the sixth and the Scots looked to take the lead in the top of the 7th. With two outs, Keegan Mulvey singled to shallow right field. On the second pitch to Joe Stegehuis, Mulvey advanced to second on the passed ball. The next pitch Stegehuis placed beautifully down the right field line scoring Mulvey and giving the Scots the 3-2 lead with only three outs separating them from the W. There was one single but the rest of the batters were retired easily and the Scots took care of business 3-2. Nick Tuori earns his first career varsity win and the Scots picked up their 13th of the year. At 13-10 the Scots have clinched a winning season, however they are not done yet. Tomorrow the Scots travel to West Ottawa to take on the Panthers in the final tuneup before district play Saturday. Note for everyone planning on attending Saturday, the Scots will take on the East Kentwood Falcons who were victorious in last night's first round game over the Wyoming Wolves. In the other semifinal, the Forest Hills Central Rangers will take on the Ottawa Hills Bengals. All games Saturday take place at EK and the Scots start at noon.

May 27 Byron Recap

Today the Scots had their home finale against the Byron Center Bulldogs, who took second in the OK Green behind the Hamilton Hawkeyes who came to Cal and took a pair of games last week. Caleb Sleeman was starting for the Scots, and the Bulldogs sent Tyler Pols to the bump. The Scots got on the board in the very first inning with a pair of runs. Mitch McCallum scored the first run on a passed ball and then Logan Hudson had a sacrifice fly to put the Scots up 2-0 after one. an RBI single in the second put the Scots out in front 3-0 and all seemed to be headed in the right direction. The wheels quickly fell off however as the Bulldogs took few hits and mishaps in the outfield in the next two innings, including one RBI by Duncan Patterson, and took a 4-3 lead after the 4th inning. The Scots bats in the bottom of the fifth and sixth exploded, scoring 11 unanswered runs. Mitch Horgan, Joe Stegehuis and Drake Ellens all hit triples in these innings for the big hit plays. Some undervalued plays at the plate today were three huge sacrifice bunts. Keegan Mulvey had two of them that led to 4 runs and then Trey Roelofs had one that led to a run as well. The Scots ability to move runners across all game long led to the 14 runs scored today. The Scots had solid pitching from Caleb Sleeman, Keegan Mulvey and Dan Zeman as well today and they improve to 12-10 on the year. Tomorrow in preparation for the district game, two of the projected four throwers will throw in the game against the Pioneers along with a few other guys. The game tomorrow is at East Grand Rapids, and the game is nonleague even though they are both OK White members. This season the Scots took the final two games of the series after losing the first and hope to make it 3 out of 4 tomorrow. Game is 4:30 as the Scots are down to two regular season games before district play.

May 21 Hamilton Recap

The Scots played a doubleheader today against the Hamilton Hawkeyes, 2014 OK Green Champions, and it was just not a good day at the field whatsoever. The Hawkeyes were live at bats and had countless hits and scored quite a handful of runs, definately proving that they are quite the ball club. In both games the Scots had the early 1-0 lead, but Hamilton responded well. In the first game Hamilton scored two in the third on a double off today's first game starter Nick Adams who took a tough loss due to lack of run support. Mitch Horgan and Drake Ellens recorded RBIs in the first game for the Scots but that was it. Hamiltons runs in the fourth and the fifth off of the reliever Dan Zeman (one of which was unearned) proved to be the deciding factor as the Hakweyes took game number one by a final of 4-2.
In the second game, Jake JaBaay was set to start for the Scots. After a scoreless first frame, they got 3 in the second to make it 3-1 Hawkeyes. (the Scots first RBI went to Mitch Horgan). The scoring enslaught continued all night as the Hawkeyes put up 10 runs on the Scots, who had 15 different players take part in that final game with substitutions made for various reasons. The Scots showed glimmers of the energy and passion they had lacked in the final two innings but at that point the game had been heavily decided for the most part with the final score in game two being 10-3. After the game, the Scots meeting was uplifting in the sense that they feel they are far better than the effort shown today and will try and rekindle that spark in the three non-league games next week and it will erupt into a flame with district play starting 9 days from today. The Scots next game is tuesday may 27 against the byron center bulldogs at home, the last home game of the year. First pitch is set for 4:15 so come out and support the boys at home one last time.