Thoughts Enter Inland Lakes – East Jordan Baseball Regional Semifinals
Rogers City – We're here again.
Two powerful shows, two elite pitchers, and a journey to the regional finals.
Inland Lake Bulldogs (26-6) and East Jordan Red Devils (27-5) clashed in the 4:30 pm MHSAA Division 4 Regional Baseball Semi-Final on Wednesday.
There are two ski valley enemies ready to fight, which is worth paying attention to.
Can the bulldogs rattle again?
In a 8-5 regional semifinal victory over the Red Devils last June, the Bulldogs ran six runs against Korbyn Russell. While not many opponents can beat Russell, the Bulldogs are behind baseball in many top players’ bats.
However, Michigan State signer Russell has been a dominant force in his high school season, shutting down several enemies and recording many strikeouts. In April, the Lefty Ace beat the Bulldogs in a vengeance game for the Red Devils, who won the first game.
That was then, now, the Bulldogs have improved dramatically as an offensive team. In the regional semifinal against Rogers City, the Bulldogs used several quality plate appearances, putting Rogers City ace Isaac Lalonde in a stumbling block, who didn't surpass the third inning. Ty Kolly, Andre Bradford, James Layman and many others played a role in one of the best pitchers in Northern Michigan.
Now, they will have to play Russell again. These Bulldogs, along with senior Aidan Fenstermaker, would need to produce if they wanted to be an outstanding East Jordan squad.
Cash?
While the Bulldogs will have to face Russell, the junior Ace Cash Depauw of the Inland Lake also caused a sensation throughout the spring. Despite sometimes struggling with strong wind conditions and position issues, DePauw slowed down the Rogers City roster, which suffered an opponent's attack before its regional showdown.
DePauw is talented, he has some swagger on him on the mound, and he won't worry about the East Jordan lineup being dangerous. If DePauw's defense is solid, the Bulldogs should be in good condition.
After not playing due to a knee injury last year, DePauw showed an absolute best against most opponents and he needed to fight the Red Devils.
Regional favorite?
While looking at the brackets, the Inland Lake – East Jordan champion has a great chance to win the regional title in Rudyad on Saturday. Whether it is Gaylord St.
From the onlooker’s point of view, it’s hard to see one of the Bulldogs or the Red Devils get knocked out before the regional finals, as both are great teams that can reach East Lansing.
Please contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportscdt