Title Game Suspended at Blissfield Invitational

The winner of the Blissfield Invitational baseball tournament won’t be decided until after the regular season.

Blissfield and Whiteford both went 2-0 in a tournament that started late because of field conditions caused by a heavy morning rainfall. Blissfield edged Grandhaven 3-0 in its first game, before beating up Dearborn in a 13-1 game shortened to five innings because of the mercy rule.

Whiteford won its first game, 14-13 over Dearborn. The Bobcats then came from behind to defeat Grandhaven 6-5 in a 10-inning thriller.

Blissfield senior Devin Suiter retired sophomore Joel Crozier to start the championship game. The game was suspended and will be completed later in the season, likely between the district and regional tournament.

Sophomore Devin Moore was outstanding as the Royals downed Grandhaven, 3-0. He pitched six innings, giving up five hits while striking out six. Junior Eric Schmidt pitched the final inning for the save.

Cody Spotts went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Josh Knorr was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Schmidt was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.

Senior Jake Waldvogel pitched five innings for his first varsity win as a starter. He gave up four hits, a walk, and an unearned run while striking out two.

Blissfield wasted little time putting runs on the board in the game against Dearborn, sending 11 men to the plate in an eight-run first.

Spotts began the first by reaching base after a strike three pitch got behind the catcher. He stole second and James Trevino walked. Eric Schmidt walked to load the bases. Adam Warner singled to score two runs. Kyle Wehner was hit by a pitch to load the bases again. A wild pitch scored a run and then Knorr walked to load the bases again. Another wild pitch made it 4-0. Esterline snapped a hard single to right centerfield to score two more runs, making it 6-0 before an out was recorded. Dearborn installed a new pitcher, but Blake Haupricht greeted him with a line single to leftfield. A wild pitch put runners at second and third. A wild pitch made it 7-0. Cody Spotts hit a sacrifice fly to score Blissfield’s eighth run.

The Royals added a run in the second. Warner singled with one out and stole second. He moved to third when Wehner grounded to the pitcher before scoring on a wild pitch.

The Royals added two more runs in the third. Zach Schaffer started things off with a walk. Spotts smacked a double to left center. After Trevino popped out, the Dearborn pitcher balked, scoring a run. Schmidt singled to center to make it 11-0.

Dearborn threatened to score in the fourth. The leadoff hitter reached second base when the Blissfield leftfielder got twisted in the wind and dropped a fly ball. A grounder to the pitcher moved the runner to third. A single brought home the run. Second basemen Trevino made a nice play going deep into the hole to make the play for the third out.

Tim Siefert led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk. Devin Suiter hit into a fielder’s choice. Schaffer followed with an infield single. Zech Bostick moved the runners over second and third before Moore lined a two-run double to centerfield, making it 13-1.

The Bobcats, who played the previous night at Madison, had an exciting day in Blissfield. Whiteford won their opening game against Dearborn, 14-13. The Bobcats built a 7-0 run in the first but had to fight to win the game.

Travis Pant had a triple, double and RBI. Mike Hummer doubled, tripled and drove in four runs. Eric Eischen had three singles, two RBI and three runs scored. Joel Crozier doubled and scored.

The Bobcats mounted a thrilling comeback against Grandhaven. Grandhaven took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning. Crozier and Eischen reached base. Fisher smashed a double to centerfield to make it 5-4. He took third on a wild pitch and then scored on a ground out by Jack Bunge.

Whiteford nearly ended it in the bottom of the ninth. Eischen reached base and then Fisher doubled to left, putting runners at second and third. Grandhaven intentionally walked Jack Bunge to load the bases with no outs. Grandhaven’s pitcher struck out the next two batters. Pinch hitter Dalton Nagle unleashed a line drive and the third basemen made a game-saving catch to end the threat.

Travis Pant, pitching in relief of Sean O’Leary, who worked seven strong innings, did a great job in relief. He pitched three scoreless innings. He got some help from catcher Joel Crozier, who gunned down two runners trying to steal second in the top of the 10^th.

In the bottom of the 11^th, Jimmy Bunge reached base with a walk. Crozier laid down a good bunt to move him to second. It seemed the entire Grandhaven infield charged in to make the play. An alert Bunge rounded second and outraced everyone to third base.

Travis Pant chopped a hit to right field to score Bunge and end the affair.