By James Herold
The 2023 campaign for the Grand Rapids Community College Men’s Baseball came to a close, Thursday, May 18, 2023 at Jackson College in Jackson, Michigan. Two games were played, one against Lansing Community College and the other vs Kellogg Community College.
In the game against Lansing, GRCC lost 13-6. In that game, GRCC pitcher Jerad Berkenpas, a redshirt sophomore, took the loss giving up six earned runs while striking out six. In the second inning, Lansing’s Chris Hege got things started with a fly out to center, allowing Jabin Bates to score, 1-0 Lansing. Later in the second, Will Bowen doubled down the left field line scoring Bobby Butler, Lansing led 2-0. GRCC got on the board in the second inning with a single by Jacob Guminey, scoring Joe Hoeks, 2-1 Lansing. Later that inning, Xander Reisbig singled to left, scoring Trevin Lamming. 2-2 tie game.
In the third, Lansing took the lead again with a solo home run by Noah Bright, 3-2 Lansing. Later that inning, Preston Leon doubled to left center scoring Jabin Bates, 4-2 Lansing. GRCC stayed in it though, Tommy Reid singled to center field, scoring Zacarias Salinas, 4-3 Lansing. In the fourth, Shane Juday got a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Hege, 5-3 Lansing. In the fifth, GRCC’s Hoeks doubled to left, scoring Dylan Chargo, making it 5-4 Lansing. In the sixth, Hunter Lay hit a two-run home run to left field. Lansing took a 7-4 lead. In the seventh, Lansing’s Bowen doubled to left center, sending home two, making it 9-4 Lansing. Later, Hunter Lay singled up the middle scoring Will Bowen, 10-4 Lansing.
Then, in the eighth, Leon doubled down the right field line scoring Noah Bright, 11-4 Lansing. Also in the eighth, Lansing’s Chris Hege reached on a fielder’s choice, sending Bates home to score, 12-4 Lansing. GRCC in the eighth, clawed back, Fernando Rivera-Calderon tripled to center field, scoring Cander Reisbig, 12-5 Lansing. Later Rivera-Calderon scored on a wild pitch, 12-6 Lansing. But Lansing had the last laugh as in the ninth, Noah Bright singled to right field, scoring Shane Juday, 13-6 Lansing. That would do it.
In the second game for the Raiders, against Kellogg, GRCC lost 8-4. In that game, freshman Lucas McKinney pitched for GRCC and gave up three earned runs over four innings to take the loss. In the first inning, Kellogg’s Aiden Arbogast doubled allowing Noah Warren to score, 1-0 KCC. In the second, Cole Mason grounded out allowing Kooper Etheridge to score, 2-0 KCC. Later in the second, Cooper Middleton scored on a throwing error by the catcher, 3-0 KCC. In the third, GRCC would get on the board, Fernando Rivera-Calderon singled to right bringing home Andres Rivera-Calderon, 3-1 KCC. Later in the third, GRCC’s Zacarias Salinas singled allowing Jacob Guminey to score, 3-2 KCC. In the fourth, Trevin Lamming would tie the game up with a triple to right, scoring Hoeks, 3-3. Later in the fourth, Guminey would single to right, scoring Hoeks, putting GRCC up 4-3. But later in the fourth, and the rest of the game, it was all KCC. Cooper Middleton gave KCC the lead with a home run, 5-4. Then it was 6-4 as Paisecki singled allowing Mason to score. In the seventh, Middleton doubled allowing Jacob Martin to score, 7-4 KCC. Then finally in the eighth, Arbogast doubled to right, scoring Brett Stanley, 8-4 KCC. That would do it.
“I was very happy with our season,” stated GRCC Head Coach Mike Eddington via email. “We came up short today. Our thoughts tonight our with our sophomores moving on and wishing them the best. Starting tomorrow we will look forward to next year.”
Despite Thursday’s disappointing result, GRCC’s season included an MCCAA Northern Conference Championship with a 23-2 record, an MCCAA championship and a 35-14 overall record. There was a lot to cheer about this season, including playing in the NJCAA Region XII Tournament.
