Goodrich’s varsity baseball team dominated its competition in Genesee Area Conference action this year.
However, the Martians could not quite get past their neighbors from Brandon, losing a May 18 doubleheader 10-9 (in eight innings) and 3-2 to the host Blackhawks.
Goodrich is now 26-5 overall.
In the opener, Brandon took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, keyed by an Andrew Harding three-run homer, which drove in Mark Butzu and Derek Foyt ahead of Harding.
The Martians answered with one in the top of the second on a Dusty Bourassa home run. Brandon added another run in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead.
Brandon scored two more runs in the top of the fourth to increase their lead to 6-1, but the Martians broke open for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to knot the game at six.
Brandon then took a 9-6 lead with three runs in the top of the fifth (all scored with two out), but Goodrich answered with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
The Blackhawks pulled ahead in the top of the eighth as Butzu doubled in Andrew Hyde with the winning run. Foyt retired the Martians in order in the bottom of the eighth to pick up the win.
‘Brandon outplayed us and did a better job of executing the small things,? Goodrich coach Bob Foreback said.
Offensively, several Blackhawks contributed to the team’s win. Foyt went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Andrew Koenig went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Butzu went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Dom Rivera had a solid game for the Martians at the plate, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Adam Compeau went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
In the nightcap, the Martians jumped to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a two-run RBI single by Weston Coleman, but the Blackhawks slowly chipped away at the Goodrich lead, scoring one run in the bottom of the fourth and then taking the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Butzu and Hyde each had two hits for the Blackhawks, while Ray Reynolds was the winning pitcher, going six innings while allowing two runs on four hits. Coleman had two hits for the Martians.
The Blackhawks split two games at the Clarkston Invitational Saturday, May 21, defeating Anchor Bay 11-6 before losing to the host Wolves 13-1. Brandon’s record is now 14-17.
In the first game, Anchor Bay took a 3-1 lead after the first inning, but the Blackhawks answered with four runs in the second inning to take a 5-3 lead, and they were on their way.
Anchor Bay did not help their own case, allowing nine walks in addition to eight hits. Foyt led the Blackhawks offensively, going 4-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Butzu scored three runs for the Blackhawks.