Baseball Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive With Solid Series

The ACC baseball team had a narrow path to qualify for the NJCAA Region 12 playoffs but the Lumberjacks took care of business this weekend to keep those postseason hopes alive, winning three games against visiting Delta College by scores of 12-2, 6-3 and 2-1 before losing the finale 6-5.

The top two finishers in the MCCAA Northern Conference will qualify for the tournament. Grand Rapids Community College has clinched one spot, leading the league with a 15-6 mark. While Delta is in last place with a 4-17 record, the remaining four teams are bunched up with Mid Michigan College at 10-5, Bay College 9-8, Alpena CC 10-11 and Muskegon Community College 9-10.

The Lumberjacks' final conference games of the year will be at home against Mid Michigan with major playoff implications. If ACC were able to win all four, the Jacks would finish at 14-11 and while they would need help to sneak into the tourney, it is a possibility.

This weekend featured very strong pitching performances by ACC including winning starting pitchers Max Coughlin (5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO), Grant Slater (5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO) and Jacob Brohl (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO), Kaleb Donajkowski pitched twice in relief, throwing three innings, giving up one hit and striking out three. Lane Gross took a tough loss, going six innings, striking out four and giving up only three earned runs.

It was another strong weekend at the plate for the Lumberjacks as they hit .283 with a .374 on base percentage and .556 slugging percentage.

Evan Fairbanks hit .462 with two doubles, a home run and five runs scored. Kaden Benaske batted .417 with two home runs and six RBI. Jake Zann slashed .375/.571/.875 with a double, home run, four runs scored and five RBI. Gross also batted .375 with a home run. Brett Moroschan homered and drove in four runs. Brendan DiBartolomeo also hit a home run.

In the field, third baseman Nate Koster and center fielder Maxwell McCarty made many highlight reel defensive plays.

ACC is now 14-25 overall, 10-11 conference. Mid comes into next week's key series with 18-11, 10-5 records.