Lumberjacks Use Adrian Doubleheader to Sharpen for Weekend Conference Play, 23 of 29 See Action

ADRIAN, Mich. — March 30, 2026

In the middle of a busy MCCAA Northern Conference season, the Alpena Community College baseball team used a Monday evening doubleheader against Adrian College's junior varsity squad for exactly the purpose midweek nonconference games are designed for — getting reps, building depth, and giving some regulars a breather. The Lumberjacks dropped the opener 9-2 before putting up 13 runs in the nightcap, falling 16-13 in a high-scoring affair. More importantly, 23 of the roster's 29 players saw action across the two games.

Game One: Adrian JV 9, ACC 2

With several starters getting at least one scheduled game to rest, others stepped into the lineup with a chance to show what they could do. Starter Jacob Davis delivered a clean two innings on the mound to open things up, allowing just one hit while striking out one and keeping the Bulldogs at bay early. Davis turned it over to Caleb McEwen, who ran into trouble in the third inning. Adrian strung together walks, a pair of stolen bases, and some timely contact to push three runs across in the third, then broke the game open with a four-spot in the fifth. Marcus Castellon and Nate Gould also saw time on the hill. Castellon's appearance was his first pitching effort since an injury sidelined him last spring and forced Tommy John surgery.

Offensively, ACC managed 10 hits but left 10 on base, leaving too many in scoring position. The Lumberjacks were aggressive on the bases with eight stolen base attempts, though Adrian's pitching held firm when it mattered. Isaac Zocco was one of the brighter spots at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and scoring a run. Corbin Allen drove in the team's lone RBI with a single. Kaden Benaske added a pair of hits and swiped a base, and the highlight of the game might have been Benaske's steal of home in the third inning on a double steal to put ACC on the board — old-school, aggressive baserunning that brought some energy to the bench. Luke Lovelace chipped in a double while handling the catching.

Game Two: Adrian JV 16, ACC 13

The nightcap was a different animal entirely. The Lumberjacks came out swinging in the first inning, putting together a six-run frame that had the bench buzzing. Nate Gould set the table by getting on with a single and immediately stealing second. Ryley White walked, and then Miguel Salcedo — back in his usual spot after sitting out game one — singled to score Gould. Abel Walkotten doubled in White, JJ Salas singled in Salcedo, and by the time the smoke cleared, ACC had put up six in the top of the first on Adrian's starter.

The Lumberjacks finished with 14 hits and nine RBIs in the game. Gould was the standout performer of the doubleheader, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four stolen bases. Walkotten knocked in a run with a double. Lane Gross added a double and an RBI. Mason McQuillin contributed an RBI triple — two players who made the most of their extended time in the lineup.

Zach Fletcher, who had a quiet first game, came alive in the nightcap with two hits including a double, driving in two runs. Salcedo collected two hits and two RBIs while flashing good range up the middle.

Wesley Bennatts had two solid frames on the hill. The scoring on both sides was a byproduct of a high-paced, high-substitution format designed to get everyone reps, and both teams combined for 29 runs and 30 hits in a game that was as much about development as outcome.

Big Picture

With 23 of 29 Lumberjacks seeing the field Monday, the coaching staff accomplished what it set out to do. Regulars got rest. Players who don't typically start got live at-bats in game situations. Arms that needed innings got them. And the roster as a whole had a chance to play loose and competitive before turning their attention back to weekend conference action in the MCCAA Northern Division.

Moments like Benaske's steal of home, Gould's four-steal day, and the offensive explosion in the nightcap's first inning were the kind of performances that keep a roster confident and hungry heading into the weekend.