By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
The natural and obvious rivalries remain on the gridiron and hardwood.
But don’t forget the springtime when school is winding down, summer beckons, and the baseball state playoffs officially heat up.
Now, an extra little flavor for good measure.
Taking part in the Eaton Rapids Division 2 district, the Western and Northwest baseball teams are set to square off in a semifinal at 10 a.m.
Bragging rights on the line, sure.
But a ticket to the district final, and shot at a regional appearance serves as the cherry on top.
“Anytime you play Northwest, there is that added flavor,” Western coach Scott Oliver said with a laugh. “It makes it fun to be a part.”
Northwest coach Cory Parrott is a 1999 grad of Western.
“That adds something to it,” he said. “But it’s not about me. It’s about this rivalry. There’s a respect you have to have. We expect a good, competitive game.”
That’s the way the first two meetings this year went.
In both games of a May 17 doubleheader, Northwest led entering the seventh inning.
In both games, Western found a way to come from behind and win.
“These kids are kind so resilient,” Oliver said. “The week before the Northwest doubleheader, we split with Lumen in a great battle to win. Then we did the same with Harper Creek. There’s a feeling with these guys that we are never out of a game. I love that attitude.”
Western trailed 4-3 in the seventh of both the first games, but won 5-4 in one and 6-4 in the other.
As for beating the same team three times?
“A lot of it will come down to pitching,” Oliver said of his group, which is 21-13. “We have to find ways to throw strikes, and we can’t give them any freebies. At the same time, making routine plays is the key.”
Parrott was asked if there’s any extra motivation for his Mounties (16-20) given the way the first two games ended.
“The motivation is we led in 12 of the 14 innings played, and still lost twice,” he said.
Yet the solution to those losses, and the key to this game, is simple.
“We have to have timely hitting,” Parrott said. “We loaded the bases four times in those games, and came away with two runs. But recently, we beat Lumen and Jackson and we’re coming off a 10-3 victory against Onsted, so we’re heading into this with a great load of confidence.”
Both teams are, one for the way previous games have ended, and the other due to recent strong of wins and opportunity at hand.
It’s just a semifinal, but both coaches know it could be good as any.
And when rivals meet, isn’t that’s how it’s supposed to be?
From the gridiron to the hardwood to the basepaths.
Mike Moore is a play-by-play commentator and Sports Writer for JTV Sports. You can reach him at mjm12@albion.edu. He’s also the author of ‘Love, Defined; A Dedication to the Love, Sacrifice, and Magic of Motherhood.’
Love, Defined is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Tate Publishing or by contacting Mike directly.
Visit http://lovedefinedbook.weebly.com for more information.
