Titans Earn Comeback Win in D-3 Baseball Semifinal

Photos, story by Jeff Steers
JTV Sports 

(June 13, 2024 3:14 PM ET) Supporters and players on the Lumen Christi Catholic High School baseball team are wearing a T-shirt saying, “Find a Way.”

They found a way Thursday in the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Division-3 state baseball semifinals.

All the way to the state final.

Lumen Christi scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning earning a 3-2 win over Charlevoix in the D-3 semifinal at Dayton McLane Baseball Stadium on the campus of Michigan State University.

The Titans face Watervliet Saturday in the D-3 state final at MSU beginning at 9 a.m.

Lumen Christi was stymied by Charlevoix pitcher Bryce Johnson through six innings with only three hits. But the Titans took advantage of two errors by Charlevoix in their final at bat to pull out the win.

Timmy Crowley was hit by pitch to open the inning for the Titans and a single by Jack Fitzpatrick put two runners on base. But the rally was slowed as a bounce out and strikeout gave LC runners on first and third.

Brody Gregory and Kash Kalahar reached on errors to tie the game at 2-all. Benny Gaston – a freshman –  knocked in Gregory for the winning run for LCCHS.

“It is more of a team thing than yourself,” Gregory said of the Find a Way mantra. “It is a big moment for us … it has been a while (since LCCHS has been in the state finals).

“We do the little things right … we are battling. We are all connected and trust one another.”

Lumen Christi attempts to win its first state baseball title since 2015. The Titans were in the final four for two consecutive seasons in 2015 and 2016.

LCCHS Coach Phil Clifford said the Titans believed they could come back in the semifinal game.

“They believed in one another and did it,” Clifford said. “We still believed we could win the game even up to the last out.”

The Titans were down to their last strike in the seventh inning. Gaston’s hit gave Lumen Christi the win.

“We accept everyone from freshmen to senior … whatever you can do for the team and accept your role,” Clifford said of the team’s success. “It is really amazing (to be in the state final) … great for the program.

“My message after the game was find a way and you (the Titans) found it.”

Clifford said the Titans have two solid pitchers in Timmy Crowley and Nathan Hinkley who are expected to pitch on Saturday in the D-3 state final.

Kalahar finished with two of the Titans five hits in the semifinal contest. Gabe King pitched all seven innings for the Titans giving up seven hits and striking out nine batters.

Lumen Christi is 30-10 heading in to the final while Watervliet is 30-7 according to its GameChanger site.