Gull Lake wins Game 1, 3 to 1, and Game 2 2 to 1.

Game 1 Gull Lake 3, Kalamazoo Central 1.

Gull Lake’s Jack Blesch had another dominant  game on the mound picking up the win, going all 7 innings allowing 1 run (0 ER), scattering 3 hits and striking out 6. Matt Bau received the loss for Kalamazoo Central

Blesch got into a little trouble in the Top of the 1st when Kalamazoo Central’s  Hilario DeLaPaz led off the game with a double to deep right-center field. Jeffery DeYoung then was hit by a pitch to give Central runners of 1st and 2nd with no outs. Blesch struck out the next 2 batters, then got Nicholas Rakowski ground to Dylan Stanton who tossed it to Brandon Ruge to force out DeYoung to escape the threat.

Gull Lake jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st when Justin Mansager walked and went to 3rd on a Dylan Stanton double to center. Mansager would score on an RBI groundout by Kole Warren. Stanton would come around to score on an infield single by Luke Scoles.

Gull Lake would add 1 more run in the bottom of the 2nd when Justin Mansager would score on a Dylan Stanton RBI single. At the end of 2 Gull Lake 3, Kalamazoo Central 0,

Kalamazoo Central would get on the board in the top of the 5th inning breaking up Blesch’s shutout. Brooks Hemingway reached on an error, then scored on an RBI Single by Mitchell Herder. Blesch wouldn’t allow a runner to get past 2nd the rest of the game.

Offensively Gull Lake was led by Dylan Stanton with 2 hits. Luke Scoles, Dawson Clancy, and Kole Warren also had hits in the win.

Hilario DeLaPaz, Mitchell Herder, and Cole Hemingway had Kalamazoo Central’s hits in the loss.

Game 2 Gull Lake 2, Kalamazoo Central 1.

Gull Lake win’s in a walk off in the bottom of the 7th.

Gull Lake was the first to get on the board in the Bottom of the 4th inning. Dylan Stanton doubled and would later score when Kalamazoo Central’s center fielder misplayed Luke Scoles Fly ball for an error.

Just like Jack Blesch did in game one Gull Lake’s Luke Mastromatteo was dealing as well. Mastromatteo pitched 6 and ? innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 4. He also picked off 2 Kalamazoo Central runners at 1st base to help his cause.

Kalamazoo Central tied the game up in their last at bats. Nicholas Rakowski led the inning off with single to center. He would reach 2nd on a passed ball. Matt Bau walked to give Central runners of 1st and 2nd with no outs. After getting pitch-hitter Jeffery DeYoung out on strikes, Luke Mastromatteo got Sam Henley to ground into a fielder’s choice back to Mastromatteo who threw it to Dylan Stanton in enough time to get Bau out at second. Luke reached his pitch limit and was replaced by Dean Sommer who came in to shut the door. Sommer inherited runners on 1st and 3rd with two outs. Kalamazoo Central went to the bench and looked to William Ward to come up with a clutch hit. Down to their last strike, Central ran the walk-off play that caused Sommer to balk scoring Rakowski to tie the game. Sommer struck out Ward on the next pitch setting up the late-inning heroics.

With the game tied Gull Lake looked to the bottom of the lineup for production. After a Dawson Clancy groundout, Carson Senske singled up the middle to put the winning run on 1st. Jack Blesch then got hit-by-pitch, putting runners at 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Up next Brandon Ruge laid down a SAC bunt that was mishandled by the pitcher, loading the bases still with only 1 out. With the infield drawn in Justin Mansager handcuffed Central’s shortstop with the 1-0 pitch scoring Senske from 3rd, giving Gull Lake the walk-off win.

Dean Sommer earned a 3 pitch win, while Kalamazoo Central’s Jack Uekert got the loss.

With the sweep of Kalamazoo Central, Gull Lake is undefeated in the East Division of the SMAC.  Gull Lake is 7-0 with 1 tie. The tie is with Battle Creek Lakeview whose only loss is to Gull Lake.  Depending on their double-header with Loy Norrix could determine if Gull Lake and Lakeview have to finish their game that was tied 3-3 in 8 innings before it was called for darkness. A split would ensure the outright title for Gull Lake. Regardless Gull Lake has earned at least a share of the SMAC title.