By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
EAST LANSING — Marcellus has officially arrived on the biggest stage in high school sports.
Led by the phenomenal pitching of junior Cale Hackenberg, the Wildcats advanced to their first-ever state baseball finals appearance with a 4-0 shutout win Friday over Painesdale-Jeffers in the MHSAA Division 4 state semifinals at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium.
Hackenberg struck out 15 Jets in the complete-game victory while giving up just four hits and one walk, while also going 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and two runs scored. He also pounded the zone, throwing 99 pitches in the win, 79 of them going for strikes.
“That kid’s a competitor. That kid is an absolute competitor. He wanted the ball,” Marcellus head coach Christian Hutson said. “We were watching him in warm-ups, and we were like, okay, we got a chance. We got a chance.”
It certainly didn’t hurt that Marcellus jumped on the Jets early on offense. In the bottom of the first inning and one out, Hackenberg tripled deep into the gap in right-center field, right to the berm of McLane Stadium, and was driven in one batter later on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Abram Coffey, putting the Wildcats up 1-0. They kept the pressure up in the bottom of the second, getting runners to second and third with two outs, but failed to score.
In the third inning, though, Marcellus would capitalize. With one out, shortstop Seth Barrera got hit by a pitch from Painesdale starter Cameron Anderson, and Hackenberg followed up with a single to right field, sending Barrera to third. Coffey would then drive a ball into center field for a double, scoring both Barrera and Hackenberg, putting the Wildcats up 3-0 and knocking Anderson out of the game.
All the while, Hackenberg kept dominating on the mound. Through five innings, he had only given up three hits and a walk, with only five outs that weren’t strikeouts.
In the bottom half of the fifth, Marcellus would put the game out of reach. Coffey smashed a triple to center field over the head of Jets center fielder Brogan Turner with one out, and he was brought home one batter later on an RBI groundout by Eli Torres to make it 4-0.
Hackenberg would cruise the rest of the way, and although Painesdale got a runner to third in the sixth, he would strand him there. In the seventh inning, Hackenburg struck out the side to send Marcellus’ faithful into celebration, and giving the Wildcats a chance to win it all.
The third base stands were chock full of Marcellus fans during Friday’s game, and Hutson acknowledged them after the game.
“I think our whole town was here today. It’s a good scene. They brought the energy for us,” Hutson said. “The support we’ve had all the way through this tournament has been unreal. It’s second to none. It’s a small-town community that really rallies around your guys and your team and stuff. It’s remarkable.”
Hutson also credited the performance of Coffey, who went 2-for-2 on the day and drove in three of the four runs for the Wildcats.
“What that kid has battled through this year and how far he’s come, and to see it today, hitting a shot 400 feet getting that triple and legging it out, and Abram is not a guy to celebrate, he’s out there dancing on the base, doing his celebration, like, who is this kid,” Hutson said. “He’s having fun with the boys right now, and it’s awesome to see.”
Gage Rumsey and Rory Rogers each went 1-for-3 on the day, while Matt Lehew went 1-for-2 to round out the hits for the Wildcats. Seth Barrera went 0-for-2 and scored a run, and Eli Torres went 0-for-3 with an RBI.
After the game, Hackenberg said he had “some butterflies” before the game, but after hitting the triple in the first inning, he was comfortable.
“Once I settled in, I was comfortable. It took about an inning or so, and I was good,” Hackenberg said. “Our coaches have done an amazing job preparing us for this, talking to us, just being there for us, supporting us through the way, so I’m so grateful for our coaches.”
Hackenberg added the game was a big one for not just the team, but the Marcellus community.
“It’s huge. We need some recognition around there. Nobody really knows who we are. It’s a super small town, so I’m so thankful to be able to do this for the town,” Hackenberg said. “I just want to perform for my teammates, my family, my friends. The whole town of Marcellus, I’m here.”
The unranked Wildcats will face a big test in the state finals Saturday at 2:30 p.m., as they face Division 4 No. 2 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, who defeated Royal Oak Shrine Catholic 4-0 in the other semifinal Friday morning.
No matter what happens, Hutson said it has been a “remarkable experience” making it to the cusp of the school’s second-ever state championship, which would join the 1986 softball team.
“This is a remarkable experience for all of us, all of our boys, all of our community, and it’s just amazing to be here,” Hutson said.
Hackenberg said he hopes to win one more game, and had a message for anyone who doubted the Wildcats’ unranked run to the finals.
“Doubt us now,” Hackenberg said.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
