BASEBALL: No. 4 Trenton falls in heartbreaking fashion to top-ranked Powers Catholic in D2 state semifinals

Trenton’s Carson Boike, gold jersey, delivered a big two-run base hit to cap off a three-run fifth inning for the Trojans during their D2 state semifinal game vs Flint Powers Catholic on June 14, 2024. Boike and the Trojans ended up falling to the top-ranked Chargers by a final score of 4-3 in eight innings. (ALEXANDER MULLER — MediaNews Group)

EAST LANSING — After a pair of dramatic victories in their final at-bats last week in the regional final and quarterfinal round of the state playoffs, the quest towards a state championship for the Trenton baseball team resumed on Friday in East Lansing on the campus of Michigan State University.

In the first of two Division 2 state semifinals, the Trojans battled Flint Powers Catholic in what was a top-5 showdown. Powers came into the tilt with a strong 35-6 record overall including five playoff victories thus far in which they have outscored the opposition, 42-10.

After falling behind early, Trenton put together some theatrics once more to tie the game and force extra innings. Unfortunatey for the Trojans, the magic eventually ran out as they saw Powers use some late-game drama of their own.

With a 4-3 victory in eight innings, the top-ranked Chargers ousted the locals from the state tournament.

PHOTO GALLERY: Baseball State Semifinals – Trenton vs Flint Powers Catholic

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It certainly was not the greatest of starts for Trenton, who saw their first 12 batters retired in order by Powers starting pitcher and University of Oakland signee Grant Garman. During that time, the Chargers built up an early 3-0 cushion with two of those runs coming on sacrifice fly ball outs and a third on a bases-loaded walk.

“Garman did a heck of a job on the mound,” Trenton head coach Todd Szalka said.” Coming into the fifth inning, we didn’t have any hits. But we strung together some hits and tied it up there.”

And it was a notable change in hitting approaches that fueled the big comeback to tie things up. The Trojans ended up batting around in the fifth, scoring three times on five hits.

RBI hits from Zach LaMay and Carson Boike out of the No. 8 and 9 spots of the bottom of the order tied the game at 3-3.

“We tried to shorten things up and go with more of a two-strike approach,” Szalka said. “We came out for that fifth inning and I challenged them. I told them that every at-bat was the most important at-bat of your life and you have to battle every pitch.”

While not ideal to fall behind in a state semifinal affair, Szalka spoke highly of his team’s ability to not get overwhelmed by the moment and grind things out in a do-or-die situation.

“That’s the thing I am happiest about and most proud of,” Szalka said. “You’re in the state semifinals and you go down 3-0 to the No. 1 team in the state. And they just stuck with it and were able to force extra innings.”

That tied score held true all the way through the regulation seven innings. Both teams, however, did squander some opportunities to cash in opportunities earlier in the game. Powers, in particular, stranded at least one runner in every inning on Friday, a total of 10 on the afternoon.

Both teams left the bases loaded in the fifth inning.