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Varsity baseball finds its footing as season’s halfway point nears

Photo courtesy of Grosse Pointe South baseball | Outfielder Matt Reno ’12 takes a cut during the Blue Devils’ 8-4 victory over Detroit Country Day.

RYAN NEWA ’12 | Online Sports Editor

Ranked third in the state by the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association in the preseason Division 1 polls, the Blue Devils varsity team had high expectations coming into the year.

With several returning starters from last year, the Blue Devils knew they had an opportunity to return to the state Final Four for the first time since 2005.

“The expectations for our team is basically the same every year: win our league and make it to the Final Four,” said three-year varsity player Matt Reno ’12. “We expect that from every team, every year.”

And while league championships and Final Fours can be expected every year with a program as successful as head coach Dan Griesbaum’s, Reno acknowledged that this year’s team, which is 9-5 overall (3-0 in the MAC Red) probably has a better chance.

The team knows, though, that preseason rankings do not mean much once the games begin. The Blue Devils experienced this first-hand during its annual trip to Ohio earlier this month, where it went 3-3 against very tough competition.

“That was a good experience just in that people got it in their heads again that we’re not as good as the rankings really say,” said catcher Timmy Kramer ‘12. “We can be, but people aren’t just going to lay down.”

Kramer, along with Reno, believes that the Ohio trip, despite a couple of ugly losses, will be beneficial for the team long-term.

“The bench camaraderie has been a lot better since that trip,” said Kramer. “Sometimes you’ll get the underclassman coming up, and a lot of the older guys don’t really know the underclassman that well. You have to get along with them and find out what they’re all about, and make sure they know what you’re all about.”

Reno agrees, adding that the trip was essential to them getting to where they want to be at the end of the year.

“I think it has a huge significance,” said Reno. “To go far, you need more than just talent. You need to be able to play with your best friends and know they’ve got your back and trust them. The closer you come as a team, the better chance you have to go far.”

Photo courtesy of Grosse Pointe South baseball | Pitcher James Fishback '15 delivers toward the plate during South's 12-2 victory over Port Huron on April 21. The game was the second of three total that South played that day.

The players remain unworried despite their losses since the defeats came early in the season against non-league foes. Reno went as far as to compare Griesbaum to Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, who is known for scheduling tough non-leauge opponents to prepare his team for later on.

“We played (Cincinnati) Moeller down in Ohio, and we saw a pitcher that’s the best pitcher we’ll see all year,” said Reno. “So coming off of seeing him, the kids we see here are not much compared to him. Just talent level, going from there (Ohio) to here, it gives us an extra little boost of confidence.”

After taking some lumps during the road trip, the experience has paid immediate dividends.

The Blue Devils have won six of its last seven games, including a win over Macomb Dakota, the then-number one team in the state. The team has currently reeled off six straight wins, and is undefeated in its conference.

South has done this – keep in mind – without the services of star pitcher Kevin Reck ’12, who has missed the entire season due to injury. The team has had to rely on a multitude of players to fill the shoes of Reck, and for the most part, they have been up for the challenge.

“It leaves room for other guys to step up and make plays happen,” Reno said of Reck’s absence. “So far we have. So it’s definitely a speed bump in the road but we have the talent to get through, and the coaching definitely, too.”

Among those who have stepped up to fill Reck’s role have been Carmen Bendedetti ’13  and Jack Doyle ’13, as well as Robby Kish ’12, Reno said.

If the team continues to play mistake-free baseball as it has been, then it can it has the potential to achieve its goals – to win the league, go to the Final Four and win a state championship, Reno said.

But of course, teams with sky-high expectations such as this one can be prone to feel pressure. That has not happened yet this year due to Griesbaum’s leadership, Reno said.

“Coach Griesbaum’s really good at taking pressure off of his players, and just allowing us to go out and play the game and not have to worry about any of the extraneous stuff,” said Reno.

The team also will not be without motivation as its heads towards the latter half of its regular season schedule.

“We got along really well as a team last year,” said Kramer. “Everyone loved everyone. The last game, when we lost in the regionals to Stevenson, everyone was crying and just real upset about the game. Us underclassmen made it a point that we were going to do what we could next year and the next year and we were going to hopefully make it to Battle Creek and fulfill the ultimate goal of high school baseball.”

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