Tecumseh baseball flips season around to lead SEC White race

TECUMSEH — If Tecumseh had began SEC White play with Chelsea instead of seeing the Bulldogs, this week probably would've resulted in a handful of league losses.

But Tecumseh got Chelsea at the perfect time and picked up a series win, beating the Bulldogs 3-2 in Game 1, 10-8 in Game 2 and falling 7-6 in Game 3

"If we play those games earlier in the season we probably lose (those) games," coach Tom Bullinger said. "We would get the one bad inning and we weren't able to recover. We would lose momentum and shut down."

Tecumseh had three errors in Game 1 on Monday and lost a 1-0 lead in the fifth, but recovered to plate two runs right back and held on for the win. Similar in Game 2, Tecumseh gave up a four-run fifth and trailed 6-4, but instead of shutting down, the bats picked up and plated five runs in the fifth to go up 9-6.

In Game 3 on Wednesday, Tecumseh had five errors and gave up five unearned runs, but instead of sulking and letting the game snowball, Tecumseh went to work at the plate with a three-run third and two in fourth to get back into the game.

Those three games are the perfect example of how Tecumseh has turn the season around from an 0-5 start to an 10-7 record and 7-1 in the SEC White. Tecumseh currently sits in first place in the league ahead of 7-2 Adrian and 6-2 Pinckney.

"Some of it has to do with how the schedule lined up," Bullinger said.

Tecumseh's 0-5 start came against a quality Dundee team which plays in the tough LCAA, SEC Red opponents Dexter and Temperance Bedford and New Boston Huron.

Tecumseh benefitted from facing the bottom teams of the SEC White first in Ypsilanti and Jackson. It beat the Grizzlies in a pair of 18-0 games and then the Vikings 12-0, 15-5 and 17-0. Mixed in was a split with Jackson Northwest and a pair of wins against Ann Arbor Huron.

Those wins were the confidence boost Tecumseh's young squad needed in preparation for the meat of the SEC White.

"It helped the younger guys out a lot," Bullinger said. "We have three sophomores and six juniors and our seniors have a goal to win the SEC White and they've given themselves a chance."

Tecumseh has done it in an unusual manner of not having an ace of the staff. There's no Sam Benschoter, Cameron Wagoner or Jobe Benschoter this season. In fact, Tecumseh's most seasoned ace Riley Williams has been out for all of conference play after getting hit in the head.

"Logan Smith came in for Williams and has done a great job with not a lot of experience," Bullinger said. "Tyler Clement threw a lot in JV and he's a competitor. You see it in football and basketball, he told me he wanted to finish (Game 1) and he did."

In the lineup, Tecumseh doesn't have a power bat, but it does have nine guys who have proven to be tough outs and cause headaches for a pitching staff.

It starts with Rocco Williams at the top, Connor Adamski, senior leader Max Bledsoe, Eli Bagby, Clement, Ramiro Perez, Jeremy Bennett and Connor Bullinger at the lineup.

"We have guys at the bottom of the lineup who can get on base," Bullinger said. "We might not hit a home run all season and that's fine with me. The top of the lineup did it in Game 1 for us and the bottom in Game 2. We want to apply pressure in every inning."

With two weeks to go in the SEC White season, Tecumseh will host Pinckney in a doubleheader Monday and a final game Wednesday before the final series with rival Adrian.

While Tecumseh would've loved to have won a few of those non-conference games to start the season, the experience gained as the team in the driver's seat with the end of the road in sight.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Tecumseh baseball hits stride in league play to lead SEC White race