Traverse Splitty: TC West baseball takes BNC title, Murchie trophy; TC Central softball sweeps West

May 22—TRAVERSE CITY — Two doubleheaders. Two very different stories.

Traverse City West baseball clinched the Big North Conference title, won the Patrick Murchie Memorial Trophy for the 12th straight year with twin 6-0 shutouts of Traverse City Central and paid tribute to a fallen teammate.

Traverse City Central softball sent off its half dozen seniors on a high note with an 8-3 and 12-2 sweep of rival Traverse City West.

In Wednesday's baseball and softball doubleheaders at the Trojan Athletic Complex, all four teams lined up on the baseball field for a moment of silence for TC West baseball alum Sam DeKuiper, who was killed at age 22 in a car crash May 3. A banner with DeKuiper's No. 9 hung on the right field fence.

For West senior Isaac Kelsey, the banner meant a little extra.

DeKuiper and Kelsey share the distinction of not only playing baseball at West but starting at quarterback there as well.

"It hit hard," Kelsey said. "You can see the team really rallied around it, and you can see our energy and everything, we were playing for more than just ourselves. We're playing the game for every athlete that took their last step on the field. So we really were playing for something bigger than just us."

The banner was made by Traverse City Central and displayed at the game but will make its permanent home at West's baseball field.

"That was a class act thing that their coaching staff put together," West head coach Matt Bocian said. "Sam took pitching lessons from Todd Schmitt when he was younger, so they all knew him and obviously have a ton of respect for him and what he stood for."

West scored two in the opener's first inning when Brayden Popa came across on a wild pitch and Maverick Richard's sacrifice fly scored Mike Healy.

The Titans added to their lead in the fourth as Jack Westfall came home on a wild pitch, Isaac Kelsey singled in Healy, and Quinten Gillespie singled in a run for a 5-0 advantage.

Popa singled in Owen Hendrix in the fifth.

"A lot of different emotions," Bocian said. "Especially with a rivalry game with West-Central, these kids all know each other and sometimes you let emotions get the better of yourself. We did a good job at keeping our composure during certain times, especially when they got guys on base. We dialed it back in and did what we had to do."

Butler commit Jack Griffiths struck out 12 over six innings, allowing only one hit over six innings in the first 6-0 shutout. Ian Burfield tossed the final inning, striking out two in a 1-2-3 frame.

Caden Stoops kept the dominant Titan pitching going in the second game, fanning 14 over seven innings of one-hit ball.

"It was a little bit of an up-and-down road, and this year wasn't as smooth as usual," Kelsey said. "We showed some grit. Everyone stepped up and we were able to clinch it. We play our best when our pitchers show up, and they did tonight."

Popa, Healy, Hendrix and Kelsey each had two hits in the opener, while Stoops, Griffiths and Sawyer Vanderlinde all had two in the 6-0 nightcap.

On the softball diamond adjacent to the baseball field, Central turned the tables to get the Trojans a pair of wins and make it two victories per side on the day.

"The West game is always a game of high emotions," Central head coach Nate Alger said. "It just brings a different element to this game. No matter how good you are, or if you're struggling, these kids know each other. They played together since they were kids, and it just brings an added element of stress to this game. But it's fun."

Grace Cary's single to left gave Central a 1-0 lead in the second. The Trojans added three more in the third on an Anika Peterson grounder that scored Hannah Fellows and a two-run double by Aubrey Williams. Cary doubled to center to bring in two more for a 6-0 lead after three frames.

Brynn Smith's two-out single to left put West on the board in the sixth, and Lauren Tkach came home during a rundown.

Peterson drove in Anna Tbazka in the sixth with a double down the left-field line, and Williams drove in Peterson on a fielder's choice for an 8-2 Trojan advantage. Delaney Witkop added a seventh-inning RBI double for West.

Camryn Craig struck out 15 over seven innings, not allowing an earned run.

In between softball games, the Trojans held senior night, not only honoring the six TCC seniors, but announcing West's pair as well (Taylor Williams and Tkach).

"It's always a big rivalry, but I think we were ready," Craig said. "It's just good to be playing against and with people you've been playing with your whole life."

Cary drove in five runs in the nightcap, including a bases-loaded triple to the fourth frame, giving her six hits (including two doubles, a triple), three walks and eight RBI in the doubleheader.

Craig produced two hits, four walks and two runs, while Anika Peterson drove in two runs in each game. Senior shortstop Hannah Fellows had two hits, three walks and scored two runs and made a great backhand diving stab at short to rob West of a hit.

"It was a good team win," Craig said. "Everyone contributed, and a bunch of underclassmen had our back, so it was good. We kind of didn't play our best game the first game, so we tried to come back and really hammer the second game."

Audrey Williams tossed six innings of four-hit ball in the nightcap, striking out five after she drove in three runs in the opener.

Tkach led West with three hits on the night, while Sydney Fleming, Witkop and Smith each had two.

TC West baseball (23-11, 8-2 Big North) hosts Rochester Stoney Creek for one game Friday and a doubleheader Saturday. TC Central (6-25, 2-8 BNC) plays Flushing on Thursday and Glen Lake for one seven-inning game Tuesday.

West softball (12-20, 2-5 BNC) is off until districts, playing the host Alpena Wildcats in its postseason opener. Central (21-6, 8-2 BNC) travels to Howell for a twinbill Friday and then plays Marquette in the first round of districts June 1 at Alpena.