Huron County View

For love of the game:

Baseball players gather at Senior Showcase



Ubly’s Austin Creguer avoids EPBP’s Bryce Sears as he attempts to turn a double play during the 2020 Baseball Senior Showcase, last week in Bad Axe. (Photo by Quad N Productions)

Ubly’s Austin Creguer avoids EPBP’s Bryce Sears as he attempts to turn a double play during the 2020 Baseball Senior Showcase, last week in Bad Axe. (Photo by Quad N Productions)

BAD AXE – The 2020 Senior Showcase began last week, with 25 baseball players, representing three counties (Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola), rediscovering their love of the game.

Even at the high school level, baseball is a pretty serious sport, but for these players, it was their one last chance to shine.

The score was kept, of course, but it didn’t matter to the players or the coaches.

“It’s always great to get a chance to play with players you’ve played and competed against for so long, but even more so with everything that went on and was lost,” said Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port senior Bryce Sears.

In fact, when the players were informed that they had one more inning left, they wanted to keep playing.

“They wanted to play all night. That shows how much they loved the game,” said Unionville-Sebewaing Area coach Tyler Bader, who was one of the coaches for Team 2. “I tell my guys to enjoy the game, because when it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Bad Axe’s Luke Sobczak (25) slides in safely at home under the tag of North Huron’s Brad Hoody during the 2020 Baseball Senior Showcase, last week in Bad Axe. (Photo by Quad N Productions)

Bad Axe’s Luke Sobczak (25) slides in safely at home under the tag of North Huron’s Brad Hoody during the 2020 Baseball Senior Showcase, last week in Bad Axe. (Photo by Quad N Productions)

Added Bader: “To have a season taken away because of something that was completely out of our control, to have at least one chance to get some of that back was pretty special. For one night, they were able to feel like they were the big deal.”

When the last out was made, the players lined up for a handshake line, but observed COVID-19 rules and tipped their caps.

There were four coaches for the event, with Ubly’s Jim Becker and Vassar’s Jason Hahn handling duties for Team 1, while Bader and Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port’s Ron Dubs took care of Team 2.

All of the coaches had two of their own players on the team.

“To have that last opportunity to being out the field with them was really special,” said Dubs of his players Bryce Sears and Jayvien Wolschleger.

Added Dubs: “What I think about is what got stolen from these kids and how they were at least able to come back and perform one last time in a unique situation. For them to get that one more chance on the field is what I will really remember about this game.”

Sears would have been a four-year varsity player for the Lakers and was becoming one of the most consistent catchers in the Thumb.

Due to the nature of the event, he received the opportunity to catch for Cass City’s Kendall Anthes, who will continue his career at Saginaw Valley State University.

“It was a lot of fun catching for him, as a catcher, you want to catch the best pitchers, and challenge yourself to be a catcher that they want behind the plate throwing to,” Sears said. “Obviously, he’s one of the best pitchers around, I have a lot of respect for him, we’ve battled each other for a long time, it was fun to be on the same side working together out there.”

Becker made sure to tell his players to enjoy one last moment in the sun as players for their high school teams.

“I told every kid there ‘This is the last time that you will wear that jersey,’” said Becker. “I think when the kids heard that, it sunk in. It’s unfortunate that it had to happen, but it was a great opportunity for the kids.”

Added Becker: “What I take away from a game like that is the camaraderie of the kids. They came together for one night. I didn’t know some of the kids all that well. They all had that one thing in common – the love of baseball. To do it one last time and to do it in front of a nice crowd, I think that meant a lot to them.”

Team 2 was comprised of players from Cass City, USA and EPBP, all Greater Thumb West rivals. In the dugout and on the field, it looked as though they had been teammates their entire careers.

“Cass City and Lakers are our rivals, so it was great to have them in the same dugout,” Bader said. “There’s something really neat and positive about games like this, you get a chance to put rivalries aside.”

Added Bader: “I think you could see that they enjoyed having that jersey on again and competing again. I think it helped to give them some closure on being high school athletes.”

Sears agreed with Bader.

“Nothing can really replace losing your senior season, when you had high expectations for your team,” he said. “But this event and seeing the guys and having some fun together, playing a game we all love, gave us all a little chance to say goodbye and wear our jersey that one last time, so thank you for that. It meant a lot to a lot of seniors.”

Here are the rosters for the 2020 Senior Showcase Baseball Game

Team 1
Brandon McAlpine, Bad Axe
Jack Fischer, Bad Axe
Luke Sobczak, Bad Axe
Keggan Miller, Caro
Miles Campbell, Caro
Lawson Smith, Cros-Lex
Derek Dreher, Deckerville
Kyle Paquette, Millington
Ethan Dunham, Vassar
Max Kukulski, Vassar
Romeo Gomez, Vassar
Blake Kerr, Vassar
Casey Sweeney, Ubly
Austin Cregeur, Ubly
Coaches: Jim Becker, Ubly
Jason Hahn, Vassar

Team 2
Jacob Kennedy, Caseville
Steven Wilkins, Caseville
Kendall Anthes, Cass City
Tristen Swiderski, Cass City
Collen Wruble, Cass City
Tyler Czekai, Cass City
Bryce Sears, EPBP
Jayvien Wolschleger, EPBP
Brad Hoody, North Huron
Chris Augle, North Huron
Landin Zimmer, USA
Nash Morton, USA
Coaches: Ron Dubs, EPBP
Tyler Bader, USA