Tag Archives: Southern Little League baseball

Michigan’s best to descend upon Grand Rapids for Little League state tournament

Citizen Journalism, , ,

This empty field will soon be swarming with talent this weekend as the Little League Majors State Tournament runs from July 22-27 at MacKay-Jaycees Park in Grand Rapids.. (Zach Fanko)

By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer



The best that Michigan Little League baseball has to offer is coming this weekend to Grand Rapids as 16 district champs, including defending Little League World Series champion Taylor North, vie for a spot in the Great Lakes Regional.

Hosted by Southern Little League, the 12-and-under Little League Majors State Tournament runs from Friday, July 22 through Wednesday, July 27, at the MacKay-Jaycees Park, 2531 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids.

Look for our WKTV Sports Truck and crew covering the game at 7 p.m. Friday, July 22.



Round robin play runs from July 22-24, followed by the single elimination championship round from July 25-27. Admission is free.

Teams by pool (16 district champs)

Pool A: Grosse Points Farm City, Dexter, Midland Northeast, Grand Rapids Southern East

Pool B: White Lake, Paw Paw, Traverse City, Bay City Southwest

Pool C: Millwood, St. Clair, Tecumseh, Taylor North

Pool D: Petoskey, Negaunee, Gladstone, Commerce Township

Each team will play three games, facing each opponent within their pool once with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the single elimination championship round. The state champion advances to the Great Lakes Regional from Aug. 6-10 in Whitestown, Indiana. 

Photo taken after District 9 Southern Senior Little League beat District 7 St. Clair 10-1 in a 2017 tournament. (WKTV)

Defending World Series champs back

Little League World Series champs Taylor North, the first team from Michigan to win it all since 1959, is back to defend its title. They went undefeated in the 2021 state tournament (6-0), allowing just seven runs over six games.

Bay City Southwest returns to the state tournament and is hoping to avenge its semifinal loss to Taylor North a year ago. Another contender, St. Clair, returns after a quarterfinal appearance last year.

Grand Rapids Southern East is hoping home field advantage will play a factor as the District 9 champions look to make some noise this weekend. 

Click here to see the tournament schedule: 2022 MAJOR STATE BB.xlsx

WKTV to show Southern Senior Little League team’s state title marathon

City of Wyoming, Recreation, Sports

The Southern Senior Little League team holds its Michigan state title banner on Monday. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

As the District 9 Southern Senior League team represents the state of Michigan at the Senior Little League Central Regional tournament starting this weekend, WKTV on Sunday will air all the team’s games from their title run at last weekend’s Michigan State Senior tournament on Comcast Cable Channel 24.

 

Having televised live Southern’s first three games, and recording the two-game finals series, WKTV will begin its game marathon at noon on Sunday, July 23, with a special 15-minute Finals Preview and highlight show hosted by WKTV announcers Paul Kabelman and Rob Gee.

 

Following the Finals Preview will be the team’s five games played, in order, starting at about 12:15 p.m. with the Friday, July 14, game when Southern defeated District 16 Onsted 22-1 in a 5 innings.

 

The Saturday, July 15, game, when Southern defeated District 7 St. Clair 10-1 in 7 innings, will start at about 2:05 p.m.; the Sunday, July 16, game, when Southern defeated District 4 Commerce, 27-3 in 5 innings, will start at about 4:10 p.m.; the first title series game from Monday, July 17, when Southern lost to District 5 Taylor NW, 9-4 in 7 innings, will start at about 6:10 p.m.; and the second title game from Monday, July 17, when Southern defeated District 5 Taylor NW 13-3 in 7 innings to win the state title, will start at about 9 p.m.

 

Southern opens play at regional tournament

 

At the Central Regional tournament, along with teams from nine other Midwest states, in Peru, Ill., Southern will open tournament play with two games this weekend. First, Saturday, July 22, at 3:30 p.m., Southern will play at a field in Peru, against a team from Richmond, Ky.; then, on Sunday, July 23, at 3 p.m., Southern will play at a field in Oglesby, Ill.

 

The Southern team is an all-star team made up of players, age 15-16, selected by the coaches from four Senior level teams who played in the Southern Little League this season.

 

The Southern team is managed by Jamie Billo, with coaches Jim Passinault and Pat Batka.

 

The players include, from Central Catholic High School, Myles Beale, a centerfielder and pitcher; Matt Moore, outfielder/catcher; Kyle Tepper, 3rd base/outfielder/pitcher; Luke Passinault, 2nd base/outfielder; Joe Collins, outfielder/pitcher; and Nate Trudeau, short stop.

 

From East Grand Rapids are Reilly O’Connor, infielder and pitcher; Micah Baermann pitcher/outfield; Billy Bernecker, 1st base/outfield; John Shelton lV, catcher; Jack Billo, 3rd base; Peter Kratt, outfield; Ryan Sullivan, pitcher; and Nick Lambert, pitcher.

 

Also on the team are, from Grand Rapids Christian, Keegan Batka, middle infielder and pitcher, and Luke Elzinga, 1st base/pitcher.

 

All District 9 Southern games played at the state tournament are available on DVDs at WKTV.org/shop.

Southern Senior Little League rolls into tonight’s state finals, and WKTV will be there

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Recreation, Sports

Kyle Tepper went two strong innings in relief for Southern, including getting three strikeouts in the third inning. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The District 9 Southern League team completed an impressive run of weekend wins Sunday in a battle of two 2-0 teams, scoring eight runs in the first inning and going on to defeat District 4 Commerce 27-3 in five innings. The win advances Southern to the Michigan state Senior Little League tournament finals today, Monday, July 17, at 5:30 p.m.

 

WKTV covered Southern’s first three games live, and will cover the title game and broadcast it on a delayed basis, at 8 p.m. Monday, July 17.

 

The Southern Senior Little League fans were out in force Sunday. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

The tournament is hosted by Southern Little League. All games will be at the Southern Little League field complex at 2525 Kalamazoo Ave. SW, just north of 28th Avenue. The title game will be followed by a second title game to follow, if necessary.

 

The winner of the state tournament will play in the Central Regional tournament, along with teams from nine other Midwest states, in Peru, Ill.

 

Southern’s opponent in the finals will be District 5 Taylor NW, which defeated Commerce 6-5 in the elimination bracket finals Sunday night. Taylor will enter the game with a 4-1 record, having lost in opening-round action Friday to District 7 St. Clair, 6-5.

 

WKTV community volunteers Paul Kabelman, right, and Rob Gee called WKTV’s coverage of the games will hosted a Senior Little League state tournament finals preview. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

On Sunday, against Commerce, Southern scored eight runs in the first inning, showed off great defense to match its great offense — including catcher John Shelton IV cutting down a Commerce runner trying to steal second base — and gained great pitching from three pitchers. Kyle Tepper went two innings in relief for Southern, including getting three strikeouts in the third inning. Among many big hits, Luke Passinault’s fourth-inning double knocked in three runners and pushed the Southern lead to 15-0.

 

On Saturday, 10 runs was more then enough as three Southern pitchers combined to limit St. Clair to one run on three hits while striking out 9 in a 10-1 winners bracket win. Luke Elzinga started the game on the mound for Southern and went three innings for the win, giving up no hits while striking out five and walking two. Joe Collins and Nick Lambert each went two innings in relief. Elzinga left the game with just a two-run lead, but Southern scored 2 in the fourth inning and 4 in the fifth to give the relief pitchers a cushion. Keegan Batka led the offense with three hits and five runs batted in.

 

On Friday, Southern gained 4 runs-batted-in from John Shelton — including a massive solo home run to left field in the second inning — and Jack Billo and Nate Trudeau each had three RBI as the host team scored 15 runs in the first inning against District 16’s Onsted and went on to 22-1 in a 5-inning game.

 

The Southern team is an all-star team made up of players, age 15-16, selected by the coaches from four Senior level teams who played in the Southern Little League this season.

 

WKTV covered all District 9 Southern games and DVDs of all games are available at WKTV.org/shop.