https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Adrian-blanks-Berryhill-6958552.php
Adrian blanks Berryhill
Published 8:15 pm EDT, Friday, August 3, 2012
ADRIAN -- A day after scoring 12 runs in an opening-round victory at the American Legion Baseball state tournament, Midland Berryhill Post 165 managed only two baserunners in a 4-0 loss to host Adrian in the winners' bracket final Friday.
"We talked it over (with the players) after the game and tried to keep them positive, and we said, 'Hey, that's the way the ball bounces. You can't change anything when the baseball gods are against you,'" said Berryhill assistant coach Bill McDonald. "Last night, we had about 13 hits and a dozen runs, and tonight we couldn't buy a base hit."
Berryhill will face Milford in today's losers' bracket final at 10 a.m., with the winner advancing to the 1 p.m. championship game against Adrian and the loser being eliminated. Either Berryhill or Milford would have to beat Adrian twice to win the state title. The if-necessary game would be Sunday.
On Friday, Adrian scored once in the second inning, once in the fifth, and twice in the eighth, while Berryhill managed only a single by Michael Wright and a walk to Steel O'Boyle.
"He (Adrian's pitcher) just threw a lot of offspeed stuff and kept us off-balance," said McDonald. "We hit the ball extremely hard at times but right at them. We just couldn't get anything going. We centered a couple of balls up good, and they'd have guys standing right there (to make the play)."
Chad Mayle took the loss, going eight innings and allowing four runs on 11 hits with seven strikeouts.
Although Berryhill receives an automatic bid to next weekend's Central Regional at Northwood University by virtue of being the host team, McDonald noted that his team would still like to finish strong at the state tourney.
"They understand that this is not a life-or-death situation, but at the same time you want to go in (to regionals) on a high note and not be struggling or just getting in (to the tournament) because you're the host," he noted.
Berryhill manager Steve Cronkright missed the game to head to his son's wedding in Traverse City. He is expected to be back for Sunday's if-necessary game if Berryhill gets that far.