By Mike Penn
Michigan Director of Scouting

On a frigid and sloppy day Warren De La Salle's sophomore left-hander Danny Michalak came up big for the Pilots.  Michalak threw a complete game four hit shutout against Detroit Catholic Central winning by the final score of 2-0.  

Michalak is a long lanky lefty with plenty of upside.  He worked well most of the day by keep the ball down and mixing speeds.  On the day he compiled eight strikeouts and only walked three

It was Wayne State commit, Cole Clifton who provided the offensive punch in the first.  Clifton came to the plate with two on and no one out and lined a double to the right-center gap putting the Pilots up 1-0.

From there it was all Michalak and opposing pitcher Catholic Central's Mitch Sykes.  Sykes threw a gem in his own right.  Sykes went 6 innings striking out seven and walking four.  

Michalak also received some big defensive help from the rest of the Pilots.  De La Salle perserved the shut out on a crazy 1-4-6-2 double play in the.  With CC threatening Brady Hardin laid down a bunt in an attempt to move the runner.  Michalak threw the ball errantly to first base but Dominic DiPuma tracked the ball down and fired a strike to shortstop Joey Rydzewski at second base getting Hardin trying to advance.  Rydzewski applied the tag to Hardin for the first out and threw a laser to home to nail the CC runner trying to score.  Late in the ball game it was a huge momentum shift and the final dagger to CC.

Offensively beyond Clifton's double, Alex Fultz and Sean Boyle each had two hits for De La Salle.