Division 4 Team Of The Week: 1st Edition - Sacred Heart Academy
April 17, 2024
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Division 4 Team Of The Week: 1st Edition - Sacred Heart Academy
MOUNT PLEASANT - Six consecutive wins, including two over state-ranked ball clubs, has propelled Sacred Heart Academy to fourth in the latest ratings and with it recognition as the Prep Baseball Division 4 Team of the Week.
“The team has performed well,” noted head coach Earl Hartman, who had high expectations entering the 2024 season after losing just the DH from a 31-8 squad a year ago. “Several different players have contributed to the offense, the defense and on the mound.”
The highlight to date was a no-hitter by Brady Davis against Rudyard, a state semifinalist the past two seasons. The sophomore left-hander struck out 11 and walked two in a 2-0 victory over the 13th-ranked D-4 team in Michigan.
There have been three shutouts on the season, including a 10-0 blanking of Maple City Glen Lake to cap off last week’s action that included a 9-2 beating of Marion. A week prior, the Fighting Irish was an 8-3 winner over Norway, the 23rd-ranked D-4 team in the state.
“The key to success is staying healthy,” pointed out Hartman, who picked up his 800th career coaching win during the 2023 campaign. “That’s the key to most small-school programs.”
Junior shortstop Grady Pieratt has led the way at the plate to date with a .619 average, scoring 13 runs. Senior catcher Connor Stempky is batting .533 with 12 RBIs while junior third baseman Jason Boge has driven in 10 runs while producing a .375 batting mark.
A loss to Bay City Western, the fifth-rated Division 1 team in Michigan, opened the season for Sacred Heart, which has split two games this week, beating St. Charles before seeing its winning streak come to an end on Tuesday against Laingsburg, the 22nd-ranked D-3 squad in the state.
A doubleheader with Vestaburg is on tap Friday to finish off this week’s play before a showdown on Monday with defending state champion Beal City, the number one team in the state in Division 4.