Out of the blue

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

Young GPS baseball squad exceeds expectations

FAIR HAVEN — All Grosse Pointe South baseball did after graduating 14 seniors — nine of whom went on to play college ball — was come within nine outs of a Division 1 regional title.

In what many would have thought to be a rebuilding year, the Blue Devils started 2-9 but finished 23-15 and pushed Catholic League A-B Division champion Warren De La Salle to the limit.

“I’m as proud as I can be of this group,” coach Dan Griesbaum said after his team fell 5-4 to De La Salle June 6 at Anchor Bay. “I told the guys they reminded me of the ‘05 team.

“The (2005 Blue Devils) had more (players) back, but they weren’t supposed to do anything and they made it to the final. They came together at the end. They struggled at the beginning, worked hard at the end and came together.”

South rode a three-run first inning, with juniors William Shirar, Leif Rodney and Brad Remillet — the No. 3, 4 and 5 hitters, respectively — collecting RBIs.

South then added another run in the bottom of the third when Shirar’s single to right scored junior Ryan Miller.

Miller was 1-for-3 with two runs scored in the final and hit a home run in the Blue Devils’ 7-1 regional semifinal win against Port Huron High.

Junior lefty Bobby Peltz pitched all seven innings for the Blue Devils and limited the Pilots to three runs on five hits through the first four innings.

De La Salle scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the fifth when senior John Martinez’s single down the third-base line scored junior Steve Laudicina, and senior Cam Walker’s sacrifice fly to center plated senior Jim Martinez.

Peltz ended the game allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking only one.

“Bobby pitched a great game,” Griesbaum said. “(The Pilots) knew they were in for a game, and Bobby pitched a great game.

“The thing is, he’s been hurt. He didn’t practice because he’s got a bad back. He’s been to the chiropractor every day this week, and he really gutted it out.”

With only six seniors on the roster, the future looks bright for Blue Devils, as five starters from the regional-final lineup are due back in 2010.

“We told them, ‘you guys are going to be a better team next year from this experience,’” Griesbaum said. “They’re not intimidated by anybody. They more than fulfilled expectations this year.”

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.