Bishop Foley claims share of league title

MADISON HEIGHTS — It all came down to a May 10 doubleheader against Ann Arbor Greenhills, as Madison Heights Bishop Foley made its last leap for a share of the Catholic High School League Intersectional title.

Sitting at 8-2 in the division and two games behind Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, a team that Foley split a series with earlier in the season, Foley needed a clean sweep on the road to become co-champions.

Behind junior Sante Valdez and sophomore Mason Kanar’s impressive performances on the mound in games one and two respectively, the Ventures did just that, punching their ticket for a May 19 matchup against Dearborn Divine Child at Comerica Park in the CHSL semifinals.

Valdez fanned eight batters and allowed only three hits as Foley dominated game one, winning 11-0. Valdez and senior Simon Zainea both got it done at the plate, combining for seven RBIs in the win.

It was all up to Kanar as he controlled the mound for the finale, and he delivered with an impressive seven-inning outing that included nine strikeouts.

Notched up at 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth, sophomore Tad Dobek stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third, and the game and league title on the line.

On just the first pitch of the at-bat, Dobek brought it home.

“They had been pitching me away all day on the first pitch, so I sat on a fastball away and when I got it, I just tried to put a good swing on it and drive it up the middle,” Dobek said.

Dobek’s shot up the middle would score senior Drew Mleczko to walk it off for Foley in the 8-7 victory.