News Photo by Jonny Zawacki Alpena's Josh Lucas gets called out on a close play at first base during the first inning of a regional semifinal game against Saginaw Heritage on Saturday at Saginaw Valley State University.

UNIVERSITY CENTER– Going into Saturday’s regional semifinal game, the Alpena baseball team knew it was in for its toughest test to date and needed to be at its best.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, even their best may have not been enough to upset No. 12 ranked Saginaw Heritage as the Hawks needed just six innings to defeat Alpena 11-1 at Saginaw Valley State University.

“I thought we did a good job staying with them early on. We needed a couple key hits in big spots that we didn’t get, but we put the bat on the ball and they made the plays,” Alpena coach Phil Schultz said. “Later in the game our pitchers wore out and they have some quality hitters, which led to them putting runs on the board.”

Brandon Smith retired Alpena (22-13) in order in the top of the first and then the Hawks got to work.

Heritage took a two-run lead after one inning when Justin Hughes hit a one out double down the left field line and scored on a two out single off the bat of Smith, who helped his own cause. James Mayes then reached on an error and Matthew Sulkanen cashed in and singled home Smith.

Despite quickly falling behind, Alpena showed no signs of backing down as it tagged Smith for a couple big hits in the top of the second.

Bailey Marquardt led off the inning with a double to left field and Brendan Dacey came in to pinch run. Two batters later, Chris Derocher ripped a one out triple into the left center field gap that scored Dacey to put the Wildcats on the board.

Unfortunately, Derocher was stranded at third and the second inning run was the only one Alpena scored.

The Hawks added another run in the third to regain their two run lead as junior Spencer Schwellenbach singled and scored on an RBI double from Smith.

After getting out of the second inning jam, Smith allowed just one hit the rest of the way and sat down Alpena in order the final three innings as he tossed all six innings, allowed just three hits, struck out five and got plenty of run support as Heritage broke the game wide open in the home half of the fifth.

“We knew coming into the game the expectations weren’t high for us and by no means were we the favorite,” Schultz said. “I thought if we came out, played loose and let the chips fall where they may we had a chance. Unfortunately, the got to us in the fifth inning.”

The Hawks batted around in the fifth and scored seven runs on six hits, including two home runs in the inning.

Hughes reached base to lead off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and Schwellenbach blasted a two run home run to put Heritage up 5-1.

Smith singled a batter later and Sulkanen doubled in Smith which ended Alpena starter Lucas Crosby’s day.

Crosby pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowed seven runs on 11 hits and struck out three.

Bruz Copping came on in relief, but the Hawks’ bats were just heating up as they scored three more runs in an inning that was capped off by another two run home run, this time off the bat of leadoff hitter Noah Marcoux.

Alpena went down in order for the third consecutive inning and Heritage ended the game in the sixth as Schwellenbach continued to show why he is a Division 1 talent as the Nebraska bound junior hit a leadoff ground rule double and scored the game’s final run on an RBI double off the bat of Sulkanen.

“I mentioned to the kids after the game that not many people had us penciled in to be here to start with and I told them to take pride in that,” Schultz said. “To play as good as we did all year and be in the Big North Conference race all year and come back the way we did to win a district title, these kids have raised the bar for the future.”

The three Alpena hits were for extra bases as Marquardt and Copping doubled and Derocher tripled.

Schwellenbach and Smith led the Hawks with three hits and two RBI apiece. Smith scored two runs and Schwellenbach crossed home plate three times and was a triple shy of the cycle. Sulkanen also added three hits and scored a run.

“I was really proud and happy for our guys. As a coach, you look at this group and they were a quality group of young men that worked well together all season,” Schultz said. “This was without question one of the best group of kids I’ve had the privilege of coaching and I’m so happy with the effort that they put in this year.”

Jonny Zawacki can be reached via email at jzawacki@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5690.