Prep Baseball Report

Division 2 Team Of The Week: Week 1&2 - Goodrich


Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Michigan Senior Writer

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Division 2 Team Of The Week: Week 1&2 - Goodrich

GOODRICH - With the top three pitchers from a year ago now throwing at the next level, there was some uncertainty about the 2023 season at Goodrich. But an 8-1 start to the campaign has head coach Bob Foreback optimistic about what lies ahead for the Prep Baseball Report Division 2 Team of the Week.

“We lost our number one, two and three pitchers to college so pitching was a question,” related Foreback in reference to Noah Keller (Cornell), Josh Denton (Lawrence Tech) and Brady Gauthier (Delta College). “I thought we would be a good hitting team and that seems to be the case. Our pitching is coming around as the new guys are gaining experience on the mound. We are gritty and fight to the end so I'm happy with the way we have started.”

There were 10-5 and 13-1 wins over Ovid Elsie last week along with 12-2, 13-6 and 20-10 beatdowns of Owosso highlighted by a cycle from Carson Raether on Saturday.

“I can't remember another Goodrich player hitting for the cycle while I have been at Goodrich,” noted Foreback. “Carson is our best player, but is only a junior so he has not committed.”

The top-rated 2024 catcher in Michigan has been getting help from the lone senior on the team, Joey Helton, who is an Indiana Tech signee.

“He had a no-hitter going through five innings before his dumb coach pulled him,” Foreback said about the right-handed senior who is 3-0 this season. “It's early in the season and we are working on keeping arms healthy so he was only scheduled to pitch five that day.”

Gavin Hart and Gavin Dunn are the top two pitchers for Goodrich, Hart 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA and Dunn 2-0 with a 0.77 ERA.

But while the pitching has been making strides, it is at the plate where the Martians have been doing damage during a season where the lone loss was 6-5 in nine innings to Flushing.

Raether is leading the way with a .652 batting average, driving in 14 along with belting two home runs while Jack Foreback is hitting at a .625 clip with 12 RBIs and eight doubles.

“Our team's batting average is surprising,” admitted Foreback, whose biggest loss from a year ago in addition to the three pitchers is middle infielder Travis Liford, who is starting as a freshman at Adrian College. “I knew we would hit the ball well but we are a whopping .404 through nine games as a team. I don't expect our bats to continue at this pace, but if they do we could be really good. If we keep our positive attitude I think we will continue to win.”

Three games with Cournna, one on Wednesday and a DH at home on Thursday are on tap this week with Goodrich hosting a tournament on Saturday.