Prep Baseball Report

McClelland brothers power Brighton past Pioneer



By Jim Mulchay
Staff Writer

On Saturday at Ann Arbor Pioneer HS, Pioneer defeated Brighton in a double header on a cold, blustery Saturday in Ann Arbor.

Game 1
Brighton's Colin McClelland (2015) held Pioneer to 1 run on 6 hits as Brighton capitalized on four Pioneer errors for three unearned runs in a 5-1 win. Colin McClelland hit Pioneer starter left-hander Matt Clendenin's (2013) second pitch for a solo home run and Brighton followed up with three unearned runs in the second on two errors and three hits.

Ryan McClelland, Colin's older brother and GVSU commit, also had a two-out RBI double in the 5th for an insurance run.

This game belonged to Colin McClelland. McClelland pitched the complete game only allowing one run on six hits and struck out seve.  He also had two hits on the day. Bobby Hopman (CF, 13) also had two hits and an RBI.

For Pioneer Clendenin went five innings and gave up five runs, however only two of them were earned. He was followed by righty Noah Morehouse.  Andrew Siddal had a double and Brad Koenig drove in Pioneer's only run with 2-out single.

Game 2 
Brighton's catcher Alex Dixon (2015) capped off a 3-3 game by driving in the game winning RBI in the fifth ining as Brighton defeated Pioneer 8-4.

Pioneer took a 4-3 lead with a three-run fourth inning including a successful squeeze by Jake Norton (2014). Brighton reclaimed the lead in the fifth on Dixon's single and added two more runs in the sixth.

Brighton starter Alexx Zielinski (2015) went 4 innings for the win. The 6-foot-5 left struck out six in his four innings of work and allowed four runs only three of them earned. Andrew Chevalier and Zach Vitkuske closed the game for Brighton,

Jake Steslicki (CF, 14) had 2 hits and 2RBI. Brighton also got 2 hits from Ryan McClelland (3B, 13 - double), Kyle Bederka (1B, 13) and Chevalier.

Pioneer starter Tom Hadlock (RHP, 13) got the loss. He worked four and a third inninsg surrendering six runs on twelve hits. Erich Schulz (C, 13) went 3-4 and Noah Morehouse (SS, 14) was 2-3.