Monroe and Summerfield Baseball Teams Conclude Season with Regional Final Defeats

The baseball season has officially wrapped up for teams in Monroe County as both Monroe and Summerfield faced elimination in their respective regional championship matches on Saturday, June 6.

Monroe was overwhelmed by Dexter, a rival from the Southeastern Conference, suffering a heavy defeat of 14-0 in a Division 1 contest held in Northville. Meanwhile, Summerfield fell short against Kalamazoo Hackett, losing 4-0 in their Division 4 matchup.

In a twist of fate, both Dexter and Hackett, the teams that ended the seasons for Monroe and Summerfield, subsequently lost in the state quarterfinals later that same day, with Dexter falling 5-2 to Detroit Catholic Central and Hackett succumbing to Marcellus in a high-scoring 9-6 affair.

Monroe’s head coach Greg Depew concluded his inaugural season with a record of 18-18. Despite having previously lost three close games to Dexter, the Trojans found themselves in a challenging situation early in the game, which was ultimately halted after five innings due to the mercy rule. The Trojans will retain a majority of their roster for next season, with only four seniors, including Carson Liedel, Asher Simmons, Aiden Homer, and Cooper Robinson, starting in the final game.

Over in Spring Arbor, Summerfield ace Reece Kalb showcased a stellar performance, holding a no-hitter until the sixth inning. Coach Reid Olmstead praised Kalb, stating, “He was great all day. I really thought it was his best game of the year.” Unfortunately for Summerfield, Hackett capitalized on a series of walks and errors, scoring all four of their runs in a single inning.

The Bulldogs struggled offensively, managing only three hits throughout the game. Despite having opportunities to score, they were unable to string together hits when it mattered most. Olmstead reflected on the season, which concluded with a 17-8 record, a shared Tri-County Conference title, and a district championship. “I think it was a really good season for us,” he noted, but acknowledged the challenge ahead as nine seniors, including four starters, will depart the team. “They will be hard to replace,” he added, though he expressed optimism about the youth and talent in the upcoming freshman class.