Battle Creek -- Brother Rice beat Saline 8-0 on June 14 to win the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 Championship at C.O. Brown Stadium.

 

   Junior left-hander Matt Conway scattered four hits, had four strikeouts, no walks and mowed down the final 11 batters for the victory.

 

    "I couldn't be happier for this group of players," said Brother Rice Head Coach Bob Riker. "They came into the year like a lot of teams, with the hope of making it this far. But they put in all the work, all the effort it takes to become a champion."

 

   The Warriors (33-6) wasted little time in the final game, scoring two runs in the top half of the first inning, another in the second and two more in the fourth.

 

   Senior Andy Lentz scored on a fielder's choice by sophomore Tommy Barrett and sophomore Pat MacKenzie scored on a throwing error in the first.

 

   Lentz drove in freshman Jimmy Pickens in the second to make it 3-0 Warriors.

 

   In the fourth, Pickens drove in junior Brian Kurzawa with a single and and later MacKenzie singled home Pickens to put Rice up 5-0.

 

   "We came right out of the gates and scored some runs early," Brother Rice Coach Bob Riker said. "It's always nice to work with the lead. We pecked away from the first inning and put in a few more runs on."

 

   Brother Rice finished the scoring in the sixth, as Lentz doubled home Pickens. MacKenzie later singled to bring home Lentz and junior Alex Charles.

 

   The young Warriors believed they could claim the championship from the start of the season.

 

   "It began way back in March, everything we wanted to accomplish," said Lentz, the team only senior. "We believed we could do this from the start. It was just a matter of putting in the work and dedication to go out and actually do it."

 

   Lentz finished the title game with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI. MacKenzie and Pickens each had three hits and MacKenzie had three RBI.

 

   It was the Warriors first baseball title since 1994 when they won the Class A championship. They also won in 1992. Riker was an assistant under Ron Kalczynski on both those squads.

 

  It was the 51st championship in the school's history. The boys lacrosse team won school's the 50th title on June 7, beating University of Detroit Jesuit.

 

    "To me, it's always been about the kids," said Riker said. "I'm extremely happy for them. They've done things the right way. Every year we talk about goals for Brother Rice. We want to go to Comerica Park for the Catholic league finals and then compete for a state championship. Those are our two main goals and they came to fruition this year."