Western rallies to edge King for 10th straight PSL title

Detroit — Detroit Western’s bats came alive and the school won its 10th straight Public School League Mega Division championship with a 5-4 victory over Detroit King Monday night at Comerica Park.

Junior catcher Logan Foster drove in the winning run on a bloop single to right field in the eighth inning.

“I just wanted to put the ball in play,” Foster said. “I noticed they brought in an extra infielder, so I was just trying to get it past the infield. I was just happy for my team. It was a team effort, nothing individual.”

All-City selection William English got the win in relief. He came on in the third inning with his team down 3-0 and pitched 5.1 innings while only allowing one run and striking out eight. He kept Western (10-0) in the game, giving his teammates a chance to rally.

“It was really nerve-wracking,” English said.

“I just look to throw the ball hard and throw strikes. I know some of their hitting abilities, so I approached each hitter differently.”

Taking advantage of walks, Western strung together bunts and sacrifice flies to score two runs apiece in the fifth and sixth, tying the game 4-4.

“It’s getting harder and harder to win,” Western coach Juan Sanchez said. “It’s a testament to (King coach) Norm (Taylor). The other teams are getting better. We’ve been behind before, and I just kept reminding the kids you’ve got to keep chipping away, and when we brought Will (English) in he just overpowered him.”

Western only had five hits, but three of them came from sophomore first baseman Emmanuel Clark. He went 3-for-4 with a double and had a hit in the decisive bottom of the eighth to keep Western’s rally alive.

The starting pitcher for King (6-4), senior Jonathan Darby, was electric early. He only allowed three hits in six innings to the usually-potent Western offense.

More PSL baseball

Detroit Edison 8, Detroit Osborn 4 (6 inn.): Pitcher Jordan Rawls threw a complete game with eight strikeouts and went 3-for-4 batting with two RBIs, Kenneth Tate went 2-for-2 and Kalel Gilford went 2-for-3 with an RBI to win the PSL East-West Division championship for Edison (10-0).

Teionta Waters went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Osborn (7-3).