Friday’s prep roundup: Groves wins 30th, looks to districts

Birmingham Groves earned its 30th victory of the baseball season with a 5-0 win over Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood 5-0 on Friday.

Groves (30-6) was efficient on offense and defense.

Senior shortstop Zavier Warren (Central Michigan) and fellow senior Max Novick both went 2-for-3. Warren had two doubles and two runs scored and Novick had a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Senior Andrew Martin also joined the party with a solo home run.

“Our focus on the offensive side is to get on base,” Groves head coach Shawn Morrison said. “We do not want to have any wasted at-bats, I want them to go out there and have quality at-bats.”

On the mound senior pitcher Noah Zacharias threw five innings, giving up four hits with just one walk and striking out seven.

“We want to minimize pitch counts,” Morrison said.

Morrison said Groves’ defense has been an important factor in the team’s success.

“I really like how our guys on defense have made plays behind our pitchers,” he said. “When we make the plays that we are supposed to, we control the game.”

The state tournament begins Tuesday and Groves will look to win the district crown for the second year in a row. Last year it lost to Rochester Adams in the regionals.

Morrison said he wants his team to continue to play the way it has all season as it heads into the state tournament.

“The boys are just going to go out there and trust what has been working for them this season,” he said.

There are 20 players on this Groves team and 10 are seniors. Morrison said he has been pleased with how his upperclassmen have stepped up.

“We returned everyone except our third baseman from last season and the guys have really bought in this season,” Morrison said.

The district Groves is in is no cakewalk. With Catholic League powerhouse Brother Rice, this district is one of the toughest in the state.

Groves did beat Brother Rice last season 8-6 to win the district title and Morrison said he knows it will be a battle this year.

“We know how tough it was last year to get out of districts and we’re going to have to play every pitch and limit our mistakes,” he said.

Groves will open district play Tuesday against Bloomfield Hills.

More baseball

Grosse Pointe University Liggett 7, Homer 0: In the Memorial Day Heart Classic held at Comerica Park Liggett shutout Homer (29-5). Sophomore pitcher Alec Azar pitched a complete game, allowing two hits and striking out seven, and Anthony George went 3-for-3 with three RBIs for Liggett (27-2).

Baseball

Dearborn Heights Crestwood 2, Plymouth Christian 0

Fenton 5, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 0

Lake Orion 5-7, Ortonville Brandon 2-0

Oxford 7, Clarkston Everest Collegiate 0

Rochester Adams 6, Birmingham Seaholm 5 (8 innings)

Royal Oak 4, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian 0

Southfield A&T 10, North Farmington 3

Taylor Trillium 13-15, Detroit Voyageur 1-5 (3 innings)

Troy 13-10, Canton Prep 2-0

Walled Lake Central 15, Wayne Memorial 0 (4 innings)

West Bloomfield 6-10, South Lyon 2-8

Girls softball

Milan 1, Carleton Airport 0

Novi 7, South Lyon East 2

Troy Athens 4, L’Anse Creuse 1

Girls lacrosse

Rochester 22, Warren Regina 12