END OF THE LINE: Braves, Lauscher Fall In Semis

EAST LANSING---The Gladstone Braves baseball team fell behind by six runs, staged a last minute rally, but fell to Madison Heights Bishop Foley Catholic, 7-5, Friday afternoon in a Division Three state semifinal at Michigan State University.

The loss also ended the coaching career of Braves Manager Don Lauscher, who officially retired after the game.

He is the only manager the program has known in its six-year history, leading the Braves to five district titles, four regional titles, and three Final Fours. His overall record ended up 158 wins, 50 losses, and one tie.

Lauscher also managed the Escanaba Eskymos in 2008-2012, with a record of 130-27.

That's a total record of 288-77-1 in eleven seasons.

"It's been a great career," Lauscher said. "It really has. But unfortuantely, my body just can't take this anymore. Otherwise, I would stay. I love baseball. I love the kids. But my body just can't handle this anymore."

Lauscher has had back problems for many years, going back to his days in an Eskymo uniform. He had planned to retire after last season, but his four seniors (and others) convinced him to come back for one final season.

On Saturday, the Braves were up against the defending state champions, who entered the game with an 18-17-1 record with a schedule filled with Division One and Two teams.

The Ventures scored single runs in each of the first two innings, and then scored three runs in the third. A two-run double by Kenneth Germain made it 5-0, and it chased Braves senior Clay Cole from the mound after 2 2/3 innings of work.'

Gladstone trailed, 7-1, in the sixth inning, and the Braves loaded the bases with one out against Ventures starter Ethan Hoffman. But Cooper Cavadeas struck out swinging, and Owen Hanson took a called third strike, ending the threat.

In the seventh inning, Hoffman was gone because he reached his 105 pitch-count. Reliever Braden Mussat got the first out of the seventh inning, but Carson Shea beat out an infield hit.

Then Cody Frappier, Braeden Lamberg, and Lucas Weinert were all hit by pitches. That brought in one run, then another scored on a wild pitch.

Ben Kelly came in off the bench and smacked a single to center field, binging home Weinert and Lamberg. All of a sudden it was 7-5. But Cavadeas struck out again, and the game, and season came to an end.

"We stranded a lot of runners today," Lauscher said. "They really hit the ball, and we didn't. That's the bottom line. We played pretty well, I thought. Pitched OK. Boy, those guys could hit the ball. Man, we stranded so many runners."

"Missed signs. It's a little bit disappointing, but, again, making it to Michigan State and the Final Four three out of six years, I'm pretty proud of that."

Gladstone finished its season with a 32-5 record, and says goodbye to four seniors: Hanson, Weinert, Cole, and Lamberg.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Brenda Crow, video highlights, and listen to pre-game comments from Kelly and Jared Crow, post-game comments from Weinert, Lauscher.