The Zeeland East varsity baseball team opened its season March 24 with a 4-1 victory over Hamilton.
The Chix got a strong pitching performance from junior lefthander Ethan Campbell, as he pitched six innings of one-hit baseball, striking out 12 and walking three. The lone Hawkeye run was unearned.
Freshman Sawyer Klaasen came on in the seventh to claim the save, striking out two batters and allowing one hit.
Zeek Ramadhani and Jack Toner led the Chix offense with a pair of hits apiece, each driving in a run. Both of Ramadhani’s hits were for extra bases – a double and a triple.
East was trailing 7-4 in the second game of the doubleheader when it was suspended after four innings because of darkness. The game resumed on March 26, but the Chix were unable to score the rest of the way in dropping the contest, 7-4.
On Monday, the Chix swept a doubleheader from Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 6-1 and 12-0.
In the opener, Mason Raade picked up the pitching victory for East, striking out four and allowing just one hit over three innings. Caden Hunderman closed it out with two hitless innings of relief, fanning four.
Ryan Kuzma led the offense with two hits, including a double. Campbell had a run-scoring double and Tyler Chandler an RBI single.
In the nightcap, Campbell struck out nine Trojans in three innings for the win, while Gavin Weighmink worked the final two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Peyton Davis belted a two-run homer while Ramadhani had a pair of extra-base hits, a triple and a double.
The Chix got a strong pitching performance from junior lefthander Ethan Campbell, as he pitched six innings of one-hit baseball, striking out 12 and walking three. The lone Hawkeye run was unearned.
Freshman Sawyer Klaasen came on in the seventh to claim the save, striking out two batters and allowing one hit.
Zeek Ramadhani and Jack Toner led the Chix offense with a pair of hits apiece, each driving in a run. Both of Ramadhani’s hits were for extra bases – a double and a triple.
East was trailing 7-4 in the second game of the doubleheader when it was suspended after four innings because of darkness. The game resumed on March 26, but the Chix were unable to score the rest of the way in dropping the contest, 7-4.
On Monday, the Chix swept a doubleheader from Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 6-1 and 12-0.
In the opener, Mason Raade picked up the pitching victory for East, striking out four and allowing just one hit over three innings. Caden Hunderman closed it out with two hitless innings of relief, fanning four.
Ryan Kuzma led the offense with two hits, including a double. Campbell had a run-scoring double and Tyler Chandler an RBI single.
In the nightcap, Campbell struck out nine Trojans in three innings for the win, while Gavin Weighmink worked the final two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Peyton Davis belted a two-run homer while Ramadhani had a pair of extra-base hits, a triple and a double.
ZPS Sets Community Nights at New Athletic Complex
Zeeland Public Schools are inviting the community to experience the district’s new Athletic Complex, just north of the high school buildings.
Three free celebration events will be held this spring, featuring soccer, tennis, and lacrosse, along with fun activities for kids.
The first event will be held Wednesday, April 15, as the junior varsity and varsity girls soccer teams from Zeeland East and Zeeland West will face one another. The JV contest starts at 5 p.m. followed by varsity at 6:45 p.m.
The second event will pit East and West in girls tennis on Thursday, April 23 at 3:45 p.m.
Finally, the athletic complex will host a lacrosse doubleheader on Monday, April 27, starting at 6 p.m. with the varsity girls contest between Zeeland and Byron Center, followed at 7 p.m. by the Zeeland varsity boys hosting Hudsonville.
The Athletic Complex was made possible by voter approval of a bond issue in May 2021.
Three free celebration events will be held this spring, featuring soccer, tennis, and lacrosse, along with fun activities for kids.
The first event will be held Wednesday, April 15, as the junior varsity and varsity girls soccer teams from Zeeland East and Zeeland West will face one another. The JV contest starts at 5 p.m. followed by varsity at 6:45 p.m.
The second event will pit East and West in girls tennis on Thursday, April 23 at 3:45 p.m.
Finally, the athletic complex will host a lacrosse doubleheader on Monday, April 27, starting at 6 p.m. with the varsity girls contest between Zeeland and Byron Center, followed at 7 p.m. by the Zeeland varsity boys hosting Hudsonville.
The Athletic Complex was made possible by voter approval of a bond issue in May 2021.
On the Record
Chix Win One, Tie One in Tennis Center Debut
The Zeeland East varsity girls tennis team played its first matches at the new high school tennis facility on March 25, tying Ludington 4-4 and defeating Northview 8-0.
The Chix won all four singles flights against Ludington, but lost all four doubles flights, including three that went to a super tiebreaker. East only lost one set the entire match against Northview.
Trinh Kleikamp (No. 1 singles), Elizabeth Rogovich (No. 2 singles), Mahalia Vis (No. 3 singles) and Kayla Geerlings (No. 4 singles) all went 2-0 for the day for East, winning both their matches in straight sets.
Kuyers Named to MCCAA All-Defensive Team
Zeeland West High School graduate Georgia Kuyers recently completed a successful freshman season on the Lansing Community College women’s basketball team.
Kuyers was named to the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Western Conference All-Defensive Team.
Kuyers played in all 34 games and started 17 games this season for the Stars, who finished fifth in the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament. She grabbed an average of 6.7 rebounds per game, including seven games where she had at least 10 boards.
In the NJCAA tournament, Kuyers pulled down 10 rebounds in an opening-round loss to Parkland (Ill.) College, then grabbed a season-high 13 boards in a consolation-round victory over National Park (Ark.) College.
The Zeeland East varsity girls tennis team played its first matches at the new high school tennis facility on March 25, tying Ludington 4-4 and defeating Northview 8-0.
The Chix won all four singles flights against Ludington, but lost all four doubles flights, including three that went to a super tiebreaker. East only lost one set the entire match against Northview.
Trinh Kleikamp (No. 1 singles), Elizabeth Rogovich (No. 2 singles), Mahalia Vis (No. 3 singles) and Kayla Geerlings (No. 4 singles) all went 2-0 for the day for East, winning both their matches in straight sets.
Kuyers Named to MCCAA All-Defensive Team
Zeeland West High School graduate Georgia Kuyers recently completed a successful freshman season on the Lansing Community College women’s basketball team.
Kuyers was named to the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Western Conference All-Defensive Team.
Kuyers played in all 34 games and started 17 games this season for the Stars, who finished fifth in the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament. She grabbed an average of 6.7 rebounds per game, including seven games where she had at least 10 boards.
In the NJCAA tournament, Kuyers pulled down 10 rebounds in an opening-round loss to Parkland (Ill.) College, then grabbed a season-high 13 boards in a consolation-round victory over National Park (Ark.) College.
