North Muskegon Norsemen: 2006 Recap

NORSEMEN FINISH SEASON AT 19-14
Season Summary (19-14 overall, 8-6 in the West Michigan Conference): With only one returner from 2005, the Norsemen entered the season with one senior, four juniors and seven sophomores. The biggest problem for the young team was the beginning of games, where the Norsemen posted a 5-9 record when they were losing after the first inning; with the lead or a tie game after one inning, NM had a 14-5 record. The first inning was the only inning in which opponents (43 runs) scored more than the Norse (32 runs). Despite these first-inning woes, the Norse came thisclose to accomplishing its three goals: winning the County tournament (lost in championship game), winning districts (lost in championship game), winning 20 games (missed by one win).

The go-to player both offensively and on the mound was junior Troy Forton. Offensively, Forton led the way with a .565 average while posting team highs with 48 hits, 43 RBI, 41 runs and seven triples. He tied for the team lead with six home runs. He also led the team with a .645 on-base percentage. On the mound, Forton was a dominant force, posting a 10-3 record with a 1.06 ERA with only 12 earned runs in 79 innings. Opponents batted just .178 (53-for-297) against him. He also set a school record with 126 strikeouts. He also led the team with nine hit batters.

The only senior, Austin Aamodt, was the team’s second-leading hitter with a .391 average (43-for-110). Aamodt, one of three players to play all 33 games, led the team with 110 at bats and nine doubles. He tied for the team lead with six home runs. Aamodt, who was second on the team with 35 RBI, also paced the team with 20 errors. He struggled on the mound, posting a 1-5 record.

Sophomore catcher Ryan Buter, who played every game, was the team’s third-leading hitter with a .372 average (35-for-94). He led the team with 22 walks while posting 29 RBI, eight doubles and four home runs. Buter also posted a 0-2 record on the mound.

Junior infielders Jordan Fairbanks at third base, Reid Arends at second base and Ron Balaskovitz at first base had steady seasons. Fairbanks, who played all 33 games, batted .298, Arends had a .277 average, and Balaskovitz posted a .284 average. Fairbanks was third on the team with 31 RBI; Balaskovitz was second with 19 stolen bases. Balaskovitz and Arends were both 0-1 on the mound.

The quintuplet of sophomore outfielders struggled all season, posting a collective .244 average (78-for-320) and striking out 93 times. Matt Dunn, who led the team with four sacrifices, posted a .313 average (15-for-48) in limited playing time. Noah VanBergen (.250) led the team with nine hit by pitches, Mark Picard (.238) led the team with 22 stolen bases, Austin Vanderweele batted .228, and Alex Jones (.216) had a team-high 24 strikeouts. Picard did have success on the mound, posting an 8-2 record with a 4.17 ERA. He did, however, walk 51 batters while striking out only 34.

Sophomore Ryan Sexton and junior Chris Scheldt also gained a varsity letter with limited playing time. Sexton finished with a .333 avarage (7-for-21), and Scheldt, who joined the team midway through the season, finished with a .125 average (3-for-24).

Four other sophomores got a taste of the varsity game. Arion Carley was 3-for-6 (.500), and Travis Falkowski went 7-for-15 (.467). Alex Wierda and Chris Gedman also played.

Game 1 ~ Muskegon Catholic Central 7, North Muskegon 5 (0-1): For the third year in a row, the Norsemen begin the season with a loss – this time in the seventh inning. At North Muskegon, the Crusaders scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to erase a 4-3 deficit. The Norsemen left the tying runs on first and third bases in the bottom of the inning after scoring one run. The 3-4-5 batters provided all the offense for the Norsemen, as the rest of the team was 0-for-16 with nine strikeouts. Austin Aamodt (0-1), who picked up the loss, had a solo home run. Troy Forton paced the offense with a double, two singles and two runs. Ryan Buter added a two-run homer and a double. Norse pitchers did not help themselves by walking 12.

Game 2 ~ Montague 8, North Muskegon 7 (0-2, 0-1): In the opener of the West Michigan Conference at North Muskegon, Montague broke a 3-3 tie with a four-run third inning and never looked back. The Norsemen rallied to within 8-7 but left the tying run on second base in the bottom of the seventh inning. Austin Vanderweele led the offense with a single and a double, and Troy Forton contributed two singles. Reid Arends, Ryan Buter and Ryan Sexton each had a double. Buter (0-1) took the loss.

Game 3 ~ North Muskegon 7, Montague 2 (1-2, 1-1): The Norsemen broke into the win column at North Muskegon behind the pitching of Troy Forton (1-0), who tossed the complete game (six innings), striking out 13 and allowing five hits. Alex Jones paced the offense with a single and a double, and Ron Balaskovitz added two singles. Jordan Fairbanks had two RBI.

Game 4 ~ Whitehall 11, North Muskegon 6 (1-3, 1-2): At Whitehall, North Muskegon battled back from a 3-0 deficit only to see the Vikings use a five-run third inning to break the 3-3 tie. While the Norsemen had 10 hits, the 6-7-8 batters went 1-for-11 with seven strikeouts. Ryan Buter, Ron Balaskovitz and Matt Dunn each had two singles. Buter also knocked in two runs. Noah VanBergen scored two runs. Austin Aamodt (0-2) took the loss.

Game 5 ~ Whitehall 4, North Muskegon 1 (1-4, 1-3): In a pitcher’s duel at Whitehall, the Vikings used a three-run sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie. Troy Forton (1-1), who took the loss, struck out 13 for the second consecutive game, but the Norsemen offense could only muster three singles while striking out eight times. Ryan Buter had an RBI single.

Game 6 ~ North Muskegon 7, Holton 6 (2-4): At North Muskegon, the Norsemen scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to gain the come-from-behind win. Holton jumped on top 4-0 in the first inning and eventually took a 6-0 lead. But in the bottom of the sixth, NM rallied from a 6-1 deficit. The big hit was a bases-clearing double from Ryan Buter to make it 6-5 before Noah VanBergen’s bases-loaded single brought home the tying and winning runs. Mark Picard (1-0) pitched the complete game for the win. In the final five innings, Picard allowed just three singles.

Game 7 ~ Fremont 6, North Muskegon 5 (2-5): At Fremont, the Norsemen could not hold a 5-3 lead, as Fremont scored solo runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh inning. The final run scored on a bases-loaded bunt with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Austin Aamodt (0-3), who took the loss, led the offense with a two-run homer, a single, and two runs. Troy Forton added a two-run double. Matt Dunn scored twice.

Game 8 ~ North Muskegon 10, Fremont 4 (3-5): In the nightcap at Fremont, the Norse used a five-run third inning and a four-run seventh inning to gain the win. Troy Forton (2-1) picked up the complete-game victory, striking out 10 and allowing just five singles. Austin Aamodt had the big game at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double and four RBI. Noah VanBergen and Alex Jones each had two singles. Jones scored three runs, and Reid Arends and Matt Dunn each scored twice.

Game 9 ~ Hesperia 11, North Muskegon 6 (3-6): At North Muskegon, the Norse continued its poor defense, committing eight errors. In the past three games, North Muskegon has made 18 errors. Hesperia jumped out to an 8-0 lead (on only two hits) before the Norsemen narrowed it to 8-5 heading into the sixth inning but NM could get no closer. Troy Forton and Austin Vanderweele each had two singles, and Ryan Buter had a solo home run. Forton and Buter each scored two runs. Buter (0-2) took the loss.

Game 10 ~ North Muskegon 16, Hesperia 6 (4-6): In the nightcap at North Muskegon, the Norse made zero errors to make a winner of Mark Picard (2-0), who pitched the five-inning complete game. The Norsemen also had its best offensive output of the season with 14 hits, including five doubles. Austin Aamodt had two singles, a double and two runs; Jordan Fairbanks had two doubles, three RBI, and three runs; Troy Forton had a single, a double and three runs; Ron Balaskovitz had a single, a double and two RBI; Ryan Buter had two singles and two runs; and Reid Arends added two singles and two RBI. Austin Vanderweele scored two runs.

Game 11 ~ North Muskegon 16, Shelby 1 (5-6, 2-3): In the opener of a conference doubleheader at North Muskegon, the Norse spotted the Tigers a 1-0 lead before scoring the game’s next 16 runs, including a nine-run fourth inning, for the four-inning win. Troy Forton (3-1) pitched the complete game, allowing one hit and striking out nine. Offensively, Forton had two singles and two RBI to help his own cause. But the big bat belonged to Ryan Buter, who had a single, a three-run homer, three runs and four RBI. Austin Aamodt contributed two single, a double and two RBI; Jordan Fairbanks had a single, a double, two runs and three RBI; Ron Balaskovitz had two singles and two runs; Austin Vanderweele had a double and two RBI; and Noah VanBergen scored four runs.

Game 12 ~ North Muskegon 22, Shelby 8 (6-6, 3-3): North Muskegon kept its hitting shoes on for the second game of the doubleheader, tallying 21 hits to go along with 14 from the first game. But it didn’t look good early for the Norsemen, who spotted the Tigers with an 8-1 lead in the second inning; however, North Muskegon plated two runs in the third and five in the fourth to knot the score at 8. A four-run fifth inning gave the Norsemen the lead and a 10-run seventh inning put the game out of reach. Troy Forton (4-1), who picked up the win with 3 1/3 innings of relief work, went 5-for-5 with a triple, a three-run homer, three runs and four RBI. Ryan Buter was 5-for-6 with a double, a two-run homer, four runs and five RBI. Austin Aamodt got in on the home-run barrage with a three-run homer. He also added two double and five RBI. Mark Picard had a single, a triple, and two runs; Ron Balaskovitz had a single, a double, four runs and three RBI; and Austin Vanderweele had two single and two runs. Noah VanBergen had three RBI, and Alex Jones scored three runs.

Game 13 ~ North Muskegon 8, Reeths-Puffer 6 (7-6): At North Muskegon, Mark Picard ran his record to 3-0 with a five-hit, six-inning performance. Troy Forton got the final three outs for the save. The Norse broke a 2-2 tie with a six-run fifth inning. Forton and Jordan Fairbanks, who finished with three RBI, both contributed two-run singles. The Rockets closed the gap to 8-6 with four unearned runs in the top of the seventh before Forton got the final batter to ground back to the mound. Matt Dunn and Ryan Buter each scored twice.

Game 14 ~ North Muskegon 8, Oakridge 7 (8-6, 4-3): At North Muskegon, the Norsemen gained a come-from-behind win by scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for their fifth straight win. In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs broke a 4-4 tie with three runs with two outs; however, North Muskegon would not go quietly. Noah VanBergen led off the seventh with a walk, and after an out and a stolen base, Austin Aamodt singled to put runners on first and third. Jordan Fairbanks’ RBI single scored VanBergen, and Austin Vanderweele’s walk loaded the bases. Pinch-hitter Matt Dunn then knocked in Aamodt with a fielder’s choice. Reid Arends’ tied the score with a single, scoring pinch-runner Chris Scheldt, who was making his season debut. Alex Jones, pinch running for Dunn, then scored the winning run on a throwing error on a first-and-third situation. Vanderweele and Arends each finished with two singles, and Arends had two RBI. Aamodt scored twice. Despite walking 10, Mark Picard ran his record to 4-0 with a four-hitter.

Game 15 ~ Oakridge 5, North Muskegon 1 (8-7, 4-4): At North Muskegon, the Norsemen’s five-game win streak came to an end in the nightcap. North Muskegon managed just three hits, including an RBI triple from Reid Arends. Austin Aamodt (0-4) only allowed five hits but took the loss.

Game 16 ~ Spring Lake 8, North Muskegon 6 (8-8): At Spring Lake, North Muskegon attempted another come-from-behind win, but the Norse, who scored four seventh-inning runs, left the tying run on second base when the game ended. The Norsemen fell behind 8-0 before scoring two runs in the sixth inning and four more in the seventh. North Muskegon struggled at the plate for the second consecutive game, striking out 10 times and getting just six hits. Austin Vanderweele led the offense with two singles and two RBI. Troy Forton had a double, two runs and two RBI, and Mark Picard added two RBI. Ron Balaskovitz (0-1) took the loss.

Game 17 ~ North Muskegon 14, Western Michigan Christian 4 (9-8): In the opening game of the County Tournament at Montague, the Norsemen defense committed six errors, but the offense used a seven-run fourth inning to break a 4-4 tie and pull away. In the fourth inning, Ryan Buter (2-run double) and Jordan Fairbanks (2-run single) supplied the big hits. Alex Jones and Mark Picard, who allowed just three hits en route to raising his record to 5-0, both had a single, a double and scored two runs. Reid Arends had two singles, three RBI and two runs. Buter and Troy Forton each scored twice, and Forton added three RBI. Ron Balaskovitz scored twice.

Game 18 ~ North Muskegon 6, Holton 2 (10-8): In the second-round game of the County Tournament at Montague, Troy Forton (5-1) pitched the complete-game for the win. He struck out 10 and allowed just five singles. North Muskegon got all the runs it would need in a six-run third inning. The big hits were a two-run singles by Forton and Jordan Fairbanks. Forton also added another single.

Game 19 ~ Muskegon Catholic Central 15, North Muskegon 1 (10-9): In the championship game of the County Tournament at Reeths-Puffer, MCC showed why it is undefeated and ranked in the state, as the Crusaders jumped out to an 8-0 first-inning lead and used a six-run third inning to put the game away. Troy Forton led the offense with a single and a triple. Mark Picard (5-1) took the loss.

Game 20 ~ North Muskegon 11, Ravenna 1 (11-9, 5-4): In the opener of a doubleheader at Ravenna, the Norse used a six-run second inning to break open the game and make a winner of Troy Forton (6-1), who pitched a six-inning three-hitter. Forton had a big game at the plate with a single, a triple, a home run, two runs and three RBI. Austin Aamodt contributed a double, a home run, two runs and three RBI. Ron Balaskovitz had a single, a double and two RBI; and Austin Vanderweele added two singles.

Game 21 ~ North Muskegon 14, Ravenna 0 (12-9, 6-4): In the nightcap at Ravenna, North Muskegon completed the sweep, as Mark Picard raised his record to 6-1 with a three-hit, five-inning shutout. The Norse used an eight-run fourth inning to blow the game wide open. Troy Forton (two singles, a triple, three runs and five RBI), Austin Aamodt (two singles, a double and three RBI), and Ron Balaskovitz (three singles and three runs) continued their hot hitting. Mark Picard and Ryan Buter each scored two runs while Reid Arends and Chris Scheldt each had a double. Scheldt also had two RBI.

Game 22 ~ Hart 3, North Muskegon 2 (12-10, 6-5): In the first game of a doubleheader at North Muskegon, Hart broke up Troy Forton’s no-hitter with one out in the seventh inning; then, the Pirates used a first-and-third steal play to win the game in the eighth. Forton (6-2), who struck out 13 and allowed just three singles, led the offense with a single, a double and two RBI.

Game 23 ~ North Muskegon 6, Hart 5 (13-10, 7-5): In the nightcap at North Muskegon, the Norse scored one run in the top of the seventh to break a 5-5 tie. Troy Forton led off the inning with a triple and scored on Austin Aamodt’s single. The Norse erased a 4-2 deficit in the sixth with an RBI single by Chris Scheldt and a two-run single from Mark Picard to take a 5-4 lead before a Hart solo home run knotted the score at 5. Picard, who raised his record to 7-1 by scattering 10 hits, had two singles and three RBI. Reid Arends and Scheldt each had two singles. Arends also scored two runs.

Game 24 ~ Fruitport 11, North Muskegon 6 (13-11): In the first game of a doubleheader at North Muskegon, Fruitport used an eight-run sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie. Only three of Fruitport’s 11 runs were earned, as the Norsemen committed four errors. Troy Forton paced the offense with two home runs (solo and two-run), two runs and three RBI. Alex Jones hit a solo home run, and Ron Balaskovitz had a two-run triple. Austin Aamodt fell to 0-5 with the loss.

Game 25 ~ Fruitport 12, North Muskegon 2 (13-12): In the nightcap at North Muskegon, Fruitport scored six runs in the fourth inning to break a 2-2 tie. The Norse again played poorly defensively with four errors. Troy Forton and Matt Dunn each had two singles and an RBI. Reid Arends (0-1) took the loss.

Game 26 ~ North Muskegon 6, Mason County Eastern 0 (14-12): In the first game of a doubleheader at North Muskegon, Troy Forton raised his record to 7-2 with the shutout. Forton allowed just four hits and struck out eight. Forton also helped himself offensively with a two-run homer, and he scored twice. Ron Balaskovitz and Austin Vanderweele each added a single and a double. Vanderweele also scored twice.

Game 27 ~ North Muskegon 13, Mason County Eastern 3 (15-12): In the nightcap at North Muskegon, the Norse started nine 10^th graders and played all 11 sophomores in the five-inning game. Ryan Sexton led the way with three singles, four RBI and two runs. Ryan Buter had two singles, a double and two runs. Noah VanBergen and Travis Falkowski each had two singles and two RBI. Austin Vanderweele added a double, three runs and two RBI. Alex Jones had a double. Mark Picard, who raised his record to 8-1 with a five-hitter, had four stolen bases and scored three runs.

Game 28 ~ North Muskegon 7, Western Michigan Christian 1 (16-12): At North Muskegon, Austin Aamodt (1-5) picked up his first win of the season, tossing the complete-game six-hitter. Aamdot, who struck out nine, also helped his own cause at the plate with a single, a two-run homer and four RBI. Ryan Buter had a single, a double and two runs; Reid Arends had a double; and Matt Dunn scored twice.

Game 29 ~ North Muskegon 7, Mason County Central 3 (17-12, 8-5): In the opener of a doubleheader at Scottville, the offense struck out 11 times and only had three hits but benefited from eight walks and two hit batters. Jordan Fairbanks had two of those hits; both were two-run singles. Troy Forton, who had the other hit, scored three runs, and Austin Aamodt scored twice. Forton (8-2) pitched the complete-game win, allowing six hits and striking out 10.

Game 30 ~ Mason County Central 12, North Muskegon 3 (17-13, 8-6): In the nightcap at Scottville, the Spartans jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back. The Norsemen offense again struggled with only five hits, and the defense did not play well either, as the Norse committed eight errors. Austin Aamodt had a single and a double, and Jordan Fairbanks finished a good day with two more singles and three RBI. Mark Picard (8-2) took the loss.

Game 31 ~ North Muskegon 21, Potter’s House Christian 0 (18-13): In the pre-district game at North Muskegon, the Norse put on their hitting shoes, rapping out 17 hits in the five-inning game. Troy Forton (9-2), who struck out seven in three innings for the win, was 3-for-3 with a triple, three runs and two RBI. Austin Aamodt had a two-run homer, a single and scored twice. Arion Carley, Noah VanBergen and Travis Falkowski each had two singles. Falkowski scored three runs while Ron Balaskovitz and Chris Scheldt each scored twice. Matt Dunn, Ryan Sexton and Jordan Fairbanks, who had a double, each had two RBI.

Game 32 ~ North Muskegon 5, Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 4 (19-13): In the district opener at North Muskegon, Ryan Buter’s run-scoring double in the bottom of the fifth broke a 4-4 tie, and Troy Forton (10-2) shut down the Chargers the rest of the way. Forton, who threw 4.3 innings of relief, struck out seven and allowed just two hits. Forton had a solo home run, Reid Arends had a double and Buter added a single. Austin Aamodt had two RBI.

Game 33 ~ Muskegon Catholic Central 10, North Muskegon 5 (19-14): In the district championship at North Muskegon, the Crusaders completed the season sweep of the Norsemen, picking up their third win of the year. The Norsemen defense helped MCC by allowing seven unearned runs. Troy Forton and Jordan Fairbanks each had two singles. Austin Aamodt added a double. Fairbanks also scored twice. Forton (10-3) picked up the loss in relief.