2025 MHSAA Division 2 baseball state final: Forest Hills Eastern finishes dominant season with 5-2 victory

Forest Hills Eastern capped off a 40-win season with a state championship as it took down Standish-Sterling 5-2 in the 2025 MHSAA Division 2 baseball state final.

2025 MHSAA Division 2 baseball state final. / Ronnie Martin

Forest Hills Eastern (41-1) found itself down 2-0 after the first half of the first inning, but it never wavered. The Hawks outscored Standish-Sterling 5-0 for the remainder of the game to take home the Division 2 state title.

FHE starting pitcher Landen Lindley struggled mightily, as he was replaced after just 2.1 IP. Colton Brinks came in for the Hawks and kept Standish-Sterling (36-6-2) off the basepaths at a high rate. Brinks had three strikeouts, two walks and allowed just three hits.

At the plate, Max Ferrick went 2-for-3 with two doubles, one RBI and one run scored for FHE. James Dempsey also had a successful day in the batter's box for the Hawks, going 2-for-3 with two singles, two RBIs and a walk.

Standish-Sterling struggled for baserunners after the first inning, it never changed pitchers, despite allowing five runs in four innings. Sam Briggs perservered and managed to strike out five batters for the Panthers, and at the plate he finished 1-for-2 with a single, walk and a run scored.

High School on SI provided live updates for this game, and they are below.

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2025 MHSAA Division 2 baseball state final: Live score updates, stats, more

1ST INNING

Forest Hills Eastern starting pitcher Landen Lindley starts the game with back-to-back walks.

Colton Brinks blasts one into right center for an RBI and gets Standish-Sterling on the board first (1-0). Carson Koin came across the plate for the run. There are runners on the corners with no outs.

Drew DenBraber lays down a sacrifice bunt to get another run across for the Panthers. Brinks advanced to second.

The top of the first ends with a flyout to right field, but Standish-Sterling is out to an early 2-0 lead.

After a leadoff walk from Drew Ferrick, Ben Fausey hit a single into left field. The following at-bat, James Dempsey hit one back up the middle to score Ferrick - making it 2-1. With no outs, the Hawks still have a base-runner on first and second.

After a long pop-fly, both runners advanced to second and third, but Standish-Sterling starting pitcher Sam Briggs got out of the inning with a groundout on the next at-bat. Standish-Sterling leads 2-1.

2ND INNING

Lindley started the inning with a strikeout, but Koin got on with a single to follow.

Kasen Wendel advances Koin to second with a bunt. The Panthers have a runner in scoring position with two outs.

Lindley ends the top of the inning with another strikeout.

Briggs gets the bottom of the frame started with a strikeout of Cam Pallo, but follows it up by walking Keegan Penkevich.

After Manel Connors struck out, Ferrick took his second walk of the game as FHE is back to the top of the order. With two outs, runners are on first and second.

Briggs gets out of the jam and ends the inning with a dropped third strike.

3RD INNING

Briggs lines one into left field for a single, and FHE opts to change pitchers. Brinks replaces Lindley after 2.1 IP and two earned runs on two hits and two walks.

An E5 allows Preston Kann to reach first, and two runners are now on with two outs.

The top of the third ends with a pop-out to center.

Dempsey gets his second single of the game with a hard shot back up the middle.

Brendan Thompson gets himself a single and advances Dempsey all the way to third. Tommy Toigo comes in to pinch-run for Dempsey at third.

Max Ferrick blasts one into the left-center gap, and both runners score for the Hawks. They now lead 3-2.

Panthers third baseman Rylee Blanchard bobbled a grounder and threw the ball out of play, allowing another run to score for FHE.

The Panthers are able to get out of the inning, but not before giving up the lead. FHE is up 4-2.

4TH INNING

After two quick outs, Wendel waits on a breaking ball and sends it into left field for a single.

Ty Yorton gets his first of the day from the No. 9 hole in the form of a double. Wendel stayed a third, so two runners are in scoring position for Standish-Sterling with two outs.

Trace Collins walks for the Panthers, and the bases are loaded with two outs.

Brinks and FHE are able to escape the jam unharmed, as the top of the frame ends with a groundout.

Fausey and Dempsey reached on a walk, respectively, for FHE to begin the bottom.

Max Ferrick hits his second double of the game and plates another runner for FHE. The Hawks lead 5-2 with two runners in scoring position and two outs.

Penkevich lines out to right field to end the bottom of the inning.

5TH INNING

Aside from hitting Blanchard with a pitch, FHE had no trouble in the top of the frame.

The Panthers follow it up with a quick inning of their own, as neither team got a hit in the 5th.

6TH INNING

The Hawks worked quickly in the top of the 6th, as no base-runners were allowed.

Standish-Sterling avoids further damage with an easy 6th inning. FHE still leads 5-2.

7TH INNING

After a leadoff walk, Brinks struck out the final three batters to end the game. FHE is the Division 2 state champion with a 5-2 win.