ACC Sweeps Bay

ACC Sweeps Bay

ALPENA, Mich. — April 11, 2026

The Alpena Community College baseball team delivered a dominant performance on a chilly Saturday evening, sweeping the Bay College Norse in a home doubleheader by scores of 5-0 and 7-6. The twin bill showcased strong pitching in the opener and a come-from-behind resilience in the nightcap, improving the Lumberjacks to 9-26-1 overall and 7-4 in MCCAA Northern Conference play.

Lane Gross took the mound to open the doubleheader and delivered one of the better starts of the season. The right-hander worked five innings, allowing just three hits while issuing seven walks — but kept the Norse off the scoreboard entirely, scattering runners with timely strikeouts and clutch groundball outs. Gross struck out five and did not allow a single earned run in earning the win, his record improving to 1-0.

Kaleb Donajkowski came on in relief and was nothing short of dominant, striking out five over the final two innings while allowing just one hit to close out the 5-0 shutout.

Offensively, the Lumberjacks came alive in the third inning against Bay College starter Jake Olson. With one out, Miguel Salcedo singled, and after a fielder's choice moved Marcus Castellon to second, Isaac Zocco drew a walk to load the bases. JJ Salas then laced a two-run double to center field, plating Castellon and putting ACC ahead 2-0. Corbin Allen followed immediately with a two-run single to left, scoring both Zocco and Salas and extending the lead to 4-0. Salas finished the game 1-for-2 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored.

ACC tacked on an insurance run in the fifth when Salas stole second and advanced, Allen was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Jonny Rensberry came through with a two-run single to right field, scoring Salas and Allen. Rensberry's go-ahead knock finished a 1-for-3 night with two RBI.

The Lumberjacks held Bay College to just four hits on the night, with the Norse stranding 11 runners on base — a testament to how ACC pitching pitched out of trouble time and again.

Notable Performances, Game 1:

  • Lane Gross (W, 1-0): 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 7 BB, 5 K
  • Kaleb Donajkowski: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
  • JJ Salas: 1-for-2, 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, SB
  • Corbin Allen: 2-for-2, 2 RBI, 1 R, HBP
  • Jonny Rensberry: 1-for-3, 2 RBI

If the opener was a statement, the nightcap was a test of character — and ACC passed with flying colors.

Ivan Kosmerick took the ball for the second game and was nothing short of dominant through the first four innings. The right-hander carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, allowing just a walk in the second — striking out eight batters along the way. It was only when the Norse strung together four consecutive walks with two outs in the fifth that the no-hit bid finally unraveled, and Bay College scratched across three runs on a two-run single by Rolfe to take a brief 3-2 lead. Kosmerick finished with 5 innings pitched, one hit allowed, and eight strikeouts.

The Lumberjacks struck first in the opening frame. Aiden Bishop reached on an error, swiped second, and advanced to third on a passed ball. Marcus Castellon then ripped a two-out double to center, plating Bishop to give ACC an early 1-0 lead.

ACC made it 2-0 in the third when Bishop again ignited the offense — this time with a single, stolen base, and a score on another Castellon RBI knock, a ground ball single to right.

Bay College answered in the top of the fifth, as a four-walk barrage and a two-run single by pitcher Jake Rolfe turned a 2-0 ACC lead into a 3-2 Norse advantage. It was the Lumberjacks' only deficit of the doubleheader.

But ACC responded emphatically in the bottom half of the fifth with a five-run explosion that blew the game open. Miguel Salcedo walked, stole second, and scored on a Castellon single. Then Isaac Zocco reached on a Bay College throwing error to score Castellon and make it 4-3. After a walk loaded the bases, AJ Wheelock's fielder's choice plated Zocco. Corbin Allen then singled through the right side to score courtesy runner Ryley White, and Allen himself scored on a passed ball — capping a five-run inning that gave ACC a 7-3 lead.

The Norse made things interesting in the final two frames, scoring twice in the sixth on a wild pitch and an Antonio Lopresti single, and adding a seventh-inning sacrifice fly to pull within 7-6. But Mason McQuillin came on to close things out, stranding the tying run at third to preserve the victory.

Castellon was the offensive standout of the game, going 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI, and a stolen base. He drove in the decisive runs across three separate plate appearances, providing the backbone of the ACC offense on the evening.

Notable Performances, Game 2:

  • Ivan Kosmerick (W, 1-0): 5 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 8 K
  • Marcus Castellon: 3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, 1 R, SB
  • Aiden Bishop: 1-for-4, 2 R, 2 SB
  • Corbin Allen: 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 R, HBP
  • Miguel Salcedo: 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, SB

The Lumberjacks return to action next weekend, hosting Muskegon Community College for a home series on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18. Come out to the ballpark and cheer on your Lumberjacks as they look to keep the conference momentum rolling. Stay tuned to ACC Athletics for game times and additional details.