On Tuesday, the Chelsea baseball team played in a state quarterfinal against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at Madonna University.

Almost perfect (12 June 2007).

It was a frustrating game for the Bulldogs, but it wasn’t like the frustration of the Tecumseh game three days earlier. Against Tecumseh, Chelsea couldn’t get hits; against St. Mary’s, Chelsea could get hits, but not the right hits. The bats were active, and there were a number of runners in scoring position, but the bats went quiet when runners were in position. And most frustratingly, unlike the Tecumseh game, there were no seventh-inning heroics; a harmless fly ball brought the game and the season to a close with a 1-3 loss.

Two games too soon (12 June 2007).

The loss ended not just the high school athletic careers of the nine seniors on the team, but also the high school coaching career of Chelsea assistant coach and former MLB player Fred Holdsworth; after 18 years in the Chelsea dugout, Holdsworth decided it was time to move on.

The last time (12 June 2007).