Whitehall coach Warren Zweigle, already a state coaches' association Hall of Famer, achieved a remarkable milestone Friday, winning his 600th career game at the Vikings' helm during a doubleheader sweep of West Michigan Conference Lakes foe Oakridge.
The wins assured the Vikings (11-15, 8-3 WMC Lakes) of a second-place finish in the conference standings, and also ensured rival Montague will win the league outright.
According to the MHSAA record book, Zweigle is the 35th coach in the state to achieve 600 wins.
"More than anything, 600 wins really affirms how long I've been
doing this," Zweigle said. "I am so grateful to have endured 31 years of coaching in an
era where longevity is no longer the norm."
Zweigle has been at the helm of Whitehall baseball long enough that one of his sons, Zach Zweigle, whom he coached as a student, is now serving as assistant coach.
Whitehall staved off a valiant effort by Oakridge to come back in game one after the Vikes built a 6-0 lead. The Eagles rallied to load the bases with one out in the seventh inning, down only a run, before Evan Thomas came on to get a popout and a groundout and get the save.
The Vikings took advantage of a hit batter and a dropped third strike to turn three hits into five runs in the second inning and take command of the game. Justin Jensen added another run in the third on an RBI triple.
Eli Winters got two hits in the win, and Jensen drove in three runs. Brock Morningstar picked up the win, allowing two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings and striking out four.
Whitehall's bats took over late in game two, scoring 13 times in the final four innings. A two-run Cody Manzo double really got things rolling in the fourth, and Morningstar's RBI double in the fifth boosted the lead further, to 6-1. Thomas had a two-run single in the sixth and an RBI double in the seventh, and Nate Betz had a two-run single.
Betz, Thomas and Myles Welch each got two hits in the win, and Welch scored three times. Ethan DeShong led a four-pitcher effort to get the win, allowing one earned run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Zweigle credited the Whitehall community and the program's support system for helping him to the coveted 600-win milestone.
"While I certainly inherited
an already successful program when I first got here, it took years of
love and passion for the game, an endless run of great players, great
assistants and the support of both parents and the community to keep it
rolling," Zweigle said.
