For Midland High Senior Nate Palmateer, a showing in tricky spots is almost expected late in the game.
And on Saturday, he was ready for a double dose of that stress.
Palmateer racked up a 4-3 win in eight rounds at Saginaw Heritage and then a 3-0 win over Bay City Western to propell the Chemics to a Major League Baseball title since 2018.
The two wins send Kimmex (29-10) into the regional semi-finals at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Traverse City Central, at Heritage Stadium.
“I was always put in these situations,” Palmatier said realistically after he and Chemics made a festive dog and posed for photos. “I feel great when I’m under pressure.”
In the semi-final against Heritage, Palmetre came comfortably from rookie Gabi Sokol, who left after four games with a 3-2 lead.
At the bottom of the seventh, the Hawks carried the bases with one hitter, one, sacrifice and walk. Mason Cole made a good sacrifice kick to tie the match before Palmer hits Joe Williams to finish the inning.
Palmeter then turned around for an eighth-place top and made a fly-by to score courtesy runner Ethan Claver and make the score 4-3.
Palmatera rocked the single by Heritage at the bottom of the eighth and hit the side to finish the win.
“I was never worried (when the match was close at the end),” Palmatier said. “I can always count on my teammates to pick me up.”
In the second game, against West, Palmitair was called up again when base bowler Lynn Clouha reached the maximum pitch with one in the bottom of the seventh and runners in first and second. Palmateer allowed Aidan Robinson’s single to load the rules, but then got a popup and player selection to finish the game.
Chemics coach Eric Albright, doused in ice water amid the celebration, said the Palmateer simply did what he does best: Come in the clutch.
“I can’t say enough good things about Nate,” Albright said. “What a bulldog. A win and a hunt (on the same day). How special was that in your senior year?”
Kloh gave up six hits and one walk and hit six hits for victory.
“Lynn didn’t have the best of him,” Albright said. “He just had to grind.” “You want your men to be men. Lynn Clouha was a man today.”
The Chemics scored all three runs against West in the bottom of fifth. They loaded the bases with one out and Josh Doyle broke a goalless tie with a sacrifice to score for Sokol. Kloha then doubled down the left line to send T Smith and Braylen Lafferty home to lead 3-0.
Western player Cole Schmidt gave up three runs in four strokes and twice walked in throwing a full game in a loss.
“Glory to the West,” Albright said. “Tim (McDonald’s) teams are always ready.” “We’re making each other’s programs better.”
Kloha said it was nice to beat West after the Warriors wiped out chemistry in the zone semi-finals a year ago.
“It was great to get revenge and get the zone championship,” Kloha said.
Midland also had a big role earlier today against Heritage. At the top of the fourth, Tommy Kroll hit a rule-laden single to score Doyle and Kloh, and Palmer beat home runner Tim Focal to make the score 3-0.
Heritage moved back down to fourth with a two-and-a-half advantage through Jess Sullivan to make it 3-2.
“That’s exactly what this district has always played,” Albright said of winning two games close to winning the District Cup. “We try to prepare them all year round for these kinds of games.”
Kroll, Laverty and Doyle got two hits for Chemics against the Hawks.
Meanwhile, Western started his day on a strong note with a 10-3 victory over then-two-time district champion Dow Hai in another semi-final.
“It doubled,” MacDonald said of his team’s attack against the Dow. “Luc LaCourse did a great game. He’s a special kid.
“We followed great lead, Eric Randall, and freshman, Luc LaCourse. We struggled today for 14 rounds.”
Against Dow, Randall advanced by three hits, Ben Kochani hit two hits and two hits, and Cam Schultz also hit two. LaCourse gave up two wins by nine hits and hit six in a full match.
West ends the season at 22-15.
Dow coach Rich Goodday praised his team’s play.
“Everyone played hard,” said Goday, whose team led 3-0 in one game.
Zach Parker, Joe Craig and Tom Basigalupo led the Dow races, and Jack Backus made a two-stroke. Jay Worsley started on the hill for Dow and Godday said he put in strong in the first four rounds. He noted that the Chargers missed the presence of MVP Nolan Sanders, who was competing in the Division I Finals at the state track in Rockford on Saturday.
Godday, whose team finished 21-12, said, “I’m very proud of our guys this season. This makes for five straight years with over 20 wins. So I’m really excited about that and proud of our guys. (Eight) seniors leaving us today will go on and do great things. Others, and they were a great example to our youngsters in terms of how to play the game.”