EAST LANSING — With one win in hand, the Norway varsity baseball team was riding high as it entered the MHSAA Division 4 state championship against Beal City today at Drayton McLane Stadium.

“I didn’t think we’d make it this far,” senior Hayden Amundson said. “Not that I didn’t have confidence in us, it was just I didn’t believe it. Last night, we were talking, me and the seniors, about how cool it was that we got to the state championship.”

However, the Knights struggled with the Aggies’ star pitcher and ended up losing 10-0 in a five-inning game.

“We needed a clean start against that team — they’re that good,” Norway head coach Tony Adams said. “We didn’t get it. We were hoping to settle things down, calm that game down, and we just couldn’t do it. The kids were trying, they’re digging, they’re digging. There wasn’t a lot left there.

“You’ve got to be on your A-game to stay with Beal City and we didn’t have it today. But, that doesn’t diminish what they accomplished in any way. I’m proud of the experiences, the relationships, the mark that they left on our program. Those things can’t be taken away.”

Senior Alex Ortman had a similar outlook on the loss.

“I’m not that upset,” Ortman said. “I’m very excited, actually, that we were able to make it this far. We didn’t have it the way that we wanted it. But the fact that we were one of the only U.P. teams to make it this far is awesome. I’m proud it ended this way. The loss is just very unfortunate, but I’ll be able to celebrate with my coaches and teammates.”

Despite losing, the Knights won’t ever forget playing at Michigan State University.

“It was awesome, the field was awesome,” Ortman said. “The field was weird, how it was uphill. The whole experience was just, overall, awesome.”

Aggies pitcher Cayden Smith pitched a perfect game..

“He’s the fastest pitcher we’ve ever faced,” Ortman said. “I give him a lot of props. I accidentally hit him and that was not my intention. … It just slipped out. Plus that’s the fastest I’ve ever thrown, too.”

Senior Ian Popp agreed.

“I was not nervous at all,” Popp said. “I wanted to go out there and get a hit so bad. It was hard to catch up to the speed.”

Beal City plated one run in the first, one in the second, four in the third and four in the fifth, securing its second-consecutive state baseball title.

Sophomore Owen Baij started the game for Norway. He struck out two in two and two-thirds while surrendering four earned runs. Ortman closed the game out. He struck out three in one and two-thirds.

The loss also means the end of the road for the Knights’ three seniors, Amundson, Popp and Ortman.

“Heartbeat,” coach Adams said, “They were team kids. They were team first, they’re great athletes, they’re really good in their roles and they’re going to be hard to replace. You know, we have a saying, ‘Tradition never graduates.’ The next group’s going to have to fill it.”

For Popp, the loss isn’t the worst part of his senior season ending.

“It means everything to me,” Popp said. “It’s, honestly, just so sad that it’s over now because I’ll never get to relive these moments with my best friends and that just sucks.”

Ortman and Amundson agreed.

“We’ve been dreaming of this since we were little lads,” Ortman said. “So, it’s just awesome that the three of us were able to make it this far.”

While those three leave big shoes to fill, the Norway baseball program looks to be headed in a positive direction.

“We’ve got to replace it, so we’ve juniors and sophomores that have played a lot and we’ll just keep figuring it out,” coach Adams said.

However, the standard is now higher than it has ever been.

“Their mark, their year, their banner — they’ll reflect on this, as we will, too, as historic,” coach Adams said. “They moved the bar in our baseball program. They gave the next set of kids something higher to look for. … Now, there’s only one more step.”