1 week Ago
In the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday at Addison, Hanover-Horton senior Braylon Sayles hit four home runs. That power output ties a state record for home runs in a game with six previous players accomplishing the feat, most recently Pinckney’s JP Calder in a 2010 game against Milford. The other four-homer games came from Holland West Ottawa’s Jon Brand in 2009, Williamston’s Dan VanSickler in 2001, Elk Rapids’ Jeremy Reisig in 1999, South Lyon’s Aaron Cash in 1998 and Chesaning’s Steve Gasser in 1994.
Sayles also added another home run in the second game of the doubleheader as the Comets swept the Panthers 15-4 and 13-3. “I was just seeing the ball well,” he said. “They were throwing fastballs right where I like them.
It was my lucky day, I guess.” He was 4-for-4 with seven RBIs in that game, then went 2-for-2 with a walk, driving in two runs and scoring three, in the second game. His four-homer game started with a blast to center in the first inning.
He added another in the third, then hit a two-run homer to right in the fourth. He capped off the offensive output with another two-run home run to right in the fifth. Sayles was also on the mound for that game, earning the win as a pitcher.
Hanover-Horton has had two other players hit three in a game; Anthony Nutt in a 1991 game against Vandercook Lake and Glen Kormos in a 1990 game against Columbia Central. Hanover-Horton already had a Saturday doubleheader with Onsted and Whiteford after Sayles had his four-homer game, and he noticed pitchers were approaching him differently, though he still drove in a pair of runs in the game against Whiteford. “They were going low outside for fastballs and then a lot of curves, a lot of off-speed,” he said.
“I just have to shorten up and get a base hit from that instead of going for a home run.” For the season Sayles is hitting .442 with a slugging percentage of .
837. But he’s not really thinking about the stats. “I just go up there and try to get on base, try to do my job,” he said.
That job has produced a team-high 15 RBIs this year with six of his 19 hits going for extra bases. “His swing’s looked really good,” Comets coach Jeff Sayles said. “He’s kept his hands in tight and made the contact out front, which is what I’ve told him since t-ball.
” The Comets are 8-6 overall, 5-1 in the Cascades Conference after they swept doubleheaders with Addison and Leslie and split with Homer. “I think we field really well and our pitching’s pretty good,” Braylon Sayles said. “All around we have guys that can pitch when we need them to.
” Hanover-Horton is looking to take a step forward from a 2024 season in which the Comets were in the hunt for a Cascades West title up until splitting a doubleheader with Columbia Central the final week. Jeff Sayles said he is seeing a team-first mentality. “They just want to win,” he said.
“We’ve set goals preseason, we’re going to shoot for 30 wins this season, conference, and a district title. They’re locked in.”.
