Lutheran North quickly reloads with fast start
By Dan Stickradt
Macomb Lutheran North’s Adam Narr catches a throw during a game last season. Narr is one of just two returning starters for the Mustangs, who have still opened the 2026 season with a 13-3 record. (MediaNews Group)
Sometimes it’s difficult to gage when a baseball team graduates eight players from a 24-win team.
It makes the waters even more muddy when seven of those players that departed were regular everyday starters and a coaching staff is reassembling a starting lineup, a new batting order and a different pitching rotation.
Such is life at Macomb Lutheran North out on the baseball diamond.
The Mustangs finished a fine 24-6 last season, reached the Catholic High School League Bishop Tournament finals and won a Division 2 district championship.
“We lost a really good group of guys last year – eight of them were seniors,” said Lutheran North coach James Lazaris. “We did bring back some solid players but we also have a lot of new guys on varsity and we have some freshmen up here contributing.”
So far, the rebuild is going just fine for Lutheran North. The Mustangs entered the week 13-3 overall and 7-1 in the CHSL AA Division. North swept Jackson Lumen Christi on Saturday 5-0 and 11-4 and are playing its way into a top two seed in the CHSL Bishop tournament that begins this weekend.
“Right now, we’re probably the No. 2 seed,” said Lazaris. “We’ve been playing pretty well. I honestly didn’t know what to think losing that many guys. But we have had a lot of different people step up.
Junior Adam Narr, an All-District honoree last season, pitched a complete-game two-hit shutout in the first game Saturday. Narr, one of two returning starters, has become the ace of the young staff. He also leads the Mustangs with a .530 batting average and two home runs as of May 4.
The batting order has a different feel with several new faces that have seen an increased role. Senior Brandon McKenzie (OF-SS), sophomore Max McVay (2b), Narr (SS-P), junior Ty Hoef (3B), seniors Landon Boesel (1B) and Cam Kubik (CF), junior Maxx Kumits (RF)junior Connor Franz (LF) and freshman catcher James Galasso have all started several games this season.
“A lot of these guys were reserves, on the (junior varsity) or in middle school last year. We’re young,” said Lazaris. “I’m proud of our team because they have come together and had a really good season so far. As I said, we’re young. We have a freshman starting at catcher and we have several sophomores and freshman that have got some playing time on varsity along with our seniors and juniors.”
Lutheran North has a series this week against defending CHSL AA Division and Bishop Tournament champion Dearborn Divine Child.
Article originally posted by The Macomb Daily