St. Mary’s Prep Suffers 1 Loss In 123 Games ⁰

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

ORCHARD LAKE, Mich. — One of the most amazing runs of success in high school baseball history is unfolding before our eyes at St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, MI).

The 2-time Collegiate Baseball national high school champions have posted records of 43-1 and 44-0 the last two seasons.

If you go back to the final 28 games of the 2019 season, St. Mary’s has posted an incredible 120-1-2 record.

The lone loss was by one run during the 2021 season, 2-1 to Saline, MI.

This season, St. Mary’s is 14-0 and riding an 80-game win streak — only 9 off the national high school record of 89 set by Portsmouth (NH) during the 2008-2012 seasons.

Going back over the 45 years Collegiate Baseball has ranked high school teams, only two schools have won back-to-back national titles other than St. Mary’s.

Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA) won national titles in 2001 (27-2) and 2002 (28-2).

Argyle (Argyle, TX) won consecutive national championships in 2018 (37-0) and 2019 (40-1-1).

That’s it.

The win numbers at St. Mary’s could have been even higher. Keep in mind they didn’t play any game in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Eaglets are currently riding a 73-game winning streak.

The national record is held by Portsmouth (NH) with 89 straight wins from 2008-2012.

The amazing coach behind all of these wins at St. Mary’s is Matt Petry.

“As far as building our program, it has been all about providing development opportunities for the kids,” said Petry who has posted a 306-142-2 record in 13 seasons with the Eaglets.

“We encourage kids to play multiple sports if that is what interests them. If not, we provide something year round so they can improve their skills as athletes and baseball players.

“Once school starts in the fall, we partner with High Performance Training to provide strength conditioning and mobility work for our guys. Their facility is only 30 minutes away, and our players work there three days a week once school starts. We run that all the way up to the start of the spring season.

“On top of this, we hit 2-3 times a week.

“I firmly believe that if you have kids who push each other, not only do they get better as individuals. But it makes your team better because everyone is pulling in the same direction. It shows them in order to not only make the varsity baseball team at St. Mary’s, but to start and play, you must put in the extra effort.

“If you don’t, you will be passed by your peers.”

St. Mary’s Prep is located in the village of Orchard Lake, MI which has a population of 2,200 in this suburb of Detroit.

“We draw kids from all of metro Detroit to our Catholic high school, and we have been fortunate to have some superb baseball players over the years who are equally good people.

“Last year we had 17 players who signed to play at different colleges. Brock Porter, who was named National Pitcher of The Year by several outlets (9-0, 0.23 ERA, 115 strikeouts, 25 walks), was drafted in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers and signed for $3.7 million.”

To read more of this article and Coach Matt Petry’s system, purchase the April 21, 2023 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.