With a 0.2 percent chance of making the playoffs, the Detroit Tigers’ season appeared to be a lost cause. But the impossible can happen, right?

   Also at a 0.2 percent chance is being struck by lightning in a given year. 

   The chance of a professional golfer getting a hole-in-one is the same. There have only been 34 hole-in-ones since 1934.

   Those are some low odds.

   Despite the low odds, the Detroit Tigers made a surprisingly deep run in the playoffs. The Tigers ended the regular season second in the AL Central with a record of 86-76, despite a losing record in the first half of the season. In the playoffs, the Tigers defeated Houston in two and fell short to the Guardians in five.

Memorable Moments

   Zach McKinstry with a high deep fly ball… and it’s gone. McKinstry ties up the game. “I was shocked and then a rush of excitement and energy hit me and I knew we had a chance to pull off a big win,” Soph. Josiah Cuellar said.

   First and third, runner goes. Pitch is swung on, a high fly ball to right field. This ones gonna fly. A three run homer. Kerry Carpenter, the Tigers up three to nothing. Xander Mullins said “As the pitch came, I saw Carpenter gear up for a swing. His bat flew through the zone, catching the ball at the perfect time. Next I saw the ball fly off into the stands. I started jumping and screaming because right then and there, I knew the Tigers’ were contenders.”

At Comerica

   West Ottawa Alumni Jake Bloemers attended games three and four.  “That game was by far the best game I had been to energy wise. I went to game three in Detroit and I still felt like game four was just nothing comparable. Not only that, but it was sold out. I had never been to a sold out Comerica Park so that was also a super surreal experience,” Bloemers said.

   Another West Ottawa Alumni also happened to be at game three.  Damian Fernandez said, “The environment was so much more electric than any Tigers game I’ve gone to. The atmosphere of the ballpark was insane knowing it’s the first home playoff game in a decade was definitely an unreal experience.”

   Both Bloemers and Fernandez can agree the environment of Comerica was different from any other game they have attended. The energy was high, the atmosphere was electric, and the hopes were high. In the end, the Tigers pulled it off and made the series two-one. 

At Home

   “I think the way that the Tigers finished the regular season, you just knew that even if they were down late in the game, they always had a chance to pull out a win. The other thing was just the genuine excitement for the postseason that we haven’t had in quite a few years,” Instructor Kevin Klassen said.

   One of Klassen’s favorite moments from the season was when he attended a game in August. “I went to a game in August, which was my first Tiger game since before Covid. I was fortunate to have great seats right behind home plate which gave me a great view of watching Tarik Skubal work. If he keeps pitching the way he has been pitching, that may go down as a cool moment in my sports life just being able to say that I was able to watch him pitch in person,” Klassen stated.

   Though he wasn’t able to be at the games physically, Klassen was the biggest supporter behind the screen. “I did adjust things a little bit at times in order to catch the games. Even when I couldn’t be home to watch, I’d pull up YouTube TV on my phone and watch that way. For example, one day I had to be at school late for something, so I had the game on my phone while I was working in my room after school and another day I had to watch the first two innings or so on my phone in between shots on the golf course while finishing my round,” Klassen said. That is a true Tigers fan.

   Another fan from home was instructor Sean Hoey. “Most definitely. I started moving things around and pushed off some of my grad work until later in the day so I could watch the games,” Hoey said. 

   Both Hoey and Klassen made the Tigers their main priority during the historic run. Pushing back grad work and grading assignments, Hoey and Klassen were able to support the Tigers from behind the screen. Even though they couldn’t be at Comerica immersed in the charisma and atmosphere, both were able to enjoy the game they love.

   Looking forward to next year is Sr. Tai Hescott. Hescott said “ This year was unbelievable. From not even remotely thinking about the playoffs to being an ALCS contender is crazy to experience. On top of that, the Tigers will be good for seasons to come since the roster is super young.”