Saginaw United High School

Defending Division 2 state champion Flint Powers Catholic Chargers clinched the Saginaw Valley League South title outright Wednesday afternoon, defeating visiting Saginaw United Phoenix 17-0 in three innings. The contest completed regular-season league play for both teams, who now turn their attention to crossover games against SVL North opponents next week. “Iggy Delgado pitched much better than he did Monday,” Saginaw United Head Coach Nate Volk said. “There were makeable plays behind both him and Jayce where we didn’t finish the job. That won’t work against a quality team like Powers. Their hitters are serious, and they’ll make you pay for mistakes.” One bright spot for United (1-17, 1-12 SVL South) was sophomore catcher Aamir Calloway, who made his first varsity start behind the plate. “I forgot Aamir was back there for stretches, and that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give a catcher,” Volk said. “His improvement since March has been very apparent. Roy Sims has done a great job bringing him along, and Aamir does his part by staying engaged with the game at home. He’s a sponge for information.” Additional positives for United included improved at-bats from first baseman Dean Simpson III and outfielder Austin Harris. Sophomore infielder and Opening Day starting pitcher Zhaiden Agloro also returned to the starting lineup. The road trip itself added to the experience for United’s players after bus maintenance issues forced an unexpected stop in Beecher Township before the game. “We had to pull over and get some maintenance done on the way here,” Volk said. “Our district transportation staff did a fabulous job getting us a relief bus on short notice. I was proud of our kids for their patience and for the improved play today. “It ended up being a cool experience because we took surface roads into Flint, came through Carriage Town, passed Atwood Stadium, and then made the climb up to Powers’ campus. Our guys were soaking in the views and the newness of it all. The Saginaw Valley League delivered that cool city energy you can feel. And when you come to Powers, it’s first class. Our players learned a lot being here and competing against a great program that’s run the right way. Experiences like this bring a team closer together.” United will now look to add games on open dates as preparation continues for Division 1 District play. The Phoenix are scheduled to open district competition against Bay City Central Wolves on Saturday, May 23, at 4 p.m. at Bay City John Glenn High School.