BAY COUNTY, Mich. -- A 26-year-old Bangor Township man convicted of beating another man with a baseball bat last February was sentenced on Monday.

Joshua Archey was sentenced to 24 to 50 years in prison. The victim's family had been requesting a life sentence.

In December, a Bay County jury found Archey guilty of assault to commit great bodily harm, assault with a dangerous weapon and interfering with an electronic communications device causing injury.

Prosecutors said Archey repeatedly beat Zachary T. Jones, of Saginaw Township, with the baseball bat near the parking lot of Castaway’s Bar & Grill, 3940 Boy Scout Road.

Archey and Jones had met for the first time earlier on the day of the assault through a mutual acquaintance, Jennifer Beson.

According to witness testimony, all three were drinking together later that night at Castaway’s when Archey began to question Beson’s reputation.

The assault allegedly occurred after Beson and Jones left the bar.

Beson said Jones' vehicle had a mechanical problem and the pickup truck came to a stop while exiting a nearby driveway.

She told the court that while Jones examined the truck, she went back to the bar to ask for help.

Beson then testified when she returned -- she heard screams and Archey standing over Jones holding a baseball bat.

During the trial, Archey claimed he was acting in self-defense.

Jones spent several weeks in a coma following the incident.