Page 25 - 2008-09 Baseball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

RECORD INNING HELPS SHAKAMAK WIN FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

A record-tying inning from Shakamak propelled the Lak- to tie the game. Betts had reached on a fielder’s choice and
ers past Cowan, 6-2, in the Class A championship game at Smith had walked. Later, with one man on, Grissom stole
Victory Field in Indianapolis. second, and after Cowan pitcher Justin O’Conner walked
It was the first state championship in school history for senior Derrick Bennett, senior Justin Cox was hit by a pitch
the school located in the town of Jasonville, which sits in an forcing in sophomore Billy Newton to give Shakamak a
area of east central Indiana that was hit hard by heavy rains 3-2 advantage. A double by senior Jaret May drove in all
and flooding early in the week. It was the fifth appearance three baserunners to increase the lead to 6-2. The six runs
in the state finals for No. 4 Shakamak which was making its tied the Class A championship game record for most in an
third straight trip to the championship game. inning.
No. 6 Cowan struggled to come up with an answer Shakamak’s defense prevented Cowan from scoring
to Shakamak sophomore pitcher T.J. Hill, who struck out again, ensuring the win for second year head coach Matt
six through the first four innings. The Blackhawks broke Fougerousse and his crew. Previously, Shakamak had to
through in the top of the fifth putting up two runs. Junior settle for the runner-up position in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
Jacob O’Conner reached third on an error by the leftfielder, No. 6 Cowan, coached by Camden Parkhurst, finished
scoring sophomore Skyler Toomey who had walked earlier. the season 24-6. The Blackhawks were playing in the state
O’Conner then stole home to give Cowan a 2-0 lead. finals for the first time.
Shakamak (26-8) answered in their half of the fifth Shakamak’s Hill finished with 10 strikeouts to set a new
inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, sophomore Ben IHSAA Class A championship game record. The previous
Grissom scored teammates Timothy Betts and John Smith mark was seven.

BISHOP LUERS WINS FIRST BASEBALL TITLE, REACHES STATE MILESTONE

Second-ranked Fort Wayne Bishop Luers scored a 2A Wyss’ single to left that scored Daniel Peppler and Bunn.
record number of runs in the fifth inning to break open a Elwood answered with four of its own in the bottom
close game and went on to defeat No. 9 Elwood, 14-8, for half of the sixth. Trailing 14-4, senior Nate Jones launched
the state championship at Victory Field in Indianapolis. a lead-off home run over the left field fence. Aaron Klein
With the vic- followed with a double
tory, Bishop Luers to right and Jacob
became the first Dunnichay reached on
school in IHSAA a fielding error. Kevin
history to win a Worsley then singled to
football, basketball right scoring Klein and
and baseball title moving Dunnichay to
in the same school third. A couple batters
year. Earlier this later, Troy Worsley
year, Bishop Luers grounded out to second
defeated Heritage plating Dunnichay. Wills
Christian, 21-6, for then tripled to center
the 2A football state scoring Kevin Worsley
title and defeated from second.
Winchester, 69-67, For Luers, Peppler
to win the 2A boys went 4-4 with three RBI
basketball championship. It was the school’s first baseball and two runs scored and Bunn went 4-5 with two RBI and
championship and no Bishop Luers student-athlete was on three runs. Andrews also batted three scores for the win-
the roster of all three teams. ners and Hammock was responsible for a double and triple.
The Knights (30-3) scored a 2A record six runs in the For Elwood, Troy Worsley went 3-4 with two RBI and one
top of the fifth inning to break open a 4-3 advantage. A pair score and Wills went 3-4 with three RBI. Elwood left nine
of big hits were turned in by senior Chuck Andrews who runners on base.
singled to center scoring Tyler Bunn and Tim Kawiecki and Elwood (27-5) was making its first appearance in the
two batters later when junior Tyquan Hammock tripled to baseball state finals and had a 16-game winning streak
right field bringing home Dan Wyss and Andrews. Wyss had snapped. The Panthers were coachedby Adrian Helm. Lu-
reached on a throwing error. ers was coached by 22nd year skipper Gary Rogers.
Luers added four more in the sixth inning including
IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport! 23

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