Page 25 - 2013-14 Baseball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

Lafayette Central Catholic Wins Fifth Straight State Title in Extra Innings

Lafayette Central Catholic rallied for three late runs to Winning pitcher Andrew Hubertz ended his high school
tie the game and took a 4-3 decision in nine innings from career with a season record of 7-0. Fusiek finished 3-for-4
Vincennes Rivet in the IHSAA Class A state championship with a hit and an RBI. Lovell had a 2-for-4 day with two RBI.
game at Victory Field.
Coach Bill Beard’s Vincennes Rivet club (19-13) took
The win extended the Knights’ state record string of a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. Central Catholic had not
championships to a fifth year (seventh overall) and was their allowed a run in its previous six tournament games and was
33rd straight tournament victory dating to 2009. It was also attempting to become the first school to win the tournament
a state record-tying seventh title for 16th year coach Tim without giving up a run. But Rivet ended any of that talk
Bordenet who equaled LaPorte legend Ken Schreiber. by scoring single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
Gavin Benock and Zach Templin both led Rivet going
Trailing 3-0, Lafayette Central Catholic (31-5) came to life in 2-for-4. Benock had an RBI and Templin a run scored. Colin
the bottom of the sixth inning as Luke Fusiek led off with a Vieke accounted for the Patriots’ other two runs. Rivet also
double to centerfield. Two batters later, Adam Lovell singled fell to Lafayette Central Catholic in the 2009 championship
scoring Fusiek. The Knights added two more in the seventh game.
when they had to as Ryan DeBoy led off by reaching on
a fielding error by the Rivet third baseman. Nigel Hensley
pinch ran for DeBoy and advanced to second when Jackson
Anthrop was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt by Cowan
Olinger that moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd, Pete Metz-
inger’s sac fly then scored Hensley. Down to their final out,
Fusiek’s clutch single up the middle allowed Anthrop to tie
the game at 3-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, Central Catholic’s Ben Page,
pinch running for Metzinger who took a lead off walk, scored
the game-winning run from second on Lovell’s single to left.
South Spencer Rebels Win Second State Title in Three Seasons
Unranked South Spencer scored one run in the second
inning and two in the fifth to outscore top-ranked Northfield
3-2 for the IHSAA Class 2A Baseball State Championship at
Victory Field.
It was the second state championship in three years
and third 2A title overall for the Rockport, Ind. school
coached by Brian Kuester.
South Spencer’s junior outfielder Malin Webb scored
the first run of the game in the top of the second inning
courtesy of senior Charleston Roberts’ single.
Northfield’s Andy Roser (12) answered in the bottom
half by leading off with a triple then scoring on a wild pitch
to tie it 1-1. Roser finished 2-for-3 in the game.
The Rebels (23-8) scored two more runs in the fifth
when Tyler Schneider and Taylor Market scored on a Ryan
Duvall single to left field.
Northfield rallied with a run in the bottom of the seventh
as Ryan Keaffaber scored from third on a Shane Vigar
single to centerfield to cut the lead to 3-2. Keaffaber had
led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error. He moved
to third on a single from Roser. Two consecutive fly outs
ended the Northfield threat.
South Spencer’s winning pitcher Brandon Lehr (10-4)
went the distance only allowing four hits. Ryan Keaffaber,
the state career wins leader with 48 finished 13-2 and 14
strikeouts.
Northfield’s head coach Tony Uggen and the Norsemen
ended 29-4.

IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport! 25