Page 25 - 2014-15 Baseball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

Shakamak Sends Coach into Retirement with State Title

Shakamak’s big fifth inning was all it needed as the
Lakers defeated Rockville, 3-2, in the IHSAA Class A state
championship game at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
It was Shakamak’s second state championship in any
sport, both in baseball to go along with it’s 2008 Class A
title. It was also Lakers coach Chip Sweet’s last game as
he’ll retire after 22 seasons in charge. The game marked
his first championship as coach and came in his second
stint on the job (1990-2006, 2010-14).
Trailing 2-0, the third-ranked Lakers (27-6) broke
through for three runs with two outs in the fifth.
Brett Yeryar’s RBI single to right scored Tanner Yeryar
who had walked to get on base and moved to third on a
throwing error followed by a another single. Two batters
later, Mike Huddleston hit a 1-2 pitch for a 2 RBI single
to right field scoring Luke Sweet and Brett Yeryar to put
Shakamak ahead for good.
Fifth-ranked Rockville (28-4) put a run on the board in
its opening at-bat as Dalton Laney sacrifice flied down right
field line, but deep enough for Tyler Rapp to score from
third base. Rapp had doubled to centerfield and advanced
to third when an attempted pick off by the pitcher went awry.
Two innings later, Laney’s two-out double to the left
center gap scored Rapp from 1st base to put the Rox up
2-0. Rapp took first base when he was hit by a pitch.
Rockville, which was hoping to capture the school’s
first state title in any sport, was led by 13th year coach Bob
Kyle.
Wapahani Downs Mater Dei for First Baseball Crown
A pair of one-run innings was all top-ranked Wapahani
needed as it captured the IHSAA Class 2A state champion-
ship in a 2-0 win over Evansville Mater Dei at Victory Field
in Indianapolis.
It was the first baseball state championship for
Wapahani, fourth overall and the first in a sport other than
volleyball. The Raiders won those titles in 2002 (1A), 20011
and 2012 (both 2A).
The decision marked the 17th straight win for the
top-ranked Raiders (30-4) who enjoyed their school’s most
successful season under 31st year coach Brian Dudley who
picked up his 659th career win. Dudley had also coached
the 2004 2A state runner-up team.
Wapahani wasted no time in getting on the board as
Taylor McKee singled up the middle on the game’s first
pitch. He stole second base and was brought home two
batters later when the Mater Dei centerfielder dropped Luke
Snider’s fly ball in the sun with one out.
The Raiders made it 2-0 in the top of the fourth when
Hayden Castor’s one-out double down the left field line
scored pinch runner Jared Coats from second base. Coats
had entered the game for Austin White who had singled to
center to lead off the inning.
Wapahani left hander Zach Thompson (12-0) went the
distance, allowing only five hits and striking out nine Wildcat
batters.
Of note, Wapahani had ended No. 3 Lafayette Central
Catholic’s 38-game tournament winning streak by a 2-1
count in last weekend’s semi-state championship game.
It was Mater Dei’s fourth state runner-up season
including second in three years. Steve Ricketts was the
second-year Wildcats coach.

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