Page 23 - 2015-16 Baseball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

It’s Finally Rockville’s Turn as Rox Claim First Championship

Their long wait was finally over as the Rockville Rox
secured the school’s first state championship in any sport,
defeating Shakamak 4-2 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
After falling 3-2 in 2014 Class A title game to this same
Shakamak squad, Rockville (28-6) turned the tables in beat-
ing the defending champs by getting all the runs it would
need in the bottom of the first inning.
Trailing 1-0, Ben Cunningham drew a leadoff walk and
was followed by Kyle Paddock’s single to center. Dalton
Laney then reached on a fielder’s choice at third base and
Craig Overpeck reached on an error. That gave way to Tyler
Rapp’s base-clearing triple over the head of the Shakamak
centerfielder with one out, which gave Rockville a 3-1 lead.
Kaleb Huxford then sacrificed to left field scoring Rapp.
Parker Green’s bases loaded single through the left
side scored Dylan Collins, putting Shakamak on top 1-0 in
top of first inning. The Lakers added another run in the fifth
inning as Mike Huddleston’s double over the leftfielder’s
head scored Braxton Yeryar, who was hit by a pitch and
moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Braden Scott.
Laney (10-0) was the winning pitcher striking out 12 in
7 innings on the mound for Rockville. Yeryar (8-3) suffered
the loss.
14th year Rockville coach Bob Kyle just retired from
teaching in North Central Parke Schools after 37 years.
Shakamak (21-7) was coached by first year mentor
Todd Gambill.
South Spencer Tops Lafayette Central Catholic in 2A Championship
A pair of big innings helped top-ranked South Spencer
to an 8-2 victory over Lafayette Central Catholic in the
IHSAA Class 2A state championship game.
It was the third state title in five seasons for the Rebels
(25-2) and fourth in the last nine years.
In a battle of schools that had never lost a baseball
title game, something had to give. South Spencer had won
all three of its previous matchups and Lafayette Central
Catholic, playing in the 2A final for the first time, had won all
seven in Class A.
Both teams entered the game with 17 straight wins.
After third-ranked Central Catholic took a 1-0 lead in
the third inning, Tyler Schneider’s fourth inning homer to left
evened the game at 1-1, followed by Zeth Young’s 2 RBI
single up the middle. Later in the inning, Kobe Stephens
was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded forcing Trevor Lehr
across the plate.
The Rebels added four more in the sixth inning to break
it wide open.
Schneider and Young both finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.
South Spencer left seven runners on base and Central
Catholic stranded eight.
Nineteenth year coach Brian Kuester, now with four
state championships to his credit, is only the third coach in
charge of the team during the program’s 50 years of play.
He became the sixth coach in the state with at least four
state crowns.
Lafayette Central Catholic (29-6) was attempting to
equal LaPorte’s state record of eight state championships.
The Knights were guided by 20th year head coach Tim
Bordenet who fell short of becoming the first coach with
eight state championships.

IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport! 23