Page 22 - 2021-22 Baseball State Finals Program

Outstanding Official Last Year’s State Finals in Review

Hernandez pitches one-hitter to help Washington Township to first state championship
Senior left-hander Steven Hernandez fired a one-hit
James Craig Honored As 2022 Baseball Official of the Year shutout, while Logan Curren and James Kirk each drove
in two runs to lead Washington Township to a 6-0 win over
James Craig is the recipient of James has been a licensed James is a graduate of Shakamak in the Class A championship game.
the 2022 Interscholastic Athletic baseball official for 36 years and Indiana University-Purdue Hernandez allowed just one walk and three other batters
Official Association Award for has overseen 26 sectionals, 18 University-Fort Wayne and to reach base via errors, but didn’t allow a Shakamak
excellence in the sport of regionals, 11 semi-state contests, currently works as a Supervisor runner past second base. The only hit Hernandez allowed
Baseball. James is to be honored and eight State Finals! He is a at WaterFurnace International came with two out in the sixth inning. He finished with four
in a special ceremony during member of the Northeastern of Fort Wayne. James resides in strikeouts.
Officials Association and previ-
Saturday’s Baseball State Finals. ously served as an IHSAA Certifi- Fort Wayne and has one
Each year, the Indiana High cation Clinician from 1999-2019. daughter, Jocelyn It marks the third one-hitter in title-game history – the first
School Athletic Association, in James has received the since 2007 when Shakamak also fell victim to a pitcher’s
cooperation with the National Indiana High School Baseball gem.
Federation of Interscholastic Coaches Association’s District
Officials Association, recognizes Umpire of the Year Award over The Senators of coach Randy Roberts broke through with
and honors an outstanding official 10 times and has officiated their the only run they would need in the fifth inning, while Kirk
in each of 11 sports during the North-South All-Star Series three keyed a three-run sixth with a two-out double. Curren
school year. times. James is also a licensed added a two-run single in the seventh.
James was selected for this IHSAA football official and has
honor by a committee officiated three State Finals in the The title for the Senators (27-7) marked the first state title in
representing the 24 officials sport. any sport for the school. Roberts guided WT to a runner-up
finish in 2019.
associations in Indiana. James is a mentor to several
officials in his area and also
volunteers his time hosting youth First-year coach Jeremy Yeryar’s Lakers (19-10) were
baseball clinics that help players seeking their third state title and have now finished as
understand the relationship runner-up five times.
between themselves and umpires
and the benefits of the game. Reisinger leads Providence to 2A State Championship
Ray Reisinger tossed a two-hit shutout to lead
Providence to a 4-0 victory over Eastside in the
Class 2A championship game.
Reisinger dominated from the start, retiring
the first 11 Blazers hitters and finished it off by
scattering just two singles and compiling 11
strikeouts without walking a batter.
Reisinger also helped himself with his bat, as he
doubled and scored in the second inning as the
Pioneers (23-7) had six (of their seven) hits for
extra-bases.
Shortstop Casey Kaelin proved to be the hitting
star for the winners as he rapped an RBI-double
in the first inning, then drove in Reisinger with
a two-out double in the third. Coach Scott
Hutchins’s squad added two insurance runs in
the sixth inning.
The title is the second in program history as
Providence also won in 2016. It was also the
second state title of the 2020-21 school year for
PHS, as the boys soccer team achieved that
feat the previous fall.
Coach Aaron Willard’s Blazers (26-7) were
making their first appearance in the state finals.
Eastside got hits from Dylan Hertig and Jack
Buchanan.

22 IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport! IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport! 23