TERRE HAUTE —
Some of their incentive could have been sapped a couple of nights earlier, when Center Grove achieved an eight-inning victory over Warren Central to clinch the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball championship.
So Terre Haute North’s Patriots were playing their final regular-season doubleheader against visiting Indianapolis North Central just for fun — and to honor seven seniors — on Saturday, and they had more fun later in the day. After losing a sloppy 8-6 decision, North won the second game 8-3 and coach Shawn Turner was taking the positive approach.
“This has been a fun group, we’ve won more games than we’ve lost, and we’re capable of playing with anybody when we’re good,” the Patriot coach said.
North was good in a variety of ways in Saturday’s second game: playing errorless baseball, taking the lead to stay in an inning that featured textbook execution and stringing hits together for a five-run rally that clinched the outcome. Pitchers Austin Hicks and Chris Gonzales scattered eight hits and walked just one batter.
The Patriots went ahead without a hit in the second inning when Colton Pittman walked, took second on a wild pitch, was moved to third when Scottie Finzel grounded to the right side and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hicks. Catcher Luke Schoffstall ended each of the first two Panther innings by throwing out runners attempting to steal.
Two more runs scored in the top of the third on a walk to Zach Milam, an infield hit by Nick Long, a pickoff error and a run-scoring double by Tony Rosselli, but in the bottom of the inning North Central opened the inning with three straight hits and had runners at first and third with no outs. Then North got a break.
North Central’s Andrew Riley smoked a wicked line drive up the middle that hit Hicks’ foot. Instead of being another hit, the ball went to shortstop Cody Gardner who stepped on second and fired to first for a double play. Although Hicks — who had been checked for a different physical problem one pitch earlier — was writhing on the ground for a moment, he was able to stay in the game.
His teammates gave him some cushion in the top of the fifth. After one out, Long got his third hit of the game and Gardner wrapped up a five-hit day with a double. Rosselli was walked intentionally to set up a double play, but that strategy was foiled by RBI singles by Sam Wolf and Finzel, a wild pitch and a failed pickoff that brought in runs and a fielder’s choice for an RBI by Hicks. Gonzales relieved Hicks with two on and out out in the bottom of the inning and allowed just one run the rest of the way.
Saturday morning’s opener was not quite so pristine — for either team.
North Central contributed three errors and a balk in the first two innings to help the Patriots to a quick 3-0 lead, Rosselli driving in a run with a sacrifice fly and Milam getting a leadoff single in the first and an RBI double in the second.
The Panthers got four runs and four hits and North starter Adler Ingalsbe had four strikeouts in the top of the third, however, the missed third strike helping the Panther rally that included RBI doubles by Mac Lozer and Roman Baisa.
The visitors then got generous again, helping North regain the lead in a two-run fourth inning that started with two walks and a pickoff error and continued with run-scoring hits by Milam and Long. But this was where the Patriot offense started to let down, as runners on second and third with one out were left there.
The same situation arose when North had a chance to pad its lead in the bottom of the fifth after an error, a walk and a sacrifice. That rally snuffed itself out when one of the Patriot runners wandered off base and was picked off.
Those missed opportunities loomed large when the Panthers got three runs in the top of the sixth. An error, a hit batsman and a sacrifice started the rally; Riley’s single tied the score 5-5; and after Lozer missed a squeeze bunt — and the Patriots were unable to record the gift out when third base was uncovered — Lozer then blasted a two-run double.
North got one run back in the bottom of the inning on Gardner’s ground-rule double, but the ball bouncing over the center-field fence kept the tying run from being able to score and — for the third straight inning — the Patriots got nothing more from a second-and-third, one-out situation. A bunt single and two more North errors allowed North Central to get its final run in the top of the seventh.
“We had some bonehead plays kind of get in the way [in the first game],” Turner said later. “That’s kind of a microcosm of all season long; we do that and we also have moments when we look like we know what we are doing.”
All seven seniors honored between games — Finzel, Gonzales, Ingalsbe, Landry Kaufman, Nickohli Kimmel and four-year starters Gardner and Rosselli — played major roles in their final home appearance, with Finzel catching the final two innings. It was the first appearance in the field all season for Finzel, who suffered a shoulder injury during football season.
“It was a good two innings,” he said with a smile afterward. “It was fun to get back out there.
“There are no words to describe [the last appearance at Don Jennings Field],” Finzel added. “It was a fun four years, we learned a lot and I had some great times with my friends.
“We got some little rough patches, but I think we’re ready to go for tourney time,” he concluded. “We’re playing for each other right now and we’re playing for coach Turner.”
Indpls N.Central 8, TH North 6
IndNCentral ab r h bi THNorth ab r h bi
Riley 2b-ss 4 2 2 1 Milam 3b 4 1 3 2
Lozer cf 4 1 2 3 Long rf 3 0 1 1
Smith 3b 4 1 1 0 Gardner ss 4 0 3 1
Short 1b 4 1 2 1 Rosselli cf 3 0 0 1
Breymier dh 3 0 0 0 Wolf 1b 4 0 0 0
Parrish p 0 0 0 0 Minger pr 0 0 0 0
Sweeney p 0 0 0 0 Pittman lf 3 1 1 0
Sullivan 2b 0 0 0 0 Finzel dh 2 0 0 0
Baisa rf 4 1 2 2 Ingalsbe p 0 0 0 0
Kirch ss-p 3 0 0 0 Kaufman p 0 0 0 0
Conner pr 0 1 0 0 Kimmel 2b 3 1 0 0
Moehle lf 3 1 0 0 Schoffstall c 1 2 0 0
Webb c 2 0 0 0 Pate pr 0 1 0 0
Earlywine ph 1 0 0 0
Totals 32 8 9 7 Totals 27 6 8 5
Indpls North Central 004 003 1 — 8
Terre Haute North 120 201 0 — 6
E — Kirch 2, Schoffstall 3, Smith, Parrish, Riley, Gardner, Rosselli. LOB — INC 7, THN 8. 2B — Milam, Lozer 2, Baisa, Gardner. SB — Kirch, Short. CS — Wolf, Gardner, Minger. SH — Finzel 2, Webb. SF — Rosselli.
IP H R ER BB SO
Indianapolis North Central
Parrish 4 7 5 3 2 1
Sweeney (W, 2-1) 11⁄3 0 1 1 2 0
Kirch (S, 4) 12⁄3 1 0 0 0 3
Terre Haute North
Ingalsbe 42⁄3 6 4 3 2 8
Kaufman (L, 2-3) 21⁄3 3 4 1 0 1
Parrish pitched to 1 batter in 5th.
HBP — by Kaufman (Moehle), by Sweeney (Schoffstall). Bk — Parrish. T — 2:14.
TH North 8, Indpls N.Central 3
THNorth ab r h bi IndNCentral ab r h bi
Milam 3b 3 1 0 0 Riley 2b 4 0 1 0
Long rf 4 2 3 0 Lozer cf 4 0 0 0
Gardner ss 3 1 2 0 Smith 3b 2 0 0 0
Rosselli cf 3 1 1 1 Short 1b 3 1 0 0
Wolf 1b 4 1 1 1 Breymier dh 3 0 3 0
Pittman lf 2 2 1 0 Miller p 0 0 0 0
Finzel dh-c 4 0 1 1 Conner p 0 0 0 0
Eilbracht 2b 0 0 0 0 Earlywine c 3 0 1 0
Hicks p 2 0 0 2 Kirch ss 1 1 1 1
Minger pr 0 0 0 0 Moehle lf 3 1 1 0
Gonzales p 0 0 0 0 Sullivan rf 2 0 1 1
Schoffstall c 3 0 0 0
Kimmel 2b 0 0 0 0
Totals 28 8 9 5 Totals 25 3 8 2
Terre Haute North 012 050 0 — 8
Indpls N.Central 002 001 0 — 3
E — Miller, Conner. DP — THN 1. LOB — THN 5, INC 5. 2B — Rosselli, Moehle, Gardner. CS — Riley, Earlywine. SH — Gardner. SF — Hicks, Kirch.
IP H R ER BB SO
Terre Haute North
Hicks (W, 3-1) 41⁄3 6 2 2 0 1
Gonzales 22⁄3 2 1 1 1 2
Indianapolis North Central
Miller (L, 0-1) 41⁄3 7 7 7 3 1
Conner 22⁄3 2 1 0 1 2
WP — Miller, Conner 2, Gonzales. HBP — by Hicks (Kirch), by Hicks (Sullivan). T — 1:54.
Next — Terre Haute North (17-12, 8-6 Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference) plays Plainfield at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Class 4A Plainfield Sectional. Indianapolis North Central (12-14, 6-8) finishes its regular season Monday at Perry Meridian.
High School
North baseball splits doubleheader with Indy North Central
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
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Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
When high school baseball sectionals begin around the Wabash Valley today, one complaint that’s not expected to be heard from any coach is that his team has had too much time off.
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Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
Northview unleashed power rarely seen in high school girls softball Tuesday night to eliminate Terre Haute South 8-1 in the Class 4A Sectional at Martinsville High School.
The Knights hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to reach the championship game. -
Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
Keirra Porter took first place in two individual events and helped Terre Haute North win one of its relays as the Patriots captured the Evansville Central Regional team championship in girls high school track and field Tuesday night.
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PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
Terre Haute South didn’t lose a game en route to blanking Seeger 5-0 in girls high school tennis Tuesday to advance to today’s championship match against Crawfordsville in the Greencastle Regional.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
West Vigo softball holds off nemesis Edgewood in softball sectional
Ice cream was enough of a reward Monday night after the West Vigo Vikings beat eight-time defending champion Edgewood 6-2 in extra innings in the opening game of the Class 3A softball sectional at Edgewood High School. But that’s not what Vikings want.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Shakamak's Green hits two homers in win over West Vigo
Shakamak improved to 22-3 on the season behind a complete-game effort from Brett Yeryar, and Patrick Green hit two solo home runs in a high school baseball game Monday.
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Terre Haute North offense unable to get going in loss to Mooresville
Jack Kirchner chose to give credit Monday night to Mooresville pitcher Taylor Chitwood, not to the Greg Maddux-size strike zone she seemed to enjoy.
But if there were no excuses forthcoming from Kirchner and his Terre Haute North High School softball team, it wouldn’t have been hard to find a spectator or two to come up with extenuating circumstances about the Patriots’ 4-1 loss at the Class 4A Martinsville Sectional. -
Terre Haute North looking strong going into girls track regional
Terre Haute North might need an off night for anyone to catch them in the girls track regional at Evansville Central.
The Patriots are as well-rounded as they’ve ever been, and two relay teams are state contenders with times ranking No. 2 in Indiana among times recorded all spring.
Terre Haute South, Northview and Sullivan have athletes among the contenders in multiple events as well. -
South tennis ready for potential challenge in regional
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
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Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
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Terre Haute South, Northview vie for tennis regional title
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
Coach Bill Blankenbaker’s Braves will play Seeger at 4:30 p.m., while coach Emily Goff’s Knights will take on Crawfordsville about 6 p.m. -
Vikings win in extra innings at Rockville
West Vigo scored six runs in its first two innings Saturday, then needed a ninth-inning single by Lucas Fagg to escape with a 7-6 extra-inning win in nonconference high school baseball at Rockville.
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TH South beats Northview in Big Four makeup baseball game
Terre Haute South wrapped up a share of the MIC baseball title and finished up the Big Four Classic with an 8-1 victory over Northview in less than 24 hours on Saturday morning.
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Olds pitches South to share of MIC baseball title
Friday night, winning the second game 5-0 and earning a share of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title.
Damon Olds was dominant on the mound for the Braves, striking out 14 and walking just one while pitching a three-hit shutout. -
South wins first half of doubleheader against Lawrence North
Host Terre Haute South kept its Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title hopes alive — and clinched no worse than second place in the process — by downing Lawrence North 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday night.
The second game, which started after Senior Night festivities between games, ended past the Tribune-Star deadline. -
PREP ROUNDUP: Calleja pitches West Vigo past South Vermillion
Brandon Calleja had 13 strikeouts to lead West Vigo to a 5-1 victory against South Vermillion in high school baseball Friday.
Brandon Behringer went 2 for 4 with two RBI for the Vikings, who secured second place in the Western Indiana Conference.
Kaden Lawson had double for South Vermillion (15-7), which finished 4-2 in the WIC. -
Seibert returns from injury to win three events as Braves win sectional crown
His baseball equivalent might be Rick Sutcliffe of the 1984 Chicago Cubs.
When Tyler Seibert returned to the Terre Haute South track and field lineup Thursday for sectional action at Terre Haute North, it was like the midseason trade the Cubs made for Sutcliffe that earned them a playoff spot. -
South switches up lineup to defeat North in tennis sectional
Terre Haute South coach Bill Blankenbaker said two weeks ago that he would change the Braves’ lineup after the 3-2 dual-meet loss to Terre Haute North.
The Patriots knew it was coming, but they couldn’t do anything to stop it. -
PREP ROUNDUP: North slips past Northview in eight-inning baseball game
Colton Pittman drew a bases-loaded walk to score Zach Milam with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as host Terre Haute North edged Northview 8-7 in high school baseball Thursday at Jennings Field.
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PREP ROUNDUP: North and South to face off for tennis sectional title
The winner of the Terre Haute sectional for girls high school tennis will come down to Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South.
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Terre Haute North gets 10 event victories to claim 12th straight sectional crown
Terre Haute North won 10 events Tuesday night while winning the Indiana High School Athletic Association girls track and field section at South Putnam High School for the 12th straight year.
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North, South to meet in first round of baseball sectional
The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced pairings for the baseball state tournament Tuesday and the draw offered up a Vigo County battle in the opening game.
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PREP ROUNDUP: West Vigo softball clinches share of WIC title
West Vigo clinched at least a share of the Western Indiana Conference softball title with a 6-4 victory over Edgewood on Tuesday.
Jacy McClain and Bailee Waters had RBI singles in the fourth inning to break the game open for the Vikings. -
Track sectional titles on the line
Expect one heck of a high school dual track meet Thursday night when Wabash Valley boys visit Terre Haute North for sectional action.
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Prep report: Patriots, Braves favored to advance from tennis sectional 1st round
Persons attending this week’s girls tennis sectional championship match at Terre Haute North might want to pack a lunch.
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Local ADs happy to see spring come to a close
Brian Mancuso is the most experienced of the high school athletic directors in Vigo County — and that’s a very relative term — but even he wasn’t quite ready for the headaches that have accompanied spring sports the last few weeks thanks to rain, rain and more rain.
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South baseball remains in first-place tie with Center Grove
Heading into Saturday’s Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference baseball doubleheader against Center Grove, coach Kyle Kraemer of Terre Haute South wasn’t completely optimistic.
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Kehrt Award goes to Emily Bell, Lee Davis
Emily Bell of Terre Haute South and Lee Davis of Terre Haute North are the 2013 recipients of the Willard M. Kehrt Mental Attitude Award.
Bell and Davis were nominated by their schools and chosen in a vote by the Kehrt Award panel. Both will be recognized at awards assemblies later in the month at the schools.
Bell played varsity basketball four years at South and is competing in track this season, running the 800 and two relays. “I wanted something to do my senior year,” Bell said.
She plans to attend DePauw University and play basketball. DePauw is the reigning NCAA Division III champ in women's basketball.
Bell tore an AÇL playing in a basketball tournament the summer after her sophomore season. She missed most of her junior season but came back to play her senior year and was second leading scorer and leading rebounder her final season.
Bell also was leading rebounder her sophomore year. - More High School Headlines
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