TERRE HAUTE —
They can’t rely on tradition and experience to help them this week, the players and coaches from Shakamak realize as they prepare for today’s 1 p.m. Class A high school baseball state championship game against Lafayette Central Catholic at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
Not that the Lakers — 2008 Class A champions, runners-up in 2004, 2006 and 2007 and a member of a four-team finals field in 2002 — don’t have those things. It’s just that their opponent has more.
At last week’s Jasper Semistate, Shakamak beat a South Central (Elizabeth) team that was making its first appearance at that stage of the tournament. This week the Lakers meet the three-time defending state champions, who also won titles in 2004 and 2007 — over the Lakers, you’ll notice — and also had finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.
“[Lafayette Central Catholic is] a good school, and obviously they know what it’s like to be [at Victory Field] — as do we,” senior second baseman Robert Fowler of the Lakers said this week.
“We are much, much younger [than the Knights], and obviously we have much less experience in the state finals,” coach Chip Sweet added.
“They are confident — some might even say cocky — having been there four years in a row with a chance to win all four. But they are not invincible.”
The lack of invincibility is reflected in the statistics, Sweet is quick to point out.
“The numbers are very comparable,” he said, with the Knights having a .320 team batting average and a 1.52 team earned run average to .310 and 2.14 averages for the Lakers. Shakamak’s team offensive numbers suffer because of the bottom of its batting order and its seldom-used pitchers, but those pitchers won’t be on the mound today and the lower end of the batting order has produced in tournament play. Fowler, the No. 9 hitter, is 4 for 6 in his last three games and has accounted for 11 runs — scoring six, driving in five — for example.
Today’s starting pitchers also have comparable stats. Shakamak’s Patrick Green is 10-1 with a 1.77 ERA, LCC’s Austin Munn 10-2 with a 1.74 ERA. Green has walked fewer and struck out more batters per inning than Munn.
The Knights’ top hitters are Evan Kennedy (.437, 5 homers, 30 RBIs), Munn (.362), Nick Stone (.342, 6 homers, 27 RBIs) and Andrew Hubertz (.333, 31 RBIs), while the Lakers counter with Brock Dowell (.429, 41 runs), Brett Yeryar (.402, 31 RBIs), Green (.398, 10 homers, 42 RBIs), Brodie Crowe (.340, 5 homers, 28 RBIs) and Luke Sweet (.340).
Sounds like a potentially great game, in other words, and the Lakers feel they have a better one in them than they played last weekend at Jasper.
“We have to keep hitting and working on our fundamentals this week,” Dowell said. “We played good in spurts [against South Central], but we have to play defense better and pitch better.”
“I felt good [at Jasper], but I was having trouble finding my release point and my stride,” said Green, who expects more from himself today.
“We’re going to have to make plays and hit the ball as well,” Fowler noted.
“This is a great opportunity we’ve been given,” added Crowe. “This team has been really blessed this season, and I hope it ends with a state championship.”
Having a team ready to play isn’t something Sweet is worried about. His concern, he indicated, might be that the Lakers are too ready.
“[Playing at Victory Field] is definitely something we wanted to do,” said Dowell, the team’s only other senior. “It took us four years, so we’re glad to finally get there.”
“It feels awesome,” said Fowler, acknowledging that his class was in danger of being the first from Shakamak in several years to miss a Victory Field trip. “After watching all the older players play there, it’s like a dream come true. I can’t wait to play.”
“The kids need to find a way to control their emotions,” Sweet cautioned. “We just want to go out and play seven innings of our best baseball and stay focused.”
“[Lafayette Central Catholic] has always been a really talented group,” Crowe summarized, “but I also think we’re a really talented group and can get the job done.”
Sports
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Coach: Tim Terry is the South Vermillion baseball coach and plays in the senior league on Sunday afternoons.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
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Indiana State baseball series canceled
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
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Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)
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