Indiana State | Archive | June, 2006

By Colin Altevogt
Staff Writer

2005	North 17, South 14
2004	North 23, South 21
2003	South 27, North 23
2002	South 21, North 13
2001	North 21, South 15
2000	South 31, North 12
1999	South 14, North 13
1998	South 35, North 17
1997	South 38, North 7
1996	North 14, South 0
1995	South 23, North 7
1994	South 17, North 2
1993	North 17, South 13
1992	South 12, North 6
1991	North 17, South 12
1990	South 12, North 7
1989	North 41, South 6
1988	North 17, South 10
1987	South 24, North 7
1986	North 20, South 12
1985	North 15, South 13
1984	South 21, North 14
1983	North 31, South 22
1982	South 28, North 11
1981	South 14, North 11
1980	North 17, South 7
1979	North 12, South 3
1978	South 22, North 13
1977	North 16, South 7
1976	South 33, North 28
1975	South 18, North 13
1974	South 4, North 3 (OT)
1973	North 16, South 14
1972	South 32, North 0
1971	North 17, South 14
1970	North 26, South 9
1969	North 21, South 19
1968	South 23, North 14
1967	South 15, North 14

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

Derek Katter, Jasper (left), scores with a slide home. Photo by Natalie Evans

INDIANAPOLIS ���?? I kept the scorebook for the Class 3A championship game of the 40th Annual IHSAA Baseball State Finals June 17 at Victory Field in red pen. I had no idea it would serve as foreshadowing for a record-setting offensive bloodletting.

Top-ranked Jasper spotted No. 3 Norwell leads of 2-0, 7-4, 11-6, and 12-7, then roared back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to capture the Wildcats���?� fifth-ever baseball state title, 13-12, in a game for the ages.

Seriously. It was the highest-scoring game in the 40-year history of these championships, and it was nutty. Trailing 12-7 going into the bottom of the sixth, Jasper (34-1) cut the margin to 12-10, then scored three times in the seventh, complete with the game-winning play at the plate with two outs that was just … this … close.

With the exception of the six-up, six-down first inning, at least two runs were scored in every inning thereafter, with at least four runs crossing the plate in four of those frames. You just knew this one would end with whoever got the last crack at it, and that���?�s how it played out as Jasper senior Sam Linette ���?? who would have hit into the game-ending double play had there not been one of five errors by Norwell (29-2) two batters earlier ���?? slid head-first into home just ahead of the tag on junior Josh Sermersheim���?�s game-winning single to right.

The Jasper fans filled the stands, cheered, and never gave up on their Wildcats. Photo by Natalie Evans

Jasper 19^th-year coach Terry Gobert and Norwell fifth-year coach Kelby Weybright more than likely did see not see this coming. In their previous six tournament games, Jasper had surrendered four total runs, Norwell three. Wildcat senior ace J.T. Stenftenagel entered the contest at 12-0 with an earned-run average of 0.59 and 113 strikeouts in 83 innings, while Norwell junior starter Jarrod Parker was 8-1 with an equally miniscule 0.76 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings.

So what happened?

Maybe it was the sunny, hot, and humid conditions of downtown Indianapolis. Perhaps everybody���?�s dad gave his son exactly the right pre-game talk the day before Father���?�s Day. Or, could it be the cards were dealt in such a fashion that the very last day of a special 2005-06 IHSAA sports year was privy to one last dose of championship greatness?

Whatever your hyperbole, this game delivered.

The loss oozed with irony for Norwell, whose only other blemish all year came April 13 in a 6-2 loss at home against eventual Class 4A state champion Fort Wayne Snider. When the Knights captured their only baseball state championship three years ago on this same field, it came in equally dramatic fashion as a walk-off, two-run homer by Jason Schortgen in the bottom of the eighth inning bested New Palestine, 3-1.

Realizing it could take up to nine years to write out how every run scored in this epic tilt, this writer is going to take a shortcut and borrow from the extremely accurate play-by-play submitted by the IHSAA���?�s Ed Holdoway. When all the bold print comes to a close ���?? and you, too, can pretend it���?�s red, if you like! ���?? you���?�ll find a numbers summary that might possibly allow you to digest such a magnificently entertaining game.

(Oooo, one other thing!! I was in the broadcast booth for most of this clash and got to overhear our 3A championship webcast from veteran Central Indiana play-by-play guy Rhett Cochran and color analyst Paul Madinger, the head coach at Jennings County who pushed back a vacation for the chance to work this classic. If you go to IHSAA Webcasts and then the link to the 3A championship game under Recent Archives, you can relive the excitement â�?�¦ and note just how many times Madinger eerily predicted what was about to unfold. Kudos, coach!)

The 3A play-by-play (in retrospect, the four at-bats where nobody scored seem comical!):

Whew. Now, say the alphabet backwards!

Want a pair of numbers-backed explanations for the reason why Jasper came out on top? For one, look no further than the unheralded bottom third of Jasper���?�s batting lineup:

• <!–[if !supportLists]–>Junior shortstop Nick Seger entered the fray with a .237 average â�?��?? the highest of these three Wildcats. He went 2 for 4.
  
• <!–[if !supportLists]–>Junior third baseman Luke Mehringer was stroking at just a .189 clip. He not only went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, drove in Jasperâ�?��?�s first run, and singled to start the Wildcatsâ�?��?� climactic comeback, but he also weathered the final three innings of Norwellâ�?��?�s offensive onslaught from the mound.
  
• <!–[if !supportLists]–>Then thereâ�?��?�s freshman Ian Boone, who came into the final game of his ninth-grade season hitting. 224. All he did was score three times and go 2 for 3, following Mehringerâ�?��?�s seventh-inning single with a double down the right field line. Think he might have a bright future?

Another key was the Wildcats���?� hemming in of Nos. 1 and 4 hitters Scott Woodward and Parker, Norwell���?�s two best power hitters. Entering the game at .412 (Woodward, the junior centerfielder who has only 20 percent of his hearing) and .487 (Parker, the flame-throwing righthander clocked as high as 94 mph against Jasper) with a combined 16 home runs, Jasper limited the duo to just one single in eight plate appearances.

The hitting stars, obviously, were aplenty for both sides.

A pair of Jasper batters (junior Derek Katter and Sermersheim ���?? just a .253 hitter himself) had three hits apiece, while four others (senior Broc Litherland, Seger, Mehringer, and Boone) banged out two each. And the balanced Wildcats got timely run-producing at-bats from four players who all collected two RBIs: senior Adam Klatka, Linette, Sermersheim, and Mehringer).

Norwell, meanwhile, had a pair of hitters with three RBIs each (junior Kreigh Williams, who went 2 for 4, and senior Clay Dafforn, who also was 2 for 4 with two runs scored), while sophomore Ryne Otis was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

As for pitching ���?? and keep in mind that none of these guys lasted as many as four innings ���?? six of the seven hurlers who hit the hill surrendered at least three runs. And the only who didn���?�t, Otis, gave up two hits and a run without recording an out in the Jasper sixth!

Mehringer (4-0), who had pitched all of 13 2/3 innings coming in but was the third Jasper pitcher on this day, ended up getting the win. His three-inning line of six hits, four runs (all earned), zero walks, and two strikeouts was just kooky enough to get the job done.

Starter Stenftenagel faced the minimum three batters in two of his three innings, but his three-hit, three-run, two-walk, one-strikeout effort was enough for Gobert to bring Klatka in from left field in the fourth. That move paid immediate dividends as Klatka inherited a 2-0 count yet got Andrew Gerz to whiff for the second out in the fourth. But from that point it got **** quick as Norwell pounded him for five runs in just two-thirds of an inning courtesy of three hits and four walks before Mehringer came on.

Ian Boone (left) scores for Jasper in the 7th inning. Photo by Natalie Evans

Things were worse for Norwell, however. Parker came out blazing, striking out three of the first four Jasper hitters. But seven hits later ���?? including back-to-back doubles by Boone and Katter in the bottom of the fourth ���?? it was time to go as senior Jamie Feldheiser replaced Parker, whose line went seven hits, six runs (all earned), five Ks, and one walk in 3 2/3 innings.

Feldheiser lasted two innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits with walks and no strikeouts before Otis made his brief visit to the mound. Senior Blake Gehring came on in the sixth to quell Jasper���?�s next-to-last rally, but he was no match for the ���?Cats run to history. Gehring, who got the loss to ruin a perfect 9-0 season, allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits, two walks, and no strikeouts.

If you are looking for comparisons, the best one that comes to mind is the 2005 boys basketball Class 3A championship between Washington and Plymouth. You know, the one where, like, 116 offensive records were set in the first half, then Luke Zeller drained that 40-foot j in overtime to win the game for the Hatchets and clinch Mr. Basketball for himself?

Yeahhhhhh. That���?�s it. That���?�s the ticket.

By Bubba Harnist
Staff Writer

The victory puts the Braves in the state finals record book as the first Class A team to win back-to-back state titles. Third baseman David Ehmke was 4 for 5 with three RBIs, while Ringenberg went a perfect 4 for 4 with three runs scored as the junior struck out seven in finishing his season at 9-0.

The Braves (25-2) pounded out 15 hits to only nine for Shakamak (24-8).

Shakamak assistant Matt Fougerousse kept the records as his Lakers rallied late in the Class A Championship. Photo by Natalie Evans

The scoring got under way in the bottom of the third inning for the Lakers when, with one out, they got three consecutive singles to load the bases against Ringenberg (8-0, 1.14 earned-run average, a whopping 103 strikeouts in only 61 2/3 innings pitched). Ringenberg got Ben Grissom to pop out to first baseman Brock Reilley for the second out, but Ridge Inman delivered a two-run base hit to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead.

After Inman���?�s single, Steven McNabb stepped up to hit another run-scoring single and move the Lakers ahead, 3-0. Seeing as Ringenberg had surrendered only 10 earned runs all year, the Lakers had to be feeling good about their chances.

Third-year coach Mark Harmon���?�s Braves, though, responded the next inning off Shakamak starter Ryan Wilson.

Ringenberg opened the inning with a walk and moved to third on a double by Nelson. Wilson got Ehmke to ground out to second, allowing Ringenberg to score and Nelson to move to third. Alex Johanningsmeier also grounded to second, scoring Nelson to cut the deficit to just 3-2.

Still with two outs, the Braves loaded the bases, but Young flew out to right field to end the inning at 3-2.

After Ringenberg shut down the Lakers in the fourth, the Braves went to work in the fifth. With one down, Ringenberg singled and advanced to second on a groundout by Nelson. Ehmke then tied the game by singling in Ringenberg. After Johanningsmeier was hit by a pitch, freshman catcher Stryker Salyer roped a double to score Ehmke from second and give the Braves their first lead, 4-3.

This Laker slide into homeplate, allowed Shakamak to take the game into an extra inning, while the BC fans stood in disbelief. Photo by Natalie Evans

And that���?�s how it stood heading into the seventh. Justin Cox started the inning with a single for Shakamak and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Ringenberg struck out Jared Rehmel and Grissom, Inman hit a sharp grounder up the middle that scooted past Nelson for an error, permitting Cox to score from second and tie the game at 4.

With no further scoring in the seventh, the teams headed to extra innings ���?? and a shot at redemption for Nelson. With two outs and two on in the top of the eighth, Nelson delivered with a two-RBI double. The senior shortstop then scored when Ehmke followed with a single, and suddenly Blackhawk was in control at 7-4.

After Ringenberg retired the first two Laker hitters, Josh Sweet gave Shakamak hope by reaching on an error. But Ringenberg got Cox swinging to end it.

The win begs the question: What are the chances for a 3-peat? The outlook is pretty good as the Braves say goodbye to only three seniors (Nelson, Johanningsmeier, and Young).

Shakamak, led by 16^th-year coach Chip Sweet, loses five seniors from a team that was looking for its own redemption for a 2004 Class A runner-up finish to Lafayette Central Catholic.

Nelson is a four-sport athlete, earning a total of 11 varsity letters in basketball, cross country, and soccer in addition to baseball. A key player on Blackhawk���?�s 2005 and ���?�06 state championship baseball teams, Nelson sports a .306 career batting average with 70 runs scored, 65 RBI, and a .444 slugging percentage.

Nelson was the valedictorian of his senior class with a 4.24 cumulative grade point average. He helped in the starting and development of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Blackhawk.

â�?��?Andrew evidences high standards and convictions in his personal character,â�?� said the schoolâ�?��?�s principal, Thomas Hopewell. â�?��?He is a person of honesty and integrity, and those qualities draw high respect from his peers and his teachers.

â�?��?Commitment and dedication describe well Andrewâ�?��?�s work ethic, whether in the classroom or on the ball diamond.â�?�

Nelson has been a team leader in the United Way, and he has been active in the Day of Caring program and as a Student Rotarian representative. A graduate of Youth Leadership in Fort Wayne, Nelson remains active in the community as a team leader for the annual raft trip for troubled youth in Fort Wayne and with various church youth group service projects.

Nelson becomes the second baseball player from Blackhawk to win the award, joining Kyle Wright (2002). Ironically, Andrew���?�s father, Chuck, was the 1966-67 recipient of the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award for boys basketball, representing Fort Wayne South.

The son of Chuck and Jeanne Nelson will major in business and economics at Wheaton College (Ill.) this fall.

So what do you think? Share your thoughts in our Baseball forum.