A year after getting knocked out in the second round of sectional, Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) is one win away from claiming its second 4A state championship. The relatively young Royals beat up on Elkhart Memorial 14-3 in the first round of semi-state and outlasted a strong Lake Central team 5-3 for their first state finals appearance since 2007.
"We don’t talk about pressure," said Hamilton Southeastern head coach David Cook, whose 26-4 squad boasts just four seniors and a freshman pitcher and first baseman. "We know (title game opponent Terre Haute North) is good. If you’re still standing after sectionals, then you’re a good team. We’ve got maybe the toughest sectional in the state, and I thought that if we got out of there, we’d have a good chance to go far … Our schedule prepares us for (the run to the championship). You have to come to play every night."
In the first game, Hamilton Southeastern put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning, but fell behind 3-2 after two innings. The Royals, whose 1-9 hitters are all hitting at least .300 on the year, posted seven runs in the fifth to put the game away. Royals pitcher/second baseman Taylor Rager brought her batting average up to .570 on the year with a 4-for-5 performance from the plate that included two doubles, a triple, and brought in four runs.
Freshman pitcher/designated hitter Alyssa Buchanan also went 4 for 5 with two RBI, and sophomore centerfielder Taylor Shuey went 3 for 4 with a pair of RBI. In the second game, the Royals had amassed a 5-1 lead after 4 1/2 innings, but Lake Central scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning. Buchanan was able to stifle the Indians over the last two innings, however, fanning five batters in 3 2/3 and earning the save.
Freshman first baseman Bailey Rager went 2 for 3 batting while second baseman-designated hitter Becca Twining jacked a three-run home run. Shuey and Buchanan both went 2 for 4 from the plate.
Hamilton Southeastern will take on Terre Haute North (27-8) in the state finals. The Patriots are coming off of a 15-14 season last year and are similarly young, with just two seniors on the roster. The Patriots have managed just 12 runs in their six postseason games but have allowed only two runs in that span.
Softball wrap-up
3A No. 1 Boonville (34-1) managed runs in the fifth and sixth innings to top No. 2 New Palestine 5-3. Boonville scored three times in the first inning, but the Dragons tied the score on Michelle Marcum’s three-run home run, her second in two games. Samantha Saltzman knocked in the go-ahead run with a double and Kelsey Miller brought home the final run with an RBI triple. Boonville will play Bishop Dwenger (Fort Wayne) (26-2) for the 3A crown. The Saints crushed South Bend St. Joseph’s 11-1 in five innings.
In just two seasons, Wheeler (Valparaiso) head coach Mark Bruner has led his team to the 2A state finals twice. Last season, the Bearcats fell in the semifinal game. This year, they made it to the title game with a 3-1 win over Woodlan. Wheeler faces last year’s runner-up, Linton-Stockton, which is 26-0 on the season and has tallied 40 runs in five postseason games.
Last year’s class A runner-up, Indianapolis Lutheran (31-1), returns to the state finals with a 9-1 win over Tecumseh. The Saints will face Riverton Park (30-2), which earned its first trip to the finals under head coach Joe Cox with a 2-0 win over Lakewood Park Christian.
Baseball wrap-up
3A No. 1 New Palestine (29-2) squeaked past No. 5 Crawfordsville 1-0 on the strength of senior pitcher Casey Bussell’s complete-game two-hitter where he struck out nine batters. The Dragons scored in the second inning on a Tyler Peper RBI-single. New Palestine will play Jasper (29-5) in the semi-state on Saturday.
4A No. 1 Indianapolis Cathedral (30-1) got a strong outing from Texas recruit Dillon Peters in a 5-2 win over Noblesville for the regional crown. Peters allowed two runs but fanned 12 batters, setting a school record for strikeouts in a season (122). The Irish will play Bloomington South (26-4) in the semi-state.
Basketball all-stars
Ohio State recruit DeShaun Thomas posted 25 points and 15 rebounds for the Indiana All-Stars as they beat the junior All-Stars 125-89. Purdue recruit Terone Johnson scored 19 points in the win. The games are in preparation for the annual Indiana-Kentucky all-star games that begin this weekend.
Wisconsin recruit Lacia Gorman hit a 3-pointer with five seconds left as the girls junior all-star team pulled off the 84-83 upset of the seniors. Indiana State recruit Anna Munn was the bright spot for the seniors, posting 24 points, six rebounds and four assists.