Repeat Sweet For Valley Vikings
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Playing the tournament on their home field for the second-straight year, the Vikings recorded their consecutive championship Tuesday, defeating Wawasee 2-0. The Vikings will play New Haven at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bellmont Regional.[[In-content Ad]]The Vikings had gone 19 years without a title prior to last year's conquest, and coach Scott Backus was enjoying this one a little more.
"It's nicer this year," he said about Valley's fourth sectional crown. "I think I enjoyed it more. Last year, I was so darn paranoid trying to get that first one. Getting it last year, the boys knew they could do it again. They came out and did the job."
Sophomore pitcher James Hackworth certainly did the job, going all seven innings, surrendering seven hits and striking out 11. In what he called his 'best game', Hackworth also went 3 for 3 at the plate, driving in junior Cory Krider in the first inning, helping his own cause.
"As long as I can get a run, I can cruise through the game," Hackworth said, referring to his first-inning RBI.
The win improved Hackworth's record to 7-2 on the season, and it was evident that he was looking sharp early, as he struck out the Wawasee side in the first.
"He's a competitor and he goes after it," Backus said. "There's a reason why he's our top pitcher."
Valley's No. 2 pitcher, senior Tyler Peterson, pitched a no-hitter in Valley's semifinal victory over West Noble Monday, producing a formidable duo with Hackworth.
"Those two guys back-to-back give us a pretty good opportunity to win ballgames," Backus said. "For Tyler to step in and do what he did Monday, then to be able to come back with Hack today for a full seven innings, fresh, was exactly what we needed to do."
Despite Hackworth being on his game, Wawasee did have its opportunities.
In the second inning, Wawasee sophomore Si Shear led off with a single and junior Josh Dingeldein also got a hit following an out. With runners at first and second, Wawasee loaded the bases following an error, which put junior Drew Voirol on first.
Following a mound visit, Hackworth responded by getting two strikeouts, ending the threat.
"Left too many on and didn't execute," Wawasee coach John Blunk said about his team, which left nine runners on base, six in scoring position. "(Senior) Phil (Fleagle) pitched one heck of a game, we played good defense, we just didn't get the runners in."
It appeared Wawasee was about to get that timely hit in the third, but the Vikings' defense stepped up to keep the shutout in tact.
With speedy junior Cody Blunk at second and senior Jake Sommers at first with two outs, senior Keegan Beer drilled a liner to centerfield. With Cody Blunk getting the go-ahead to round third, Valley junior centerfielder Tyler Akers made a relay throw to senior Jordan Littlejohn, who gunned it to senior catcher Kameron Akers for the third out of the inning.
"That was a great relay to get him at home," the Wawasee coach said. "But, hey, we have to push the buttons to try to see what we can do. If we want anyone to score from second, it's him."
Off the bat, the hit appeared destined to score a run, but Tyler Akers had other plans.
"I saw him going and I knew (Littlejohn) could do it, so I hit the cut man and he got him," Akers said, deferring the credit to the first baseman.
Making the play even more sensational is the fact that Tyler Akers made the play with one hand, as he was born without his arm below the elbow.
Without the use of a left hand, Akers first had to get the grounder, switch the glove to his left elbow before grabbing the ball with his right and throwing a strike to the infield.
"Lots of practice," Akers said about making the play. "Hard work and really trying."
The defensive play secured the one-run lead, but when freshman pinch runner Mason Teel scored from third on a wild pitch in the sixth, Hackworth had just a bit more wiggle room to work with.
"Good players are going to step up big in big games," Backus said. "Right now, we've got some kids that stepped on the field knowing if they played their game, there was no way in the world (Wawasee) was going to beat us."
Valley will now prepare to continue its postseason run, which ended in the first game of the regional a year ago.
"We try a lot harder," Tyler Akers said about this year's edition of the team compared to last year's. "We don't have as much power, but we definitely have the heart."
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 2, WAWASEE 0
(Class 3A,
Sectional 21 Championship)
V 100 001 0 - 2 7 2
W 000 000 0 - 0 7 0
James Hackworth (W, 7IP, 0R, 7H, 11K, 1BB) and Kameron Akers; Phil Fleagle (L, 7IP, 2R, 2ER, 7H, 8K, 1HB) and Si Shear
Records - Valley 17-8, Wawasee 12-15
Playing the tournament on their home field for the second-straight year, the Vikings recorded their consecutive championship Tuesday, defeating Wawasee 2-0. The Vikings will play New Haven at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bellmont Regional.[[In-content Ad]]The Vikings had gone 19 years without a title prior to last year's conquest, and coach Scott Backus was enjoying this one a little more.
"It's nicer this year," he said about Valley's fourth sectional crown. "I think I enjoyed it more. Last year, I was so darn paranoid trying to get that first one. Getting it last year, the boys knew they could do it again. They came out and did the job."
Sophomore pitcher James Hackworth certainly did the job, going all seven innings, surrendering seven hits and striking out 11. In what he called his 'best game', Hackworth also went 3 for 3 at the plate, driving in junior Cory Krider in the first inning, helping his own cause.
"As long as I can get a run, I can cruise through the game," Hackworth said, referring to his first-inning RBI.
The win improved Hackworth's record to 7-2 on the season, and it was evident that he was looking sharp early, as he struck out the Wawasee side in the first.
"He's a competitor and he goes after it," Backus said. "There's a reason why he's our top pitcher."
Valley's No. 2 pitcher, senior Tyler Peterson, pitched a no-hitter in Valley's semifinal victory over West Noble Monday, producing a formidable duo with Hackworth.
"Those two guys back-to-back give us a pretty good opportunity to win ballgames," Backus said. "For Tyler to step in and do what he did Monday, then to be able to come back with Hack today for a full seven innings, fresh, was exactly what we needed to do."
Despite Hackworth being on his game, Wawasee did have its opportunities.
In the second inning, Wawasee sophomore Si Shear led off with a single and junior Josh Dingeldein also got a hit following an out. With runners at first and second, Wawasee loaded the bases following an error, which put junior Drew Voirol on first.
Following a mound visit, Hackworth responded by getting two strikeouts, ending the threat.
"Left too many on and didn't execute," Wawasee coach John Blunk said about his team, which left nine runners on base, six in scoring position. "(Senior) Phil (Fleagle) pitched one heck of a game, we played good defense, we just didn't get the runners in."
It appeared Wawasee was about to get that timely hit in the third, but the Vikings' defense stepped up to keep the shutout in tact.
With speedy junior Cody Blunk at second and senior Jake Sommers at first with two outs, senior Keegan Beer drilled a liner to centerfield. With Cody Blunk getting the go-ahead to round third, Valley junior centerfielder Tyler Akers made a relay throw to senior Jordan Littlejohn, who gunned it to senior catcher Kameron Akers for the third out of the inning.
"That was a great relay to get him at home," the Wawasee coach said. "But, hey, we have to push the buttons to try to see what we can do. If we want anyone to score from second, it's him."
Off the bat, the hit appeared destined to score a run, but Tyler Akers had other plans.
"I saw him going and I knew (Littlejohn) could do it, so I hit the cut man and he got him," Akers said, deferring the credit to the first baseman.
Making the play even more sensational is the fact that Tyler Akers made the play with one hand, as he was born without his arm below the elbow.
Without the use of a left hand, Akers first had to get the grounder, switch the glove to his left elbow before grabbing the ball with his right and throwing a strike to the infield.
"Lots of practice," Akers said about making the play. "Hard work and really trying."
The defensive play secured the one-run lead, but when freshman pinch runner Mason Teel scored from third on a wild pitch in the sixth, Hackworth had just a bit more wiggle room to work with.
"Good players are going to step up big in big games," Backus said. "Right now, we've got some kids that stepped on the field knowing if they played their game, there was no way in the world (Wawasee) was going to beat us."
Valley will now prepare to continue its postseason run, which ended in the first game of the regional a year ago.
"We try a lot harder," Tyler Akers said about this year's edition of the team compared to last year's. "We don't have as much power, but we definitely have the heart."
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 2, WAWASEE 0
(Class 3A,
Sectional 21 Championship)
V 100 001 0 - 2 7 2
W 000 000 0 - 0 7 0
James Hackworth (W, 7IP, 0R, 7H, 11K, 1BB) and Kameron Akers; Phil Fleagle (L, 7IP, 2R, 2ER, 7H, 8K, 1HB) and Si Shear
Records - Valley 17-8, Wawasee 12-15
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